In downtown El Dorado work is continuing on Phase One of MAD (The Murphy Arts District), and from the results so far, the prognosis looks great. But I want to jump forward to the completion of Phase Two, which is two years out, and recommend an add-on project that will enhance the overall entertainment venue, and be a real draw not only for MAD, but for Central Arkansas.
First, let’s review the entertainment concept that El Dorado is undertaking and give everyone an overview of the progress: Currently, the MAD Amphitheater is up and running, and it was packed to the gills when Brad Paisley played to 8000 screaming fans, and as the weather improves the amphitheater is going to have entertainers such as Hank Williams Jr. and others all summer. The adjacent 2200 seat Griffin Music hall has also been finished and has sold out numerous times since it opened in late October. The most recent sellout was Casting Crowns. As part of the Griffin Music Hall, the fine dining Griffin Restaurant and Griffin Cabaret feature a great restaurant combined with a cabaret stage hosting top flight entertainment. Thursday Night Live at the Griffin Cabaret has become the place to be at eight o’clock Thursday night, and it’s always a packed house. The Phase One MAD PlayScape is well under way and when finished in mid-May will be the largest children’s play-scape in the state. It will be free and have child supervision in place at all times. Next will come the MAD Fine Art Museum, a four floor art museum with over 8000 feet of exhibit space, with connections to regional and national museums.
Of course, the crown jewel of the entertainment group will follow after the museum is completed, and that is the restoration and renovation of the magnificent Rialto Theater. When Phase Two is finished, MAD will have four outstanding stage entertainment venues, a new art museum and a state of the arts children’s play-scape.
In addition, the City of El Dorado has recently completed a seven million dollar renovation of the Municipal Auditorium bringing it up-to-date with a new interior, wonderful acoustics, and new seating, and this month, to add to the overall entertainment, the first of a series of Boomtown Operas, similar to the Grand Old Opera will be held. Looking ahead to the completion of Phase Two, I expect the three major downtown churches will be offering late afternoon weekend concerts similar to what churches do in other entertainment venues.
The concept of an entertainment district is not to have an occasional concert, but to have multiple concerts, plays, and other entertainment items each weekend. In other words the Griffin Cabaret would always have cabaret entertainment on Thursday Night Live, the Rialto might offer a Broadway Play on Friday night, the Amphitheater could bring a Bon Jovi on Saturday and the Griffin Music Hall might have another top flight entertainer group such as Casting Crowns on Sunday afternoon. With four stages, a museum, and a children’s play-scape MAD would have almost continuous activity almost every weekend. Of course, we hope that level of entertainment will draw thousands from the mid-south, and we’ll see our streets packed with visitors looking for a place to park. Parking could be a problem, but my proposal will help solve this problem.
Since we’re always talking about using mass transit, let’s consider this opportunity: Railroad tracks are continuous from Union Station in Little Rock due South passing through all of the major towns along highway 167, and those tracks actually touch the edge of the Murphy Arts District. (MAD) I believe this is a great opportunity to organize round-trip train service from Little Rock to El Dorado with stops in Sheridan, Fordyce, and Hampton, and for lack of a better name, let’s call it The Boogie Train. The Train would run on weekends when major attractions are playing at the Griffin Music Hall, the MAD Amphitheater, and the Rialto. Of course to add to those attractions the MAD Art Museum is less than a block away to attend while your kids enjoy the MAD PlayScape. These are the riders who would take the train to MAD.
Of course, the train would take away some of the parking worries, and the local hotels would meet the train and ferry these visitors back and forth from the MAD. Hank Williams Jr. and his rowdy friends will be rolling in on June first, and wouldn’t you like to just buy one ticket that would be for train transportation that includes fine dining, entertainment and adult beverages, and then upon arriving have lodging arranged, and a prime seat for the concert? Actually, if all of the above amenities were offered, the Boogie Train would likely be booked weeks in advance. Is this wishful thinking. Well, if the little Reader Railroad could operate a scenic train ride through the pine hills around Prescott a number of years back, just think of the potential of the Boogie Train with a Hank Williams Jr. as a destination.
The reason I’m suggesting this now, when the final completion of MAD is two years away, is because it will take that long to organize the rail transportation. There are hundreds of old coach train cars and engines around the country and without a doubt they can be put into service. In the 1920s oil boom El Dorado had 22 train arrivals a day, and the idea we could have two to four arrivals a weekend with the new train is certainly possible. I know that brings on some head shaking, but hold on to the seat of your pants, because it’s happening. Well, maybe not by the time Hank Williams Jr cranks it up on June first, but the Boogie Train project, compared to what has already happened in South Arkansas, will be a piece of cake. Actually, I believe that this opportunity is so attractive that we’ll have a number of well-heeled Arkansawyers knocking on MAD’s door to get involved.
Naturally, I would expect the State of Arkansas to ante up since this would be a real job creator, and I’m sure the state would do as much economically as they did to attract the Chinese Pulp Mill near Arkadelphia. And of course most environmental groups would elect to ride to the Boogie Train south since it would be so environmentally friendly. Naturally, once the Boogie Train gets operational, it would be easy for the train to run passenger from south to north and have the same services as the MAD attendees have I central Arkansas. Well, I know I would buy a ticket to ride up to Little Rock and see Celtic Woman. Someone once said if you can imagine it, it can be done. I know I sound like the greatest Arkansas ‘Homer’ since Wally Hall, but as Dizzy Dean once said, “It ain’t a-braggin’ if you a-done it, or if you are a-gonna do it.” Or something to that effect.
Richard H. Mason of El Dorado is a syndicated columnist and author and former president of the Arkansas Wildlife Federation and the state Pollution Control & Ecology Commission. He may be reached by email at richard@ gibraltarenergy.com .