Northwest Arkansas saw an 8.89% increase in sales tax revenue for May 2023 compared to May 2022, for a combined revenue of $9.664m. Year-to-date totals have climbed to $45.612m, up 11.31% from the same period last year.

• May flowers: Bentonville led the pack for May gains, posting a 20.48% gain in sales tax revenue at nearly $2.54m. Rogers reported the second-highest gains, bringing in $2.234m, up 7.5% from last year.
• Bigger picture: Fayetteville experienced a 7.37% increase in growth and brought in $2.692m during the month of May. Springdale had a fairly flat month, growing just .14% over a year ago, but this year, it earned a sales tax revenue of $9.669m, up 8.21% from a year ago.

Read more on the story from TB&P HERE.

Happy Memorial Day Weekend, Northwest Arkansas! Here are a few fun things going on in the area...

• Let's ride: Pedal on over to Ole Applegate Place, just south of Coler Mountain Bike Preserve, and catch the last days of Bentonville Bike Fest!
• Summah time! The Johnson Square Summer Series kicks off this Friday, May 27, filling the streets with games, giveaways, and live music from 6-9p.
• Groove with me: Settle into the sweet vibes of reggae fusion group Rochelle Bradshaw & Hypnotion at Butterfield Stage in Rogers on Friday, May 26, at 7:30p.
• New party: Siloam Springs will host its first-ever Fourth Friday community event at Memorial Park on May 26, from 4-8:30p, and the theme is Americana!
• Oink: The sound of blues and the smell of barbecue will fill the air in historic Downtown Rogers as Pig Gig Arkansas returns to Butterfield Stage this Saturday, May 27, from 5-10p.
• Ferris wheels: Enjoy rides, games, and food concessions during the Spring Carnival at Parsons Stadium in Springdale until May 29.
• Salud: Tacos and beer... Enough said. Swing by Ozark Beer Company in Rogers for the first-ever Taco Festival this Sunday, May 28, from 12-5p.
• Constructive play: The Amazeum opens its exciting new Building Buddies exhibition at noon this Saturday, May 27, which invites children to experience building and construction through play.
• Haven't you heard: It's the last weekend to explore the Listening Forest at Crystal Bridges before it closes for the summer months on May 28.
• Arigatō: The Botanical Garden of the Ozarks will host a Japanese Matcha Tasting workshop on Sunday, May 28, from 2-4p, guiding guests through a journey of traditional Japanese culture.
• Batter up: Watch the Razorbacks in the SEC Tournament semifinals on Saturday, May 27, at noon against the winner of today's matchup between LSU and 10-seed Texas A&M.

Enjoy the long weekend! We'll be back in your inbox on Tuesday.

YT Industries has plans to open a YT MILL in Downtown Bentonville, an immersive 2-floor showroom and event venue set to open by Spring 2024.

• Elevated experience: Beyond showcasing the entire range of YT mountain bikes, the YT Mill will host entertainment and community events and serve beverages in a rider’s lounge area, and provide a pro-level workshop where YT customers can have their bikes built, set up, and serviced onsite.
• One of a kind: The Bentonville YT MILL will be the second U.S. location opened after San Clemente, CA. Other YT MILL locations worldwide are located in Surrey Hills, United Kingdom, and Hausen, Germany.

Read more about the new YT Industries HERE.

Northwest Arkansas National Airport shared a sneak peek of what's to come from the $34m terminal modernization project, which began earlier this year.

• Taking off: Keeping up with the rapid growth of the region, the renovation will modernize the airport with new baggage-handling equipment, information desks, and flight information displays to new flooring, lighting, and a canopy over the drop-off area.
• Cruising altitude: The project broke ground in March, and crews are busy at work on the various pieces of the renovation. All in all, the project is estimated to take over two years to complete.

View more project renderings on XNA's Facebook HERE.