Bentonville Ballroom, a music venue proposed for downtown, cleared the first hurdle in the city's approval process Tuesday night.
The 2,500 capacity music venue would be operated by Live Nation and built on land next to the Momentary.
With a unanimous vote and little discussion, the Planning Commission approved the property for use as a music venue. No residents spoke for or against the project during the public comment period.
Process and Next Steps
The approval came in the form of a change to the property's Planned Unit Development (PUD).
PUDs allow developers to propose developments that are "innovative but which do not strictly comply with the provisions of the zone in which the property is located," per city planning materials. They effectively replace existing zoning with an agreed-upon, customized plan made in partnership with the city government.
The PUD, which covers about 18 acres south of the Momentary, was first approved in 2020. At the time, plans included a possible expansion of the museum, but no music venue. Changes to intended use must come back to the Planning Commission for approval, as happened in this case.
Dana Davis, a Planning Commission member, asked about parking during the meeting. City planning director Tyler Overstreet said the developer had considered that, but with the PUD, they "can set their own parking ratios."
The project plans show 550 spaces in parking garages.
Danny Bennet, another commission member, said the location felt "appropriate" and complimented the building's architectural plans.
The PUD amendment still requires final signoff from the City Council before it's official. The item will be on the agenda on the March 31 meeting, according to Overstreet.
Plans for the building itself will then need to go through the Large Scale Development Process, a multistage review that includes submitting more detailed plans, getting sign-off from multiple city departments, and another required approval from the Planning Commission.
