Relocation Information

Marion Profile

Marion is the county seat of Crittenden County, Arkansas. Located in the northeastern quadrant of the state, it is 11 miles from downtown Memphis, Tennessee and about 130 miles from Little Rock, Arkansas. It lies alongside Interstate 55, two miles north of its junction with Interstate 40.

Marion’s economic focus has historically been agricultural, but is turning toward manufacturing and distribution with the opening in 1998 of Union Pacific’s Intermodal RailPort. The rail port is the third largest such facility in North America.

Marion is the county seat of Crittenden County. It was founded in 1836, the year Arkansas became a state.

Quality of life

Recreation opportunities

Park facilities: Marion has eight community and neighborhood parks, including a recreational complex that is being developed in phases, with the first phase completed.

Organized sports: Besides school athletic programs, Marion has youth sports leagues that provide basketball, football, baseball and softball to about 1,000 youngsters per year.

Golf course: Marion Golf and Athletic Club is open by membership; also offers tennis, swimming and fitness center.

Hunting, fishing: Marion is within an hour’s drive of numerous public hunting and fishing areas, including Wapanocca National Wildlife Refuge (10 miles north), Horseshoe Lake (25 miles south) and numerous Mississippi River chutes (1 mile east).

Tourism: Marion is within an hour’s drive of a dozen Arkansas, Tennessee and Mississippi state parks and recreation areas. Memphis tourist attractions include Graceland, Beale Street, the Memphis Zoo, the National Civil Rights Museum, and Mud Island. Southland Greyhound Park in West Memphis is the nation’s largest greyhound racing track.

Arts: Marion is served by Crittenden Arts Council, an active community arts organization that sponsors community theater, concerts and art exhibits. There is an active artists’ society. Symphony, ballet, opera and Broadway touring shows are on stage regularly in Memphis.

Esperanza Bonanza Festival: Marion’s community festival, founded in 1993, features a barbecue contest (a sanctioned preliminary event to the Memphis in May International Barbecue Cooking Championship), Cajun boiled crawfish, and live music. Held every year on the first weekend in May; attendance topped 15,000 in 2001. The festival is the winner of the 1995 Arkansas Community Development Award.

Churches

Marion is home to seven churches, representing the Baptist church, Methodist church, Assembly of God, Church of God and Church of Christ.

Presbyterian, Lutheran, Episcopal and Catholic churches are located in West Memphis.

The nearest synagogue is in Memphis.

Church affiliated schools in West Memphis include Catholic and Baptist (grades K-8) and Church of Christ (grades K-12).

2004 Crime Rate per 1000 Population

Murder	0	Theft	3.43
Rape	0	Motor vehicle theft	.17
Robbery	1	Arson	0
Aggravated assault	.42	Burglary	1.8

Climate Data

Mean daily maximum temperature	72 degrees
Mean daily minimum temperature	52 degrees
Normal humidity (mean daily noon)	57%
Normal humidity (mean daily midnight)	.79%
Maximum temperature of 90 degrees and over	53 days
Minimum temperature of 32 degrees and under	45 days

Business Climate

Marion has traditionally been a bedroom community to Memphis and West Memphis, but the past two years have seen a shift toward growth in the retail and service industries. As of August 1, 2005 there have been 14 new businesses opened this year. The city has an active Chamber of Commerce with 226 members and a full-time executive director. The city also employs a full-time director of economic development.