The most recent sales tax report from March shows that Benton and Washington county consumers spent big - boosting sales tax revenue by 32.6% across the Big 4 - Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers and Springdale.

• Break it down: The total revenue topped out at $8.252 million, compared to $6.22 million in the year-ago period. You may be thinking the large increase was just due to lapping COVID-19 shutdowns last year; however, total revenue in 2019, a normal year, was only $5.910 million.
• How good? To highlight the jump further, revenue was up 40% over just last month's report.
• Team effort: Each of the cities generated double-digit revenue gains compared to a year ago. The cities with a heavier hospitality and entertainment presence are positioned well for an even stronger second half of the year with many venues likely opening to full capacity by then.

You can dive into the numbers by checking out the full report HERE.