Not shocking, but sad all the same that it continues to be a failure with such a prime piece of property.
Decatur's Sweetwater development 'dead' after stalled negotiations made deadline impossible; government shutdown to blame?
October 4, 2013
By: Kelly Kazek
DECATUR, Alabama – The third try at a deal for property known as Sweetwater, this one a $1.3 billion development, is “dead in its present incarnation,” according to a Decatur official.
In March, City Council Chairman Gary Hammon was upbeat about a deal for the property at Interstate 65 and I-565 that would bring 4,000 jobs to the area. But today Hammon said: “At this point, there was no way everything could be done on the infrastructure in time. The opening date was set all along for October 2014 and it is impossible to achieve that.”
Officials said sequestration and the federal government shutdown led the anchor retailer to stall, making the timing impossible for the city because of bond issues and financing.
City Council members tried in 2008 and again in 2011 to broker a deal for the 125 acres in a Decatur-annexed portion of Limestone County. When negotiations became public again earlier this year, Hammon said: "This is the first time we've had something in front of the council that has teeth in it."
Hammon, who could not confirm which store would be the anchor because of confidentiality agreements, said although the deal is off for now, he is optimistic.
“I have no doubt it will happen at some point in the future,” he said. “It’s just too good of a location.”
He said he is not sure if future negotiations would include the same anchor. “Who knows what the future holds?” he said.