GPN & ARE-ON Joint Conference 2026

SHUTTLE IS AVAILABLE FOR THIS TOUR (From NWACC and Embassy, To and From and back to Embassy for the Monday, June 22 Opening Night Reception)

Located just a few miles from Rogers in neighboring Bentonville, the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art [link to https://crystalbridges.org/about] offers free general admission to world-class galleries set within 134 acres of native Ozark forest. During a self-guided tour, visitors can wander at their own pace to admire five centuries of art, view Frank Lloyd Wright's relocated Bachman-Wilson House, and explore over three miles of scenic sculpture and walking trails.

This is a self-guided tour, so you're free to explore at your own pace once dropped off.

Prefer to drive yourself? Standard visitor parking is available on the Crystal Bridges campus, and the local campus shuttles can get you around the grounds.

Please note the museum closes at 6:00 PM.

Attendees of this tour will gather in the lobby of the Shewmaker Center at 4 PM and take a short walk over to the CTEC Center. Those who wish to drive can park in a limited parking lot on the west side of the CTEC Center (1201 SE Eagle Way, Bentonville, AR 72712).

NOTE: There is a competing tour for this tour so the shuttle will NOT be available to take attendees of this tour back to Embassy. See Mickey Slimp for more details.

*IMPORTANT REGISTRATION INFORMATION
Attendees must first complete their Joint Conference registration prior to attending this Tour. In addition, pre-registration for this Tour is required at: https://gpnandareonjointconference2026.eventbrite.com/

Tour the C‑TEC Facility at NWACC

 Experience the C‑TEC (Cycling and Trails Education Center), a state‑of‑the‑art facility created through an $8 million investment from the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation. C‑TEC serves as an integrated hub for hands‑on skills training in bicycle repair and maintenance, trail design, trail architecture, and sustainable construction practices, all supported by purpose‑built labs, specialized tools, and outdoor learning spaces.

This guided tour offers an inside look at how applied technology and real‑world instruction come together in a single facility to support the growing cycling and trail economy. Attendees will see how C‑TEC functions as a replicable model for workforce training, facility design, and industry engagement—bridging education, infrastructure, and outdoor recreation.

*Max Attendee Tickets Available:30
SHUTTLE IS AVAILABLE FOR THIS TOUR (To and From the Embassy)

Tour the I³R (Institute for Integrative and Innovative Research) facility on the University of Arkansas campus in Fayetteville. Established through a $194.7 million gift from the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation, I³R pioneers solutions to complex problems through convergence research across academic, industry, government, and nonprofit sectors. The 144,000-square-foot building includes state-of-the-art laboratories and collaborative workspaces designed for cross-cutting, multidisciplinary research, with capabilities spanning data science, health technology, immersive experience, and XR labs, and advanced computational modeling. Shuttle transportation from Embassy Suites is provided.

IMPORTANT REGISTRATION INFORMATION
Attendees must first complete their Joint Conference registration prior to attending this Tour. In addition, pre-registration for thisTour is required at: https://gpnandareonjointconference2026.eventbrite.com/