Economic Development in Little River County is accomplished through a partnership of entities in the county.  The lead entity in this endeavor is the Little River Intermodal Authority.  One of the priorities in economic development in the county is in the logistics industry to capitalize on the rail and highway assets we have.  US Highway 71 is 4-lanes as it runs through Ashdown and connects to Interstate 30 13 miles south.  Kansas City Southern, a class I railroad, runs parallel to Highway 71 and connects the US to both Mexico and Canada.  Kiamichi Railroad, a class II shortline, connects to KCS, Union Pacific, and BNSF.  A feasibility study determined the need for a regional intermodal and transload facility and that has been, and continues to be, the main focus for this department.

Little River County is an ideal location for many types of industries. We are centrally located in the US, with easy access to three interstates – I 30, I-49, and I-365, highways, and rail.  The county has a good number of small and large tracts of land available for development, as well as some properties with existing buildings.  Millwood Lake provides an abundance of water for the county and utilities are provided by American Electric Power – Swepco, Southwest Arkansas Electric Cooperative, and Center Point Energy.  The University of Arkansas – Cossatot has a campus in Ashdown which provides a readily available, well-trained workforce.  The college also works with industries to provide specific specialized training as needed.

Little River County is a great, family-friendly community.  Our public schools utilize innovative teaching methods to reach every student and increase academic success.  They offer several programs in technical areas allowing students to graduate with a diploma and technical certificate.  Both high schools have excelled in sports – football, basketball, baseball, softball, and track, band, and various club competitions for many years.  Ashdown’s City Park hosts many tournaments and has recently added Splashdown, an interactive splash pad, and has plans to build an all-inclusive playground in the near future.