The pride of our state was in full view during the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games. As evidenced by this demand for Arkansas-grown turf and due to the state's favorable climate and soil, opportunities for turf production and maintenance are increasing in the state.
Quail Valley is proof of the growing market.
Co-owner Roger Gravis bought Quail Valley in Perry County in 1985 when it was 100 acres. Now east of downtown Little Rock, Quail Valley is big enough to send turf in 36 refrigerated 18-wheelers to Atlanta for the Olympics. Aside from stadiums, Quail Valley provides grass for golf courses, racetracks and home lawns. The University of Arkansas and, in particular, the Horticulture Department will be leaders in this growing industry. Beginning in 1997, the Turf Program was relocated to the Horticulture Department, and the Arkansas Turf Team was created.