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Andalusia council approves development deal to bring Dunham's Sports to vacant mall
Summary
The Andalusia City Council approved Resolution 2026-07 to enter a development agreement with Watson and Downs Investment to open a Dunham's Sports store in a vacant shopping center on the Martin Luther King Jr. Expressway; the administrator described the project as a roughly $5 million purchase-and-renovation expected to hire 35–40 people.
The Andalusia City Council voted unanimously to approve Resolution 2026-07 authorizing a development agreement with Watson and Downs Investment to bring a Dunham's Sports store to the east side of the Martin Luther King Jr. Expressway in the former Dirt Cheap building.
City Administrator: The proposal is a $5 million retail development that would create about 62,000 square feet of retail space and, according to the administrator, is expected to hire 35 to 40 employees with projected annual sales of $5 million to $6 million. "This resolution will authorize us, the city of Andalusia, to enter into a development agreement with Watson and Downs Investment for Dunham's Sports in Andalusia," the administrator told the council, describing the project and its anticipated economic impact.
Why it matters: Council members said the store would fill a dark, underused center, help retain local retail spending that now leaves the area, and attract shoppers from surrounding markets. Councilmember Powell said he and the administrator visited the company's Ozark store and recommended approval, saying he was "blown away by the amount of of uh inventory that they have of all types of sporting goods." Council members said the new store would expand the city's retail draw.
Incentives and remaining details: During the presentation the administrator described a proposed 2% sales tax rebate; in the meeting the cap was quoted in unclear terms (the transcript records the phrase "not to exceed a million half dollars"). The council voted to approve the resolution; the exact rebate cap and the final terms will be confirmed in the written development agreement and associated resolution documents.
Process and next steps: The administrator said notice of the project's consideration had been published in the local newspaper and the council approved the resolution at the meeting after a motion by Mr. Powell and a second by Mr. Craig. The council's approval allows the city to execute the development agreement so the developer can proceed with purchase and renovation and seek any necessary permits.
The council adjourned after completing the vote; the development agreement and final incentive language will be part of the city's record when executed.
