The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) is preparing to select a contractor to rebuild its Jonesboro field office, marking a significant step forward after the building was lost to a fire in July 2025. Bids will be opened this Thursday following a bidding window that ran from Aug. 8 to Sept. 8 and included a mandatory pre-bid meeting on Aug. 24, according to an AGFC news release.
Reid Phifer, interim chief of AGFC’s Operations Division, said the agency has already submitted building permits and plans, allowing construction to move forward quickly once a contractor is chosen. "We anticipate the building to be complete by early summer 2027," Phifer said.
The facility, located at 600 E. Lawson Rd., was extensively damaged in the fire, which left portions of the walls standing but required full demolition down to the foundation for the integrity and safety of the rebuild. The new construction will utilize the original foundation, maintaining the same overall footprint while featuring updated interior designs. These adjustments aim to better align the building with the evolving needs of the staff, Phifer explained.
Before the fire, AGFC had transitioned the building into a dedicated field office, no longer serving as a publicly accessible regional facility. This change was implemented to enhance the agency’s use of the Forrest L. Wood Crowley’s Ridge Nature Center, located next door, as the primary public-facing resource.
"The nature center is our primary contact point with everyone in the public, and we want to focus all eyes on that facility," said Spencer Griffith, AGFC deputy director. He noted that previously, the regional office’s dual focus on public outreach and field operations created challenges for staff and caused confusion for visitors. "In many instances, people would mistakenly arrive at the regional office and be directed to the nature center to handle their license purchase or take their Hunter or Boater Education course. This change will help reduce that confusion."
To better serve field staff, the new facility will include increased equipment storage while maintaining the same number of employees based in the area. Public services such as license sales and educational programs will continue to be handled by nature center personnel, who specialize in outreach and education.
The reconstructed Jonesboro field office will help AGFC enhance operations and staff efficiency while solidifying the nature center's role as the public’s primary touchpoint with the agency.