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Monday, March 17, 2008

"Sweetwater" announced

As was rumored last week, plans for a $1.3 billion, 540-acre development called Sweetwater at the 565/65 interchange were announced today. The $200 million, 125-acre first phase will include:
  • A Bass Pro Shops, opening in 2009. It will be the fourth location in Alabama.
  • 300,000 sq. ft. of retail space, probably outlet stores
  • A hotel and convention center, to open in 2010.
Future expansions of the development could include:
  • 1 million additional sq. ft. of retail
  • 825,000 sq. ft of office space
  • An 8,000-seat "entertainment venue"
  • 2,700 homes
Source: Birmingham Business Journal
Sweetwater is being developed by Genesis USA Development, and groundbreaking will be June 1st. Let's just hope that this one doesn't fail, like so many proposals have before at this interchange.
Update March 18- Huntsville Times article and map of the proposed development.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Are you too good to post at urbanplanet and skyscraper now that you have your own blog?

Anonymous said...

The hotel has all the hallmarks of a John Q Hammons Embassy Suites. He and the other developers have raised ridiculous amounts of money at tax payers expense to compete against local stores and businesses. We/our politicians are selling ourselves out. Hammons is known to partner with Bass Pro shops and to participate in the looting of local government coffers. If our politicians in Decatur have any spine they will not vote to participate in this thing. Why do these big shots need our money? Numerous studies have shown that tax payer subsidized retail (especially hotels) never provide a return on the initial investment by tax payers.