Walmart unveils new 350-acre home office campus in Bentonville
Updated: 9:42 PM CST Jan 17, 2025
ALLISON? >> HEY, THERE ARE TOURS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW BEHIND ME. THERE’S SOME FOLKS WHO JUST CAME THROUGH THE AUDITORIUM AT SAM WALTON HALL. THAT’S WHAT’S OPEN, RIGHT? THAT’S WHERE WE’RE AT THE SAM WALTON HALL. NOW THEY’RE REALLY TAKING A PHASED OPENING APPROACH, SO BUILDINGS WILL BE OPEN. I BELIEVE A BUILDING A MONTH OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS UNTIL EVERYTHING ON CAMPUS IS OPEN TO ASSOCIATES AND THE PUBLIC. THE WHOLE CAMPUS IS FULL OF HONORS FOR THE WALTON FAMILY. OF COURSE, THEY REALLY WANTED TO INCORPORATE THE HISTORY OF SAM WALTON AND THE REASON BEHIND WHY HE SETTLED HERE IN BENTONVILLE, AND WHY HE DECIDED TO START WALMART MANY, MANY DECADES AGO. AND THEY WANTED TO BRING THAT INTO THE ENTIRE CAMPUS. IT WAS ALSO VERY ASSOCIATE DRIVEN. THEY HAVE A LOT OF NATURAL LIGHT, MANY FOOD OPTIONS. THEY SAY THE OFFICE SPACES ARE ARE OPEN AND REALLY TRY TO GIVE THOSE ASSOCIATES AN EXCITEMENT WHEN THEY’RE HERE WORKING. 40/29’S CHIP SCARBOROUGH IS ACTUALLY HERE WITH ME RIGHT NOW. AND CHIP WAS INSIDE FOR THAT ANNOUNCEMENT. SEVERAL STATE SENATORS WERE HERE. MEMBERS OF THE GOVERNOR’S ADMINISTRATION AND THE GOVERNOR ACTUALLY SPOKE ABOUT WHAT THIS MEANS TO THE COMMUNITY AND THE STATE OF ARKANSAS. >> SHE SAID IT’S OBVIOUSLY A HUGE DEAL FOR THE STATE’S ECONOMY AND FOR OUR WORKFORCE. AND THIS IS REALLY A VISION THAT STARTED BACK IN SEPTEMBER OF 2017, WHEN THE ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE THAT THIS CAMPUS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. AND HERE WE ARE, JANUARY OF 2025, AND IT REALLY IS COMING TO FRUITION. MONDAY IS GO DAY HERE, SO TO SPEAK. GO DAY WHEN THE FIRST OF THE EMPLOYEES ARE GOING TO START WORKING HERE. AND LET’S SHOW YOU SOME VIDEO RIGHT NOW. AND I HAVE TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, THE VIDEO JUST REALLY DOESN’T DO IT JUSTICE. THIS CAMPUS IS MAGNIFICENT. YOU HAVE TO SEE IT FOR YOURSELF TO REALLY BELIEVE IT. IT IS 350 ACRES, AT LEAST A DOZEN OFFICE BUILDINGS, SEVERAL BODIES OF WATER. THERE’S A TRAIL. THERE ARE PLACES FOR YOU TO RIDE BIKES AND TO PARK THOSE BIKES AND KIND OF GET AROUND CAMPUS THAT WAY, AS OPPOSED TO WALKING OR DRIVING. AND, YOU KNOW, THEY REALLY DID WANT TO MAKE IT WHERE IT FELT LIKE IT WAS HOME FOR EVERYBODY, NOT ONLY THE EMPLOYEES, BUT THEIR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS AND EVERYBODY ELSE, REALLY. AND THE GOVERNOR, SHE TALKED ABOUT SAM WALTON’S MAVERICK MINDSET WHEN IT COMES TO THE COMPANY AND THE CAMPUS. >> I KNOW I SPEAK FOR OUR ENTIRE STATE WHEN I SAY HOW GRATEFUL I AM THAT WALMART HAS STAYED TRUE TO ITS ROOTS THROUGH ALL OF THE YEARS. YOU’VE NEVER TURNED YOUR BACK ON BENTONVILLE, NORTHWEST ARKANSAS, OR THE ENTIRE STATE THAT WE’RE LUCKY ENOUGH THAT YOU CALL HOME. AND WE WILL CERTAINLY ALWAYS RETURN THE FAVOR AND NEVER TURN OUR BACKS ON YOU. >> OBVIOUSLY, THE BEGINNING OF A MAJOR NEW CHAPTER FOR THIS COMPANY HERE IN BENTONVILLE. AND REALLY, IF BENTONVILLE WAS NOT ALREADY ON THE MAP BEFORE, WELL, IT WILL BE NOW. THERE WILL BE A DINING HALL ON THIS CAMPUS EXCLUSIVELY FOR EMPLOYEES. OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, THERE’S ALREADY THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS CENTER. AND THEN FOR THE PUBLIC, THEY’RE GOING TO BE SEVERAL RESTAURANTS AND SHOPS. WRIGHT’S BARBECUE IS GOING TO BE ONE OF THOSE. SO LOTS TO GET TO THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. KEEP IT RIGHT HERE. AS WE KIND OF RECAP THE MAJOR MOMENTS OF TODAY. AND THERE WERE QUITE A FEW OF THEM FOR NOW, LIVE IN BENTONVILLE, CHIP SCARBOROUGH, 40/29 NEWS. >> ALL RIGHT. THANKS, CHIP. YOU KNOW, HE MENTIONED THAT THE WALMART LEADERS GIVING TOURS RIGHT NOW, SHOWING OFF MANY FEATURES AND HOW UNIQUE THAT CAMPUS IS. YEAH. >> AND OUR BRETT RAINS IS ACTUALLY JOINING US LIVE NOW FROM THAT TOUR. BRETT. >> WELL, GUYS, WE JUST MADE OUR WAY BACK INTO SAM WALTON HALL. AND THE FIRST THING YOU’LL NOTICE WHEN YOU WALK IN HERE, TAKE A LOOK AT THE AIRPLANE RIGHT NOW, THAT’S SAM WALTON’S AIRPLANE THAT HE BOUGHT IN KANSAS. THAT ASSOCIATES SAY THAT HE FLEW ALL OVER THE COUNTRY RIGHT WHEN HE WALKED IN SAM WALTON’S HALL. THAT’S WHAT YOU’LL SEE. IT’S QUITE A SIGHT. NOW, THE CAMP IS 350 ACRES, 12 BUILDINGS. IT’S ONE OF THE LARGEST MASS TIMBER PROJECT IN THE WORLD. NOW, MOST