Western Arkansas’ Mountain Frontier Regional Tourism Association Publishes New Visitors Guide

Jun. 13, 2025

Western Arkansas’ Mountain Frontier Regional Tourism Association Publishes New Visitors Guide

The Western Arkansas’ Mountain Frontier Regional Tourism Association (WAMF) has recently published its 2025 Western Arkansas’ Mountain Frontier Visitors Guide. This Visitors Guide
is the association’s primary tool for growing travel and tourism to the region.

The WAMF Regional Tourism Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit tasked with promoting and growing tourism in the six counties of Crawford, Franklin, Logan, Polk, Scott and Sebastian.
The association is one of twelve regional tourism associations that are funded in part by the Arkansas Tourism Association Regional Matching Grant Program through the Arkansas
Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism.

As reported in the most recent Arkansas Tourism Economic Impact Report, data shows tourists spent $628.8 million in the six counties, which generated $11.1 million in local
taxes and $29.6 million in local taxes. More than 3,700 people living in the region are employed in tourism-related jobs and represent $122.5 million in labor income. 2024 data
will be published later this summer.

The Visitors Guide is primarily distributed via direct requests to out-of-state and in-state consumers, as well as through Arkansas Tourism and high-traffic tourist attractions
throughout the region. To learn more about the WAMF Association and Visitors Guide, visit visitwestarkansas.com.

Contact:
Pasha Watson, WAMF President, pasha@visitmena.com

#theGAC 2025 and 2026 Basketball Championships Awarded to Fort Smith

July 23, 2024

RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – On Tuesday, the Great American Conference announced that Southside and Northside Arenas in Fort Smith will serve as the venues for the 2025 and 2026 Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships, respectively.

Both the Southside and Northside Arenas opened in 2021 and feature capacities of 2,300.

"Hosting the GAC Conference Championship not only brings visitors and spending to the Fort Smith area, it also showcases the community to potential workforce talent for future recruitment," said Ashleigh Bachert, executive director of the Fort Smith Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB). "Events like this are more than sports. They raise the perception of the community in the eyes of thousands of people who are looking for places to play, work, and live," she continued. "It's also a great opportunity for our local community to experience high-quality sports in their own backyard."

The 2025 Championship will take place from Thursday, March 6th through Sunday, March 9th. The 2026 event will run from Thursday, March 5th through Sunday, March 8th. The tournament will feature the top eight men’s and women’s teams.

“The hospitality shown by the CVB and Fort Smith Public Schools on our site visit blew us away,” GAC Commissioner Will Prewitt said. “That energy paired with the amenities that the city offers will make Fort Smith a great place for GAC basketball fans to experience postseason basketball in 2025 and 2026.”

Bruin Fieldhouse in Bartlesville, Oklahoma hosted the Men’s and Women’s Championships from 2012 to 2020. The league contested the 2021 Championships across various campus sites. FireLake Arena in Shawnee, Oklahoma served as the venue from 2022 through 2024.

“We are grateful to the Citizen Potawatomi Nation for hosting our basketball championships at FireLake Arena the past three years,” Prewitt said. “David Qualls and the arena staff are first-rate and worked hard to give the GAC a quality experience.”

2025 GAC Basketball Championships Schedule - Games Played at Southside Arena

Thursday, March 6

Women’s Game 1: Noon – Quarterfinal #1: No. 2 vs. No. 7
Men’s Game 1: 2:15 PM – Quarterfinal #1: No. 2 vs. No. 7
Women’s Game 2: 5:45 PM – Quarterfinal #2: No. 1 vs. No. 8
Men’s Game 2: 8:00 PM – Quarterfinal #2: No. 1 vs. No. 8

Friday, March 7

Women’s Game 3: Noon – Quarterfinal #3: No. 4 vs. No. 5
Women’s Game 4: 2:15 PM – Quarterfinal #4: No. 3 vs. No. 6
Men’s Game 3: 5:45 PM – Quarterfinal #3: No. 4 vs. No. 5
Men’s Game 4: 8:00 PM – Quarterfinal #4: No. 3 vs. No. 6

Saturday, March 8

Women’s Game 5: Noon – Semifinal #1: Winner G2 vs Winner G3
Women’s Game 6: 2:15 PM – Semifinal #2: Winner G1 vs Winner G4
Men’s Game 5: 5:45 PM – Semifinal #1: Winner G2 vs Winner G3
Men’s Game 6: 8:00 PM – Semifinal #2: Winner G1 vs Winner G4

Sunday, March 9

Women’s Game 7: 1:00 PM – Final: Winner G5 vs Winner G6
Men’s Game 7: 3:30 PM – Final: Winner G5 vs Winner G6

2026 GAC Basketball Championships Schedule - Games Played at Northside Arena

Thursday, March 5

Men’s Game 1: Noon – Quarterfinal #1: No. 2 vs. No. 7
Women’s Game 1: 2:15 PM – Quarterfinal #1: No. 2 vs. No. 7
Men’s Game 2: 5:45 PM – Quarterfinal #2: No. 1 vs. No. 8
Women’s Game 2: 8:00 PM – Quarterfinal #2: No. 1 vs. No. 8

Friday, March 6

Men’s Game 3: Noon – Quarterfinal #3: No. 4 vs. No. 5
Men’s Game 4: 2:15 PM – Quarterfinal #4: No. 3 vs. No. 6
Women’s Game 3: 5:45 PM – Quarterfinal #3: No. 4 vs. No. 5
Women’s Game 4: 8:00 PM – Quarterfinal #4: No. 3 vs. No. 6

Saturday, March 7

Men’s Game 5: Noon – Semifinal #1: Winner G2 vs Winner G3
Men’s Game 6: 2:15 PM – Semifinal #2: Winner G1 vs Winner G4
Women’s Game 5: 5:45 PM – Semifinal #1: Winner G2 vs Winner G3
Women’s Game 6: 8:00 PM – Semifinal #2: Winner G1 vs Winner G4

Sunday, March 8

Men’s Game 7: 1:00 PM – Final: Winner G5 vs Winner G6
Women’s Game 7: 3:30 PM – Final: Winner G5 vs Winner G6

--- WWW.GREATAMERICANCONFERENCE.COM ---

Media Contact:

Eric Moyer | GAC Associate Commissioner for Communications

gaccommunications@gmail.com