[joebaldknobber]

Does anyone know if any plans are in the works to redevelop Dogpatch USA? It seems with all the growth in NW Arkansas & Branson it would be a great opportunity.

[Stormcrow73]

All I know is that someone did some renovations to some of the buildings there in the 06-07 time frame. Can't remember where I came by that info but I found it just last week or the week before.

A ski resort would be a wild idea! I remember someone opened a groomed mountain around Branson in the 80's. It's main attraction was a tubing slope. I think the mountain was too small for much in the way of actual ski slopes but you could definitely do some in Newton county. That one didn't last very long though. Being able to maintain the slopes in snow in the wild Arkansas winter mood swings would be tough.

[GetmeoutofAR]

the only feasible place for a Ski Resort would be east of Winslow in Washington County on north facing slopes above 2000 feet. There is a small high elevation community up there called Sunset.

[Stormcrow73]

Originally Posted by GetmeoutofAR

the only feasible place for a Ski Resort would be east of Winslow in Washington County on north facing slopes above 2000 feet. There is a small high elevation community up there called Sunset.

Did some research on this area on good old Google Maps. Man what an excellent tool!!

The area you're talking about has elevation changes of about 400 vertical feet. Not too shabby. The area around Dogpatch is at an elevation of about 1200' asl with elevation changes only in the 250 vertical feet range.

For comparison, I looked at a groomed resort in southern PA called Ski Liberty. Total elevation on that mountain is just over 1000' asl with an elevation changes in excess of 400 vertical feet.

So in conclusion, I think you're very much right that at our lattitude you'd have to look to some location very similar to the one you mention here.

[GetmeoutofAR]

yeah i fiqured it was a good spot. Not only that but it would be right off I-540 and would be only 30 min from the Fayetteville area as well as Ft. Smith. It would also be cooler at those higher elevations.

[SwinerBock]

Originally Posted by joebaldknobber

Does anyone know if any plans are in the works to redevelop Dogpatch USA? It seems with all the growth in NW Arkansas & Branson it would be a great opportunity.

Last I heard, there had been some remodeling done to allow for business retreats. But that was some time ago. Funny you mention a ski resort. That's been tried there once already.

Here's everything you might want to know about Dogpatch.

[Clay Lady]

Originally Posted by GetmeoutofAR

the only feasible place for a Ski Resort would be east of Winslow in Washington County on north facing slopes above 2000 feet. There is a small high elevation community up there called Sunset.

A few years ago my husband and I met with a young couple that had bought property or had family owned property in the area you are talking about. They had big plans for a man made ski slope. The snow making machines looked like they could keep "snow" on the ground for a few months.

They had reseached the snow making machines and it would have been a good investment but they were way low on the cost of ground prep before they even turned on the machines. I believe that was the issue that soured my husbands interest not the doable factor. They didn't find any other investors and ended up moving out of state.

I know when I drove to Wyoming during Spring break there were several Arkansas cars headed towards ski areas in the Rockies. If someone had the deep pockets to get a ski resort going in Arkansas it would be a good thing.

[GetmeoutofAR]

I think it would generate incredible business in NWA.

[joebaldknobber]

Maybe all the drilling for natural gas in the Fayetteville Shale will bring interest & capital to Dogpatch.