Major development at 565/65 to be announced soon

According to the Athens News-Courier, a "major shopping center" with Bass Pro Shops as its anchor could be headed to the 565/65 interchange in southern Limestone County. The property is within Decatur city limits. The project could be announced as early as Monday.

Over 85,000 cars use the 565/65 junction each day, according to the latest ALDOT traffic counts. It is a high-profile intersection that has seen many major development proposals over the years, but all have fallen through. In 2004, the Burnham Group of Kansas City proposed a $450 million mixed-use development called "Tennessee Valley Crossing." It fell through after Limestone County refused to fund infrastructure improvements needed for the project. Another project, which included a 15,000 seat arena, was killed for the same reason.