The finishing touches are being placed on the new Welcome Center on Interstate 55 in Blytheville.
The project is expected to be completed in the next few weeks, according to Glenn Bolick, a spokesman for the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department. An official grand opening ceremony, which will include local and state leaders and dignitaries, is being planned for next month at the new Welcome Center.
The facility is one of seven being constructed around the state, mainly near state lines, to accommodate travelers. In addition to restroom facilities, the Welcome Centers include tourist information, exhibit space and an indoor seating area, as well as picnic areas and vending machines for snacks and drinks.
Centers in southwest and south central Arkansas have already been completed and are in use.
The new Tourist Information and Welcome Center is a great thing for Blytheville, said Liz Smith, director of the Greater Blytheville Area Chamber of Commerce.
"It is state of the art," Smith said of the new center and the way it provides information to motorists traveling through Blytheville on Interstate 55. "Visitors have told us that it is one of the best they've seen in the nation."
The Welcome Center includes 6,000 square feet of floor space, as well as several outdoor displays and covered picnic areas. The center also includes several grassy areas suitable for curbing pets.
Two different driveways into the center easily accommodate several cars as well as tractor-trailers.
The Welcome Center also provides a place for owners of local business, such as hotels and restaurants, to distribute information to travelers.
Smith said she and other local officials are working to get as much information as possible about area attractions and events so it can be distributed at the Welcome Center.
The construction of the new Welcome Center has resulted in the demolition of Mississippi County's other two rest areas.
Bolick said the rest area on the northbound side of the Interstate, south of Osceola, was eliminated because it is so close to the new center. The other rest area, on the southbound Interstate between Joiner and Bassett, was closed because of its age and condition.
When asked if the northbound rest area would be replaced, Bolick said, "It's just too much money to replace all of them. For northbound travelers that want to stop, they can either double back a mile to the new Welcome Center or just keep going to the Missouri center," Bolick said.
"The real intent of the Welcome Center is to welcome travelers to the state and offer tourist information," Bolick said.
dhilton@blythevillecourier.com