[SouthernTiger]

We all know by now that the Delta on both sides of the river is one of the poorest areas in the country, more so in MS. But i'm here to talk about the AR side.

Is there a chance that anything could be done to bring back the Delta region on the AR side? We all know a lot of the more rural MS delta counties ain't coming back. I'm talking about places like Blytheville, West Memphis, Earle, Forrest City, Dumas, Brinkley...Which most (or some) of them were once desirable places to live. But now that the jobs are gone, they are now poor places which no one wants to live, and it's been shedding population for years now.

Is there still a chance that jobs can be brought back to the Delta? Or is it lost and will only keep shedding population for a long time?

[Hollynla]

It's very likely going to stay the way it is, or at least for a very long time. Not every area is meant or should be developed. Some parts of the country are going to remain sparsely populated and very rural and that's okay too. Unless there is something to draw businesses in, it's not going to change much.

[David A Stone]

Those steel mills near Osceola /Blytheville sure helped.


The area needs lots more, but those are great paying blue collar jobs.

[InchingWest]

Originally Posted by Hollynla

It's very likely going to stay the way it is, or at least for a very long time. Not every area is meant or should be developed. Some parts of the country are going to remain sparsely populated and very rural and that's okay too. Unless there is something to draw businesses in, it's not going to change much.

I agree. As economies change there's going to be push and pull factors in many directions.

More jobs and higher pay can be found in big cities, as well as the "cultural" amenities people seem to find enjoyable. For many people paying to eat at restaurants, seeing shows and major league sporting events, and walking around large urban downtown areas has replaced more rural ideas of fun. Neither are wrong, but I think as the newest generation ages a bit the "fast life" of cities will have less draw.

I think we'll start to have a counter trend next decade as Millennials (the majority having hit or soon to hit age 30) will finally desire to live in real houses instead of crappy city apartments and will want to start real families. So maybe places like Arkansas and Ohio will have greater appeal. I sure hope they will.

Still, neither mill towns nor fishing villages are going to make a comeback, but as long as we can travel to service hubs I think people will spread out a bit, especially now that technology has virtually eliminated physical and temporal barriers to communication.

[Old Fossil]

I don't think anything is going to change. In the past 40+ years the state and the feds have dumped truck loads of money into the area with no change that I can see. The steel mills, as Posted above, made a difference, but only in localized areas.

[David A Stone]

I read that there were over 10,000 applications for 570 job openings at the new steel mill.

[nmnita]

anything is possible; look how the addition of gambling helped Tunica for about 15 years, and now, the casinos are closing. I am sure many never thought you would see the growth or the improvement in NWA that has made it one of the most desirable places to live in the country, but it would take a real change to see this kind of improvement in th Delta region. If, for no other reason, reputation

[Luvvarkansas]

Originally Posted by nmnita

look how the addition of gambling helped Tunica for about 15 years, and now, the casinos are closing.

Yeah, people can only throw money away for so long.....

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by Luvvarkansas

Yeah, people can only throw money away for so long.....

so true, but there are so many areas of the country where gambling has saved them or put them on the map. I predicted years ago, the gambling industry was going to become over populated: It looks like it has happened.

[hitpausebutton2]

It does need jobs for sure. You would think the river traffic would bring in more shipping jobs or trade. Consider it was good part of cotton fields back in the day, so farmers changed to other commodities and ruin any chances of having a cotton mill. Crime is very bad in the area too, so got to counter act that.