Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed legislation on Tuesday “that lays the groundwork for bringing lift-access downhill mountain bike parks to Arkansas.” Or as Sanders described it, “think ski lift/resort, except for mountain biking.”
Sanders signed the bill (see photo below) with Walmart heir billionaire Tom Walton standing behind her.
It’s a big day in the Natural State!
Today I joined the Governor’s Conference on Tourism and signed legislation to pave the way for lift-access downhill mountain bike parks in Arkansas – think ski lift/resort, except for mountain biking.
Arkansas is leading on outdoor… pic.twitter.com/QclbaIVXCF
— Sarah Huckabee Sanders (@SarahHuckabee) February 25, 2025
Tom Walton and his brother Steuart Walton own The Runway Group, the holding company that plans to build a new bike park in Bella Vista (near Bentonville) which will become the first bike park in Northwest Arkansas to be served by chairlift.
[Note: Tom Walton and Steuart Walton are two of the eight grandchildren of Walmart Inc. founder Sam Walton who were recently given voting rights over family holdings. Their father, Jim Walton, is the 12th-richest person in the world, with a net worth of US$118.9 billion according to Forbes.]
Not all Arkansans are happy about the new legislation and bike park development. As one replied to Sanders: “IF you care about Arkansas you wouldn’t be letting every company with a buck to destroy our mountains streams rivers and SKY LINES we used to have beautiful views in Fayetteville now its all ugly apartment buildings blocking the mountains.”
Note: The Waltons purchased 2,700 acres in Bella Vista, land that will include the bike park in May. The Runway Group also bought a 190-unit apartment complex in Bentonville for $34.35 million in July.
At the 2025 Governor’s Conference on Tourism, as seen above, Governor Sanders gave “special recognition” to the Walton family including Tom Walton, who was in the audience. She said the Waltons have “played a big leadership role in growing the Natural State’s tourism industry.”