TL;DR: Memorial Park is a 73-acre community park at 401 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway in Bentonville, Arkansas, with 11 lighted soccer fields, 12 tennis courts, nine baseball and softball fields, a skate park and the Melvin Ford Aquatic Center (City of Bentonville Parks & Recreation, accessed October 2026).
What Memorial Park Is
Memorial Park is a city park operated by Bentonville Parks & Recreation. The city describes it as "Bentonville's premier community park" and lists it at 73 acres (City of Bentonville Parks & Recreation, accessed October 2026). It is a recreation-focused park rather than a quiet nature preserve, built around organized sports, swimming and open-air gathering space. The city's park directory places it in the "Parks for Recreation" category (City of Bentonville Parks & Recreation, accessed October 2026).
The park also carries a commemorative role. Its grounds include a Benton County memorial honoring fallen soldiers from Benton County and a Benton County historical settlement marker (City of Bentonville Parks & Recreation, accessed October 2026).
Location and Access
The city lists the park's address as 401 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway, with frontage on East Central Avenue (Highway 72) and Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway (City of Bentonville Parks & Recreation, accessed October 2026). Posted hours are sunrise to 11 p.m. (City of Bentonville Parks & Recreation, accessed October 2026). The City of Bentonville lists 479-271-3112 as its contact number for the park (City of Bentonville Parks & Recreation, accessed October 2026).
Visitors arriving on foot or by bike can use the trail network. TrailLink describes the John DeShields Trail as serving both Orchards Park and Memorial Park, and as connecting to the J Street Trail, the Tiger Trail and the Heritage Trail (TrailLink, accessed October 2026). Visit Bentonville also lists Memorial Park as one of three looped trails within the city's parks, alongside Lake Bella Vista and Park Springs Park (Visit Bentonville, accessed October 2026).
Sports and Recreation Facilities
Memorial Park is built around organized sports. According to the City of Bentonville, the park has (City of Bentonville Parks & Recreation, accessed October 2026):
- 11 lighted soccer fields
- 12 tennis courts
- 4 basketball courts
- 4 lighted softball fields and 5 lighted baseball fields
- 4 sand volleyball courts
- A skateboard park
Supporting amenities include concession stands, a lighted covered pavilion, playground areas, restrooms, picnic tables, water fountains, a dog station and a perimeter walking trail (City of Bentonville Parks & Recreation, accessed October 2026). The infields of all nine baseball and softball fields have been converted to synthetic turf; metal cleats are not allowed, and the city recommends turf or tennis shoes (City of Bentonville Parks & Recreation, accessed October 2026).
The ball fields have drawn regional attention. In November 2017 the United States Specialty Sports Association named the park's baseball and softball complex its National Sports Complex of the Year, citing registered participants, types of events, facility quality and service to users, and the park has hosted the USSSA Fast Pitch World Series (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, accessed October 2026).
Melvin Ford Aquatic Center
Memorial Park is also home to the Melvin Ford Aquatic Center. The city lists an Olympic-size pool, a separate four-board diving pool and a wading pool with a rain drop fountain (City of Bentonville Parks & Recreation, accessed October 2026). In a May 2023 report, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette said the center had operated for about 30 years and averaged about 35,000 visits per summer, with roughly 2,000 swim lessons a year (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, accessed October 2026). The same report said a $5 million upgrade funded by a 2021 bond issue was planned, with construction not expected until 2026, and with a zero-depth entry, shaded play areas, new water slides and a lazy river among the proposed additions (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, accessed October 2026). Readers should confirm the current status of that project and the center's season and fees with the city before planning a visit.
Discover Bentonville, Arkansas for more on the parks, trails and neighborhoods that shape daily life in the city.
Why Memorial Park Matters to Residents and Property Owners
For residents, the park concentrates youth and adult sports, swimming, tennis and casual recreation in one place, with a perimeter trail for walking and a covered pavilion that can be reserved through the city's online reservation system (City of Bentonville Parks & Recreation, accessed October 2026). For owners and tenants of nearby commercial and residential property, a large, active park on a main corridor such as East Central Avenue is a fixed neighborhood feature: it generates event traffic on tournament weekends and also supplies green space, lighting and daily foot traffic that many users value. Buyers and tenants weighing a location near the park should visit at different times of day and during scheduled events to judge parking, noise and traffic for themselves.
Bentonville Market Snapshot
As of July 2026, the median home sale price in Bentonville was $415,000, with 766 active listings representing 2.64 months of inventory supply (Houzeo) — a market with meaningful buyer competition but not extreme scarcity. If you're considering a move to Bentonville, you can list your home with us.
Working With Mason Capital Group in Bentonville
Mason Capital Group has maintained a presence in Northwest Arkansas for over 30 years, with more than $2.4 billion in cumulative transaction activity. Our office is at 609 SW 8th Street, 6th Floor, Bentonville, AR 72712, and we can be reached at 479-925-3333. Current inventory is on our featured listings page.
Where is Memorial Park in Bentonville, Arkansas?
Memorial Park is at 401 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway in Bentonville, Arkansas, with frontage on East Central Avenue (Highway 72) and Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway (City of Bentonville Parks & Recreation, accessed October 2026).
How big is Memorial Park in Bentonville?
The City of Bentonville lists Memorial Park at 73 acres (City of Bentonville Parks & Recreation, accessed October 2026).
What sports facilities does Memorial Park have?
The city lists 11 lighted soccer fields, 12 tennis courts, 4 basketball courts, 4 lighted softball fields, 5 lighted baseball fields, 4 sand volleyball courts and a skateboard park (City of Bentonville Parks & Recreation, accessed October 2026).
Does Memorial Park have a swimming pool?
Yes. The Melvin Ford Aquatic Center is located in Memorial Park and includes an Olympic-size pool, a separate four-board diving pool and a wading pool with a rain drop fountain (City of Bentonville Parks & Recreation, accessed October 2026). Confirm season dates and fees with the city before visiting.
What are the hours at Memorial Park in Bentonville?
The City of Bentonville lists park hours as sunrise to 11 p.m. (City of Bentonville Parks & Recreation, accessed October 2026). Pool hours and fees are not listed on the park page, so check with the city.