DALLAS (Standard&Poor's) April 9, 2010--Standard&Poor's Ratings Services lowered its underlying rating (SPUR) on Springdale, Ark.'s series 2006 sales and use tax refunding and improvement bonds two notches to 'A' from 'AA-' based on the city's declining sales tax revenues, which have led to a significant debt service coverage reduction. The outlook is stable. The rating reflects Standard&Poor's opinion of: Recent sales tax revenue declines that have subsequently caused coverage to deteriorate to a weak 1.07x maximum annual debt service; and What Standard&Poor's believes is a structural shift in the city's retail base due to the emergence of competing shopping alternatives in neighboring communities, including Rogers, Bentonville, and Fayetteville. "It is our opinion