Blue Crane, the real estate investment and development arm of the Runway Group, announced they have acquired 2,700 acres of land in Bella Vista so that the community just north of Bentonville isn’t excluded from “The Mountain Bike Capital of the World.” The Runway Group was founded by Steuart and Tom Walton, and Tom serves as the CEO.
In an interview with the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal, Tom Walton spoke about how Bella Vista has been unfairly overshadowed by its next-door neighbor, Bentonville.
“Many people talk about Bentonville as the ‘Mountain Biking Capital of the World,'” said Walton. “A lot of trails have been built in Bella Vista. When I’m riding, I spend about half of my time there. I would like to shine a light on Bella Vista and Bentonville [together] as the mountain bike capital of the world.”
Bella Vista is near and dear to the hearts of both Tom and Steuart Walton. “Growing up here, Bella Vista was my backyard,” Tom Walton told guests at a Blue Crane development meet and greet. “We loved exploring all the nooks and crannies of this special place. As the region becomes a premier destination for cycling, golf, and outdoor recreation, we want to preserve Bella Vista’s tradition of connecting people to nature through our investments locally.”
To be fair, when most people and publications (Singletracks included) refer to “Bentonville,” they consider the Bella Vista area trails as falling under that label. Downtown Bentonville and downtown Bella Vista are less than 9 miles apart by car, and their respective trail systems can be connected by a fit rider via singletrack and paved bike paths.
Bella Vista alone already boasts over 100 miles of mountain bike trails. Stand-out trails in Bella Vista include the Back 40 Loop and the Little Sugar Trail System, anchored by the Tunnel Vision trail. Both of these major loops include many cross trails and connectors to shorten the ride or add variety.
You can also find gravity-style trails in Bella Vista as well. The Huntley Gravity Zone features lap-style flow trail riding, and the Blowing Springs Trail System includes some gravity descents on the southern end, with Area 51 as one of the most iconic.
A more accurate analysis is that this is probably the largest parcel of land that the Runway Group can acquire anywhere close to Bentonville. While undoubtedly, the residents of Bella Vista want to be recognized independently of their neighbor in the spotlight, very few visiting riders care to make a distinction, and nothing stops local residents from driving or riding a few miles in either direction to access mountain bike trails.
Instead, the net-net of this purchase is that an untold number of additional miles of singletrack will soon be coming to Northwest Arkansas. However, the plans for the property have not yet been developed, and no maps have been published. Financial details of the acquisition from Cooper Communities Inc. have also not been released.
According to Blue Crane, “a large chunk of the land is west of the interstate, reaching up to the Missouri border.” This indicates that most of the future trail development will be adjacent to the Little Sugar trail system.
At this time, the Runway group is conducting a large-scale infrastructure study of the Bella Vista area, which is expected to conclude in late 2024. Mountain biking won’t be the only consideration for this land—Bella Vista has already distinguished itself as one of the top golfing destinations in Arkansas, and the Waltons don’t want to see golf fall by the wayside.
In addition to outdoor recreation, Blue Crane will also by focusing on “hospitality and retail investments” in the area. “Back in March, Blue Crane purchased 54 acres of land along Mercy Way that included the shopping center” for $33.9 million.
We’re excited to watch this project as it develops, and we’ll be sure to share maps and future trail plans once those become available.
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