Grand Slam Business Park - Strategic Investment

Why Fort Smith is the prime opportunity for real estate investment

Fort Smith, Arkansas, is entering a transformative era. Historically a manufacturing stronghold, the city is now a regional powerhouse for advanced manufacturing, aerospace, defense training, logistics, and healthcare innovation. With $1–$1.4 billion annual economic impact projected from the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) F-35 training program, Fort Smith is positioned as a global defense hub and a magnet for high-value investments.

The convergence of strategic location, multi modal infrastructure, workforce readiness, and aggressive development initiatives makes Fort Smith one of the most compelling mid-sized markets in the U.S. for commercial real estate, mixed-use developments, and industrial properties.

Fort Smith, Arkansas

Economic Overview

Why this matters: Fort Smith’s connectivity enables low-cost, high-efficiency distribution, making it ideal for e-commerce fulfillment centers, warehouses, and flex industrial spaces.

Market Performance & Growth Trends

Residential Market:

Median listing price $292.5K (+19.4% YoY)
Sale-to-list ratio 101.1% (homes selling at or above asking)

Commercial & Industrial:

Vacancy rates remain below 6% regionally
Signaling strong demand for:
Office
Retail
Warehouse space.

Industrial properties are booming:

Due to e-commerce growth and
Logistics demand,
With specialized sectors like cold storage and food processing emerging.

Forecast:

Long-term appreciation projected at +11.7% over 5 years
Making Fort Smith a stable investment market.

Strategic Drivers for Investment

Defense & Aerospace

Ebbing Air National Guard Base hosts the F-35 Foreign Military Sales Training
Center, attracting allied pilots from Poland, Finland, Switzerland, and Singapore.
Economic impact: $500M–$1B annually, plus 900+ military families relocating,
driving housing, retail, and service demand.
Infrastructure upgrades include hangar renovations and advanced simulation facilities,
ensuring 30–40 years of sustained activity.

Chaffee Crossing Redevelopment

$2.3B in capital investments to date; home to Arkansas Colleges of Health Education,
major corporate expansions (Mars Petcare, ArcBest HQ), and mixed-use neighborhoods.
Planned I-49 expansion will connect Chaffee Crossing to I-40, boosting logistics and
industrial development.

Infrastructure & Connectivity

$240M 10-year capital improvement plan for streets, drainage, and transit; major
upgrades to Highway 71B and Phoenix Avenue corridors.
Port of Fort Smith modernization and regional airport enhancements strengthen
multi modal freight capabilities.

Workforce & Education

University of Arkansas–Fort Smith and technical programs provide a pipeline for
advanced manufacturing and aerospace jobs.
STEM partnerships linked to defense and healthcare sectors ensure long-term talent
availability.

Incentives & Tax Advantages

Long-Term Outlook

Fort Smith is not just growing—it’s evolving into a regional economic engine!

Key factors driving sustained growth:

Defense sector permanence (F-35 program ensures decades of activity).
Industrial and logistics boom fueled by e-commerce and central location.
Mixed-use developments like:
Chaffee Crossing
Grand Slam Business Park

Creating vibrant live-work-play environments.

Infrastructure modernization and state-backed incentives reducing investor risk.

Bottom Line:

Fort Smith offers high ROI potential, low entry costs compared to major
metros, and long-term stability backed by federal, state, and private investment.