LITTLE ROCK – Mayor Frank Scott, Jr. announced today that the City of Little Rock will receive $30 million from the Bezos Earth Fund to support development of 30 Crossing Park, a newly established, 23-acre urban oasis in the heart of Little Rock’s downtown.
Part of the Bezos Earth Fund’s Greening America’s Cities program, the funding supports the transformation of a vacant area that had been the location of a cloverleaf exit ramp off Interstate 30 in the River Market district of Arkansas’s capital city. This new destination park designed for arts, sports, play, and nature will further link Downtown with the Arkansas River, improve quality of life and place, and re-energize Little Rock’s urban core.
“This $30 million, transformational investment by the Bezos Earth Fund will reconnect land, neighborhoods, trails, cultural destinations, and people in a way that reflects who we are as Arkansas’s capital city: A place where nature, opportunity, and community come together,” Mayor Scott said. “Together, we are creating a destination that will unite our City, grow our economy, and positively reshape the riverfront and Downtown for generations to come.”
Bezos Earth Fund President and CEO Tom Taylor joined Mayor Scott, Gov. Sarah Sanders, U.S. Rep. French Hill, Little Rock Regional Chamber Board Chairwoman Ruth Whitney and other officials at a community celebration today at 30 Crossing.
The announcement represents a full-circle moment for Mayor Scott, who served on the Arkansas Highway Commission during the planning stages for the 30 Crossing interstate design, and has led efforts as Mayor to collaborate with the Arkansas Department of Transportation and community stakeholders to establish long-term plans for the green space created from the project.
“Our residents made clear that the I-30 expansion should do more than move traffic,” Mayor Scott said. “It also had to create opportunity, connectivity, and meaningful green space for our community. Today, we are seeing that vision come to life. We are grateful to the Bezos Earth Fund, the Little Rock Regional Chamber, ArDOT, the State of Arkansas, our congressional delegation, and every partner who helped move this vision forward.”
Little Rock is one of eight cities named today to receive a total of $100 million to fund parks, green spaces and immersive outdoor areas. Other cities are Allentown, Pennsylvania; Atlanta; Cleveland; Indianapolis; Los Angeles; Salt Lake City; and Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The Greening America’s Cities program supports projects designed for and built by the communities that use them.
“At the Bezos Earth Fund, we want to make the planet a place people can and want to live, and that includes making sure people have green spaces woven into daily life – places to cool down and get shade, bring their families, or simply walk through on their commute. Those places shouldn’t be a luxury,” Taylor said. “Greening America’s Cities shows what’s possible when communities, local leaders, and partners come together to transform overlooked spaces into something extraordinary.”
This investment will support initial implementation of the 30 Crossing Park Master Plan adopted by the Little Rock Board of Directors. 30 Crossing Park will be a welcoming space for all to enjoy, with public art, gathering spots, and recreational opportunities.