Mayor announces Rural King will locate in Gadsden, ties retail growth to planned bond

Mayor Craig Ford said Wednesday that Rural King has agreed to locate in Gadsden at the site he identified as Midtown Gregersen and that the city plans a bond issue to fund upcoming projects.

In a recorded Mayor’s Minute, Ford called Rural King’s upcoming store a “big shot in the arm” for the city budget and local economy and said the retailer will spur additional small “box” stores at the same development. He estimated the arrangement would produce a $15 million to $20 million sales-tax economic impact. "It's a 15 to $20,000,000 sales tax economic impact," he said.

Ford also said the city has “paid off three bonds since we've been in office” and that planned commercial development and its tax revenues would allow the city to issue another bond to finance additional projects. He said details of the bond and the projects will be announced later and described the timing as forthcoming in a future Mayor’s Minute.

Ford credited John Moore and the commercial development board for assembling the Rural King deal and said the new store will drive traffic on Highway 411 from Cherokee County. He listed other recent commercial additions by name, including Whataburger and Tropical Smoothie, as part of broader economic activity.

The Mayor’s Minute reported the mayor’s assessment and plans; Ford did not present a legal notice of bond authorization, draft bond documents, or a city-council vote in the recorded remarks. The claims about sales-tax impact and the bond are the mayor’s estimates and proposals, not finalized actions disclosed in the statement.