McAlester holds first public hearing on proposed George Mount Expressway TIF district; no vote taken

The McAlester City Council opened a public hearing Tuesday on a proposed tax increment financing (TIF) district along the George Mount Expressway corridor to support a mixed retail and housing development; no vote was taken.

The proposal as presented calls for a development that would place a large national sporting goods retailer on an 8-acre site fronting the expressway, three quick-service restaurants on the frontage, and about 28 housing units on 14 acres behind those commercial parcels. Curtis Woods, the developer, said the broader project would ultimately include walking trails and additional community connections but that the present TIF plan covers the first phase.

The TIF committee, chaired by former Mayor John Brown, unanimously recommended the project plan to the council. Brown summarized the recommended incentive structure and timeline, saying the package is similar to a previous local project and “this is $10,000,000 or, I believe, 9 years, whichever comes first” and that the overall project is “just over $48,000,000,” as stated to council.

Why it matters: the proposal would use a mix of sales tax and ad valorem (property) increment to reimburse the developer for eligible public investments, shifting the timing of project funding toward future incremental tax receipts rather than up-front city expenditures. Several residents raised concerns that the plan, as presented, could substantially increase traffic and strain nearby services and school capacity.

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