Kalene Griffith on Bentonville's Transformation, Tourism & Northwest Arkansas' Future

Episode notes

Bentonville, Arkansas used to be a pass-through town of 20,000 people, best known for the Walmart Museum. Today it's one of the fastest-growing tourism destinations in the country, and Kalene Griffith, CEO of Visit Bentonville, has been at the center of that transformation since day one. In this episode, host Andy McNeill talks with Kalene about how a small Arkansas city became a global name in mountain biking, art, and food. She breaks down how Visit Bentonville is funded, the strategy behind turning Crystal Bridges into a citywide public art movement, and the moment she knew Bentonville had become a major destination. In this conversation: How Visit Bentonville is funded and structured Turning Crystal Bridges into a citywide public art movement Building a world-class mountain biking destination What Northwest Arkansas has to get right to keep growing If you've ever wondered how a small city pulls off a transformation like this, you'll want to hear the whole story.