OF THE BUILDINGS ARE BUILT OUT OF WOOD AND WALMART ASSOCIATES SAY THE MASSIVE CAMPUS. IT’S NOT WALLED OFF, BUT IT’S SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO BE OPEN AND A PART OF THE COMMUNITY. >> THE TEAM AT WALMART KNEW THAT WE ARE AN INTEGRAL PIECE OF CAMPUS LIKE WE ARE WITH OUR STORES. WE’RE 90% OF STORES OR STORES ARE LOCATED WITHIN 90% OF THE US. WE THOUGHT ABOUT THE SAME IDEA FOR OUR CAMPUS. BENTONVILLE HAS ALWAYS BEEN OUR HOME, AND WE OPENED THIS UP TO THE COMMUNITY AS AN EXTENSION OF DOWNTOWN BENTONVILLE. >> NOW WE JUST GOT BACK FROM THE ASSOCIATE FOOD COURT. THEY HAVE MULTIPLE RESTAURANTS THAT ARE JUST FOR ASSOCIATES, AND WE’VE ASKED TO SHOW US SOMEPLACE THAT’S NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. THAT’S TOP SECRET. WE’RE STILL WORKING ON THAT. WE’LL LET YOU KNOW WHAT WE FIND OUT. WE’RE LIVE IN BENTONVILLE, BRETT RAINS. 40/29 NEWS. >> ALL RIGHT. THANKS, BRETT. DEFINITELY LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT ONE. AND YOU KNOW, ANOTHER BIG ANNOUNCEMENT TODAY, EIGHTH STREET NEAR THE CAMPUS IS REOPENING TONIGHT. OF COURSE, THERE WILL BE SOME OTHER CHANGES TO TRAFFIC. CENTRAL AVENUE MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR PARKWAY, 14TH STREET AND J STREET BORDER THAT FACILITY. MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR PARKWAY AND P STREET WILL NOW CONNECT TO 14TH STREET ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF CAMPUS. SEVERAL NEW ROADS WERE CREATED TO MOVE AROUND CAMPUS, INCLUDING EXCELLENCE WAY AND RESPECT AVENUE. BOTH WILL RUN THROUGH NORTH AND SOUTH THROUGH THAT CAMPUS. THERE PLENTY MORE INFORMATION ON WALMART’S NEW OFFICE, THE COMPANY HISTORY, THE FAMILY BEHIND THE BUSINESS. >>
Walmart unveils new 350-acre home office campus in Bentonville
Updated: 9:42 PM CST Jan 17, 2025
After six years of planning and construction, Walmart unveiled part of its new home office campus on Friday afternoon. This is a multibillion 350-acre campus that was first introduced in 2019. The new Walmart campus will change traffic patterns in Bentonville, possibly affecting your commute. Here’s how.This will be a phased opening that will continue throughout 2025, with today’s inaugural celebration launching that process.It features several facilities, like a 200,000-square-foot auditorium dubbed the Sam Walton Hall. Right next to that building is the campus amphitheater. There is also a 360,000-square-foot health and fitness center, as well as child care facilities for employees and their families.Walmart CEO Doug McMillon says the new home office will honor “heritage and the contributions that generations of associates have made to help people save and have a better life.”The ceremony was not open to the public.Walmart is the world’s largest company by revenue and has been for more than a decade.The Walton Family is the richest family in the world. It owes its wealth to the Walmart company started by brothers Sam & Bud Walton in Northwest Arkansas more than six decades ago.Just three siblings own a plurality of Walmart’s 8 billion shares.
After six years of planning and construction, Walmart unveiled part of its new home office campus on Friday afternoon. This is a multibillion 350-acre campus that was first introduced in 2019.
The new Walmart campus will change traffic patterns in Bentonville, possibly affecting your commute. Here’s how.
This will be a phased opening that will continue throughout 2025, with today’s inaugural celebration launching that process.
It features several facilities, like a 200,000-square-foot auditorium dubbed the Sam Walton Hall. Right next to that building is the campus amphitheater. There is also a 360,000-square-foot health and fitness center, as well as child care facilities for employees and their families.
Walmart CEO Doug McMillon says the new home office will honor “heritage and the contributions that generations of associates have made to help people save and have a better life.”
The ceremony was not open to the public.
Walmart is the world’s largest company by revenue and has been for more than a decade.
The Walton Family is the richest family in the world. It owes its wealth to the Walmart company started by brothers Sam & Bud Walton in Northwest Arkansas more than six decades ago.
Just three siblings own a plurality of Walmart’s 8 billion shares.
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