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Interim chamber CEO says economic development 'business as usual' as Hot Springs courts new leads and workforce programs
Summary
Cole McKascal, newly named interim president and CEO of the Greater Hot Springs Chamber and Metro Partnership, told the City Board the chamber opened two job-creation files with the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, is tracking 14 active project files and pursued downtown commercial sales and workforce outreach that reached about 3,000 students during the 2025–26 school year.
Cole McKascal, introduced to the board as the interim president and CEO of the Greater Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce and the Hot Springs Metro Partnership, told the Hot Springs City Board on June 2 that economic development operations are continuing without interruption after a recent leadership change.
"Economic development is running business as usual," McKascal said, adding that he had been intimately involved in day-to-day economic development for nine years as vice president. He said the chamber reformatted its monthly report to highlight concrete results and put May activity into categories for easier review.
McKascal said the chamber worked four new business leads in May, opened two job-creation files with the Arkansas Economic Development Commission (one new attraction and one expansion of a manufacturer), and currently has 14 open project files. He described outreach that engaged roughly 3,000 K–12 students from 12 local schools about career opportunities and said the chamber awarded seven $1,000 workforce scholarships to graduating seniors who commit to entering the local workforce.
On downtown activity, McKascal reported that eight new businesses have opened downtown so far this year, five more are under development, and three commercial buildings on Central Avenue (listed as 350, 364 and 412 Central in his report) sold this year. He said the chamber co-hosted an Issue Three information session and continues to meet with developers interested in workforce housing and with owners of a large shopping center for potential new development.
Directors asked for additional details about specific downtown properties and possible tenants. McKascal said staff expect to share more specifics in future reports and that prospective restaurant and retail tenants continue to show interest. When asked about the former Granny’s Kitchen space at 362 Central, he said the project may be announced at next month’s report.
The board did not take formal action on the report. The mayor thanked McKascal and the board moved to other agenda items.
