Pine Bluff has a proud entertainment legacy. Our Convention Center once hosted legendary performers like KISS, Alabama, Ozzy Osbourne, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Prince, Parliament Funkadelic, Rick James and Patti LaBelle — acts that put our city on the map as a premier destination in Arkansas. Those glory days remind us of what’s possible when Pine Bluff captures the spotlight.
Today, we face a different reality. Our once state-of-the-art facility now competes with newer venues across the region, and recent discussions between our Civic Auditorium Complex Commission and Advertising & Promotion Commission have highlighted fundamental questions about how best to serve our community’s future.
In the past, the A&P and Civic Auditorium Complex boards were combined and spent our hamburger tax receipts on the convention center. When the boards separated the Civic Auditorium Complex Commission grew accustomed to receiving most of the hamburger tax receipts. However, an attorney general opinion states that the A&P has no legal obligation to fund convention center operations at all.
Rather than viewing this as a divisive issue, we should see it as an opportunity for both commissions to unite around our shared mission: making Pine Bluff a destination that residents can be proud of, and visitors want to experience.
LEARNING FROM OUR NEIGHBORS
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
A look at how other Arkansas cities balance convention center operations with tourism promotion reveals instructive patterns. Little Rock allocates 32% of their tourism revenue to support the Statehouse Convention Center and Robinson Center, while Fayetteville dedicates 19% to its Town Center. These cities have found sustainable models that maintain their facilities while reserving substantial resources for the promotional activities that drive visitation.
Pine Bluff’s current approach of dedicating 59% of our hamburger tax receipts to convention center operations — with proposals to maintain funding at 50-75% — suggests we may be out of balance compared to our peers. This isn’t a criticism of either commission, but rather an invitation to examine whether our current allocation best serves our long-term interests.
THE HIDDEN COSTS OF OUR CURRENT APPROACH
Here’s where the math becomes compelling: Arkansas offers matching funds for tourism advertising dollars, effectively doubling our promotional impact. Every dollar we shift from operations to marketing becomes two dollars working to improve Pine Bluff’s image and attract visitors. This state partnership represents an underutilized opportunity that could dramatically amplify our promotional efforts.
Cities with challenging reputations have successfully used strategic marketing to reshape public perception. Some of the most dangerous cities in America — for example, Chicago, Las Vegas, New Orleans, Hot Springs and Memphis — have built thriving tourism economies through sustained promotional investment. Thus, Pine Bluff doesn’t need to solve every problem (crime) overnight — we need to tell our story better and more often.
BRIDGING THE DIVIDE
The tension between our commissions stems from legitimate concerns on both sides. The Civic Auditorium Complex Commission rightfully wants to maintain a facility that serves our community and attracts events. The Advertising & Promotion Commission correctly recognizes that sustained marketing investment is essential for building the reputation that drives long-term success.
Both perspectives are valid, and both are necessary for Pine Bluff’s future. The challenge isn’t choosing between facility operations and promotion — it’s finding the optimal balance that serves both needs while positioning Pine Bluff for growth. This requires honest dialogue about what level of convention center funding is truly necessary versus what amount would simply maintain the status quo.
A FRAMEWORK FOR MOVING FORWARD
Instead of viewing this as a zero-sum negotiation, both commissions should collaborate on a comprehensive strategy that addresses several key questions:
What does success look like? Define specific, measurable goals for both convention center utilization and tourism growth that both commissions can rally behind.
How do we maximize state matching funds? Develop a promotional strategy that takes full advantage of Arkansas’s willingness to match our advertising investment.
What’s the minimum viable funding for operations? Conduct an honest assessment of the convention center’s essential needs versus its desired amenities including current staffing levels.
How do we measure impact? Establish metrics that help both commissions understand whether their collaborative approach is working.
THE PATH FORWARD
Pine Bluff’s best days don’t have to be behind us. Our convention center can remain a community asset while our promotional efforts build the reputation needed to fill it with events and visitors. This isn’t about one commission winning at the other’s expense — it’s about both commissions winning by working together.
The recent contentious meetings reflect the passion both sides bring to serving Pine Bluff. That passion is an asset. Channel it toward collaboration rather than conflict, and we can build something neither commission could achieve alone.
Our city deserves leadership that sees beyond individual commission boundaries to the bigger picture of Pine Bluff’s potential. The same vision that once brought world-class entertainers to our stages can guide us toward a future where a well-maintained convention center thrives within a community that’s successfully promoting itself to the world.
The choice is ours: continue fighting over how to divide a limited pie or work together to bake a bigger cake for everyone. The time for collaborative leadership is now. Pine Bluff is counting on both commissions to show the way forward.
Michael McCray is the cultural development specialist in the Economic & Community Development Department for the city of Pine Bluff.