Restoring Rural Alabama

On February 20, 2025, government officials, development professionals and community leaders from across Alabama gathered at the Auburn Alumni Center to attend the Retail Attraction and Development Leadership Institute course offered through Auburn University’s Government and Economic Development Institute (GEDI) and the Economic Development Association of Alabama’s (EDAA) Leadership Institute.

The Leadership Institute is designed to foster educational growth in topics related to developing cities and improving quality of life.

Those in attendance shared informative success stories when working to restore small town communities that oftentimes struggle to develop property. Panelist Ann Harper, City of Millbrook’s Economic Development Director, shared an outstanding win for her town located in Elmore County.

On February 18, Millbrook unveiled Phase II of the 17 Springs project. Millbrook, a small town in the greater Montgomery area, opened an expansive sports complex to the public.

The project began when the local Grandview Family YMCA identified a need for a recreational center and donated land to the city for development. In addition to the City of Millbrook, the Elmore County Commission, Elmore Board of Education and Elmore County Economic Development Authority partnered with the YMCA to create what is now 17 Springs.

The facility includes a variety of amenities such as pickleball courts, tennis courts, multi-purpose fields, volleyball/basketball courts, a football stadium, an eight-lane competitive track and the prized “Field House” event center.

The project is intended to attract and offer accommodations for travel ball, youth leagues, professional and social events and school sports teams. However, it was decided securing retailers was necessary for the vitality of the project.

“We knew these sports facilities were going to attract a lot of people from all over, so while they are in our community we want them to stay for a while and spend money,” Ann shared. “They need restaurants to eat at and they need hotels,” she added.

The city is currently in the process of developing The Marketplace, a commercial area intended to be “a destination and experience for dining, shopping, lodging, and recreation opportunities.”

Another small-town city representative, Nicole Tolbert, shared her experience in commercial development.

As the Assistant Community Developer for the City of Oneonta, Tolbert is encouraged to attend events to recruit retail. In 2023, she attended Retail Live in Nashville, TN and made a critical connection.

She took a chance and introduced herself to a TJX representative who recruited the help of Noon Real Estate. She doubted the size of the community would interest TJX retailers, but they pushed her to believe in Oneonta.

“That conversation spurred significant development for the town,” she shared. A large shopping center is planned to open in Fall of 2025 and will feature businesses such as Marshalls, Five Below, Rack Room Shoes, Ulta, and a large grocery store.

Despite this win, Tolbert still believes Oneonta has “a lot to learn of overall.” “…We’re the main hub for Blount County, so we think it’s important for us to be advocates for Oneonta,” she stated.

GEDI classes offer learning and networking opportunities that help facilitate experiential learning to help leaders develop their respective communities.

Tolbert has taken many of these classes before. “I’ve never been to one that I didn’t enjoy,” she exclaimed.

“It’s always great because I’m a graduate of Auburn!” “I love coming back to Auburn, so I will gladly take that three-hour trip to come down,” she shared.

Community representatives from small towns like Millbrook and Oneonta represent common interests shared by rural communities across Alabama.

The Retail Attraction and Development course demonstrates how people can create better opportunities and increase the quality of life for locals by attracting and establishing businesses.

Tolbert is “very appreciative of Auburn University for putting on these classes because they’re very instrumental in continuing to help with economic development within the state of Alabama.”

The GEDI-EDAA Leadership Institute is offering courses centered on economic development throughout the year with rolling registration. For more information visit the link above or contact gedi@auburn.edu for additional questions and information.