Special to the
News-Times
The Murphy Arts District was selected to win the Natural State Award as part of the annual Henry Awards presented last week at the Arkansas Governor’s Annual Tourism Conference.
The conference was held March 11-13 in West Memphis, Arkansas. The Henry Awards honor Henri de Tonti, the man historians consider to be among the first “Arkansas Travelers.” Tonti, an Italian-born explorer and colonizer, joined the French army in 1668 and helped establish the first permanent European settlement in the lower Mississippi River Valley in 1686. It was called the Poste aux Arkansas, or Arkansas Post. The Henry Awards honor individuals and organizations that have made important contributions to the state’s tourism industry in the preceding year.
The Natural State Award is presented annually to a community, organization, special event or attraction that “stands out in the crowd” because of its unique appeal, media coverage, creative approach and/or enhancement of community pride, thus benefiting the state’s quality of life.
Kane Webb, executive director of the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism, served as master of ceremonies and Miss Arkansas Maggie Benton assisted in the presentation of the awards.
“We’re excited about winning this award,” said Austin Barrow, president and COO of MAD/Murphy Arts District, “and are committed to creating the kinds of entertainment and cultural experiences that people from around the region will find interesting, fun, and worth the trip.”
MAD is completing Phase I this summer with the addition of Arkansas’s largest outdoor children’s playscape, slated to open in June, to accompany the existing Griffin Restaurant, MAD Amphitheater and Griffin Music Hall.
The MAD grand opening in September 2017 attracted more than 25,000 attendees from around the region and garnered more than 5 billion media impressions from newspapers, magazines and online articles around the country.