LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – City leaders, local business owners and neighbors met Wednesday to discuss future opportunities for downtown Little Rock.

The Power Up Little Rock Panel Discussion was held Wednesday to discuss the future of Downtown Little Rock. Panelists included representatives from the Downtown Little Rock Partnership, the Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau, One Health, and the Little Rock Chamber of Commerce.

Downtown Little Rock Partnership Executive Director Gabe Holmstrom said downtown will see some changes soon.

“Just wait because the downtown that you see now and what we see every day, is going to look very different in about 3 years,” Holmstrom said.

From the upcoming Veterinary School and Dental School to a tourism master plan, to the Central Arkansas Library Systems Main Library renovation, several projects were discussed.

“Creating density in the population is something that we spend a lot of time thinking about, we want more people down here,” Holmstrom said.

He said they’re bringing back an ambassador program.

“This is going to be a professionally run ambassador program where we’re going to have people on foot, on bicycle and on golf carts 7 days a week, so if someone wants to be walked to their car, they will call a number and an ambassador will be dispatched and walked to their car,” Holmstrom said.

Another project is a deck park made possible through a planning grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation.  Little Rock Regional Chamber President and CEO Jay Chesshir said this will not be an average park.

“Literally above the interstate where you would have between 6th and 9th street a true park above the interstate,” Chesshir said.

While he said a goal has always been to have people work here and play here, they hope people will love it enough to stay here.

“Amazing things, amazing investments, and giving people a reason to either choose to come here, to come back, or more importantly to live here,” Chesshir said.

Holmstrom said the future is bright for downtown.

“There are a lot of things in the books and that are underway right now, that is really going to make this city look a lot different in the coming years,” Holmstrom said.