Demopolis and Hale County officials are again moving forward with a plan to bring several hundred acres of Hale County land at the U.S. Highway 80/Highway 69 intersection inside the Demopolis city limits, saying the site is too important to the future West Alabama Corridor to leave undeveloped.
In a joint statement released this week, the City of Demopolis, Hale County leaders and local landowners said they intend to pursue annexation of the Gallion area tract, which lies at what is expected to become the only four-lane intersection between Interstate 65 in Mobile and Interstate 59/20 in Tuscaloosa. Officials described the project as a regional effort aimed at turning the crossroads into a major commercial gateway for travel, logistics and new investment.
The announcement comes just weeks after Demopolis asked legislators to withdraw a local bill that would have authorized the same annexation. As The Greensboro Watchman reported on February 5, city and county officials agreed in January on a plan that would have allowed Demopolis to annex about 305 acres at the intersection, but questions from landowners, county officials and lawmakers led the city to pull the measure rather than try to rush it through this year’s legislative session.
Mayor Woody Collins said in the new statement that the city and its partners have continued working behind the scenes since then.
“This initiative is a testament to what regional partners can accomplish when we work together in good faith,” Collins said, thanking Hale County officials and landowners for staying at the table while the details were reworked.
Hale County Probate Judge David Parker said the coming four-lane West Alabama Corridor has changed the stakes for everyone along its path. The planned corridor will connect Thomasville and Tuscaloosa and is already under construction on its southern half.
“The West Alabama Corridor is fundamentally changing what’s possible for our region,” Parker said.
He added that turning the Gallion intersection into a planned commercial site could strengthen the tax base, support schools and improve quality of life for families across West Alabama.
Under the revised agreement, sales-tax revenue from any development in the annexed area would be divided among the governments involved. The standard four-cent state sales tax would still apply. Of the remaining six cents, three cents would go to the Hale County school system, two cents to the City of Demopolis and one cent to the Hale County Commission. Gas-tax revenue from the site would likewise be shared between Demopolis and Hale County.
Demopolis and Hale County have also agreed to share the costs of preparing the property for future projects. According to the announcement, the two governments will jointly fund engineering work, surveys, infrastructure planning, permitting and feasibility studies tied to development of the site.
The land at issue remains in unincorporated Hale County for now. Any annexation across county lines requires consent from the affected property owners as well as approval of a local act of the Alabama Legislature. Collins has previously said the city wants the legal framework in place so the intersection will be ready for “high-quality development” when the highway project is complete, rather than tied to any one retailer or brand.
Local officials say they will use the coming months to continue meeting with landowners and answering questions in advance of another push for legislative approval.
