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Council authorizes negotiations with Willow Capital for proposed 200,000+ sq ft southern-bypass retail project
Summary
The Enterprise City Council on July 15 authorized the mayor and city administrator to begin formal negotiations with Willow Capital Partners on a proposed retail development of at least 200,000 square feet along the city's southern bypass.
The Enterprise City Council on July 15 approved Resolution 071525a authorizing Mayor Mary Cooper and the city administrator to begin formal negotiations with Willow Capital Partners on incentives for a proposed commercial development along the city's southern bypass.
City staff described the proposal as a minimum 200,000-square-foot retail project designed to attract an anchor tenant and reduce retail "leakage" (sales and customer trips leaving the local trade area). The concept presented to the council envisions an anchor of roughly 120,000 square feet, a second large tenant of approximately 50,000 square feet and multiple 15,000-square-foot inline stores, with additional outparcels possible. Staff identified the corridor roughly between the U.S. 84/Dothan area and State Route 27 south as the general location for the proposed development, but the resolution and presentation did not specify a single parcel.
City Administrator Tullos and staff told the council Willow Capital Partners has a regional track record, including a similar-scope project in Albertville, Ala. The presentation said the developer's recent projects show capacity to move a large retail project from planning into construction and occupancy. Staff stressed the proposal was larger than recent, smaller fill-in retail projects and described it as "transformative" for the city's retail market if it proceeds.
Councilmembers asked about the developer's track record and the intended retail mix; staff said tenant names and specific lease commitments were not publicly disclosed at this stage. The council also discussed how a major new retail center could recapture local sales currently made outside the trade area ("leakage") and generate additional sales-tax revenue and jobs.
The council voted to authorize negotiations; the motion carried with no opposing votes recorded in the meeting transcript. The resolution directs the mayor and city administrator to negotiate potential incentives and return to council with recommended terms for approval. Staff said future steps would include site identification, formal incentive proposals, and public hearings as required by local rules.
No incentive amounts, tax terms or formal agreements were approved by the council at this meeting; the resolution only authorizes the city to enter negotiations and begin drafting potential incentive packages.
Because tenant commitments and final sites were not disclosed in the meeting, specific employment and revenue impacts remain unspecified. Councilmembers characterized the plan as a long-sought, large-format retail opportunity for the city and said they hoped it could help keep retail sales in Enterprise rather than flowing to neighboring markets.
