Bentonville developer Blue Crane purchased about 54 acres in Bella Vista for nearly $34 million, the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal first reported.

• A spokesperson confirmed the purchase.

Why it matters: Blue Crane is the construction and development arm of Runway Group, a holding company owned by Steuart and Tom Walton, grandsons of Walmart founder Sam Walton.

Follow the money: The purchase includes the 9.5-acre Sugar Creek Shopping Center, where Allen's Food Market is located.

• Most of the other property is north and east of the shopping center and is largely undeveloped.
• The group also acquired a gas station just south of the shopping center, the Business Journal reported.

Between the lines: The company is developing Bentonville Cycling Center, a 160-acre outdoor recreation area dedicated to cycling.

• The area, known as Ironhead, is south of Bella Vista in north Bentonville.

The bottom line: "We see a great opportunity to invest in Bella Vista," Farris DeBoard, vice president of Blue Crane said in an emailed statement.

• "While we haven't finalized plans yet, we look forward to engaging with the community to create more opportunities for business to thrive, people to connect with nature and to complement all the outdoor amenities."

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What your local city councils plan to discuss tonight:

Bentonville will vote on:

• Approving a three-year, $750,000 grant from Walmart to support an e-bike program. The city has raised $3.95 million for the program, including $2.95 million from the Walton Family Foundation and $250,000 from the Walmart Foundation, according to city documents.
• A $1.5 million agreement with Aptim for an e-bike rebate program.

Rogers will vote on:

• A resolution expressing the willingness of the city to use federal funds for U.S. 71B sidewalk improvements from West Pleasant Grove Road to West New Hope Road. Total cost would be $5 million, of which the federal government would cover 80%.
• Allowing Trash Creamery to install two metal park benches outside its new shop on South First Street.

Springdale will vote on:

• An $880,206 contract with Milestone Construction Company to build Mill Street Park between Spring and Mill streets.
• A contract with the Illinois River Watershed Partnership to establish creekside vegetation along Spring Creek to beautify the area from Ford Avenue to Meadow Avenue downtown. The total cost is $101,568, of which the city would pay $25,399. The partnership's restoration program would cover the rest.

If you go: 6pm at Bentonville and Springdale city halls and 6:30pm at Rogers City Hall.

💰 Arkansas legislative leaders expect to wait until after the current fiscal year ends June 30 before considering enacting more income-tax cuts in a special session later this year or during the 2025 regular session. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette)

🗳 The Benton County Election Commission is recounting votes for the Republican primary for Justice of the Peace, District 1, after incumbent Jeff Dunn won by 79 votes. (40/29)

🚁 A Cirrus flight-training center has opened at Rogers Executive Airport. (Northwest Arkansas Business Journal)

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed an agreement to share mutually beneficial information with two Korean trade organizations on Monday, according to a news release.

The big picture: The agreement notes the possibility of developing business ties between Korean and Arkansas companies in response to growing global demand for lithium used in EV batteries, as well as the importance of both locations' agricultural industries.

• Monday's agreement was with the Korean International Trade Association and the Korea-U.S. Economic Council.
• She signed a similar agreement with the mayor of Hanam, South Korea, on Friday.

Context: Sanders, Commerce Secretary Hugh McDonald, Economic Development Commissioner Clint O'Neal and others left for Korea and Japan last week with the aim of fostering investment in the state.

• The delegation returns tomorrow.

What they're saying: "My hope is that with this trip, that partnership will only get stronger," Sanders said in remarks to trade groups Monday.

The bottom line: Arkansas exports more than $100 million in products to South Korea each year, the governor said.

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