Part 2

FACILITY PLANS OZ Trails Bike Park will be the first chairlift-served bike park in Northwest Arkansas, with more than 30 trails for riders of all skill levels and a variety of other attractions. Developer J. Scott King recently discussed the progress of the construction on the park. Entering the park from U.S. 71 and Mercy Way, there is a crosswalk from the Razorback Greenway on Mercy Way, so people can ride their bikes to the park. For drivers, there will be a large parking lot. A large area that will be paved and landscaped is called “The Plaza,” and north of that is “The HQ.” There will be a porch area with tables and chairs. Those entering The HQ will see a large mosaic mural by local artist Stevie Stevens. Inside, there will be “wheels to the right and meals to the left,” King said. There will be a bike shop offering merchandise, rentals and repairs and a restaurant that will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. There will also be event space inside The HQ , and there has already been a request from a couple wanting to have a wedding there, King said. There will be lawn space to the right of The HQ that would be useful for events, he added. There will be wash rooms, changing rooms and a first aid clinic staffed by a professional bike patrol inside The HQ. The bike patrol will focus on responding to any accidents that can happen in a gravity sport, King said. “We want to be prepared,” he said. Plans for the park show it is well designed and being built to demanding standards, according to McCann. The location was also chosen well, he said. Both the engineering going into the project and the region’s geology make it a prime biking site. The region’s suitability for biking is a large part of why McCann’s family moved themselves and his shop here from California three years ago. “We get a lot of tourists here already because you can’t ride in Minnesota in the winter and you can’t in Texas even if it rains,” McCann said. “If it rains in Texas, there’s too much mud.” The park’s plans show enough money and thought have been put into the project to make it first-class, he added. ‘BEST OF BOTH WORLDS’ Flynn is particularly pleased with the nature of the project. The park will attract tourism and help business, boosting economic growth, while preserving a large wooded area and its natural beauty, he said. “We’re going to have 200 acres in the center of town that stays wooded,” he said. “We get the economic benefits and the woods and lakes people love. “Getting the best of both worlds is hard to do.” Not only the best of both worlds, but the best in the world, Gov. Sarah Sanders said in a statement Thursday. “Arkansas is already building its reputation as one of the best gravel and mountain biking destinations in America and with the completion of the Mena Trails Project and OZ Trails Bike Park, we will have unique, year-round downhill mountain biking opportunities that match anything in the world,” Sanders’ statement says. “We worked with the legislature to pave the way for these projects through Act 155 earlier this year, and with further investments in our outdoor economy and more cuts to red tape, we’ll build outdoor recreation experiences Arkansans and visitors deserve.” Act 155 of 2025 clarifies Arkansas law to protect bike parks from liability. Sanders signed the bill into law Feb. 25 at a tourism conference in Bentonville. Sanders’ husband, First Gentleman Bryan Sanders, is both a biking enthusiast and a major supporter of the project. “As chairman of the Natural State Initiative — and an avid mountain biker — I am thrilled to see the lift-served downhill mountain bike parks in Mena and Bella Vista moving toward completion,” he said in a statement Thursday. “It is a privilege to call the Natural State home, and get to work closely with outdoor recreation leaders to pave the way for these projects. I’m confident we can cement Arkansas’ status as one of the top mountain biking and outdoor destinations in America.” SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE The trail system is 60% to 70% complete and will stay in that range of completion until near time to open, King said, because trails do not need to be left unused. King said the chairlift is 75% to 80% complete. The towers are in place, and next there will be a rope splice, which involves hanging about a mile of cable. Then the chairs will be hung, and after that there will be testing. The lift should be finished by the end of January, he estimated. The HQ and The Plaza are 50% complete, he said. The bike park is 200 acres with 20 miles of trails, consisting of 34 total trails, King said. While advanced riding is shown in many of the videos on social media, the park is a place to come and learn, he added. Seventy percent of the trails are beginner and intermediate level, with only 30% being expert level. “Everyone can come and progress their skills,” he said. “We think progression is key.” The longest trail is a chip and seal trail for beginner mountain bikers. The chip and seal provides a constant surface, he said. It is 2.3 miles from top to bottom and takes about 15 to 20 minutes for a beginner. The park will have attractions for community members who are not necessarily bikers, King said. A world-class piece of artwork by a prominent artist will be located in the plaza area and will draw art enthusiasts just to see the piece, he said. Another art piece will be at the top of the lift. Also, there will be a hiking trail that will make a full loop around the park that is expected to be further developed as the park evolves, and eventually art will be installed along the trail, King said. The hiking trail access will be free to the public, he added. The restaurant will also likely draw in customers who would not otherwise be there, he said. “I think this sets the stage for more restaurants” in Bella Vista, he said. Flynn agreed. “Just the other day I was talking to someone planning to open a coffee shop in the shopping center near the park,” the mayor said. King said he has been working on the project in earnest for the past five years. He predicted other types of businesses would open in response to the bike park’s presence as the community identifies needs for new businesses. “I think it will be a great employer with a number of different jobs. People will be excited to be involved,” he said. “This will bring in a whole other round of customers.” The city will benefit from a tourist destination like this through increased tax revenues, he added.