Gilley announces new site for Country Crossing, land deal finalized

Developer Ronnie Gilley has confirmed that he has closed on property for the Country Crossing project and that the tentative groundbreaking for the entertainment venue will be on Oct. 27.

Gilley purchased 400 acres of land just off U.S. 231 south belonging to local attorney Keith Givens about a mile-and-a-half from another site he had been considering as a location for the development. Gilley said the Givens property, also known as Southern Farms, had been vetted and did not have any historical or environmental issues that would prevent construction.

Gilley declined to say how much was paid for the property.

“Aplenty,” he said.

“This has been a process, to say the least,” Gilley said Tuesday from his Enterprise office.

Gilley said the Southern Farms property had originally been his first choice to locate the development, but was unable to come to an agreement. He then targeted more than 700 acres of property north of the Southern Farms property and had options on several parcels among several landowners. But Gilley said things hit a snag less than two months ago when archaeological discoveries forced further land studies that would have delayed the project even longer.

That, Gilley said, prompted some investors to pull out of the project. He said further delays could have endangered the whole project.

“With the financial market being a complete debacle, we felt we needed to move forward,” Gilley said. “Now we are a complete green light all the way.”

Houston County Commission Chairman Mark Culver said the announcement was a harbinger of good things to come for the local economy.

“Think of how many communities across the country that would like to have a development like this,” he said. “It’s just a good thing for our area.”

Culver said the new site, which has frontage on U.S. 231, may present some challenges regarding sewer lines, but has the benefit of not being divided by a county road like the other property Gilley was considering.

Gilley said he hopes to have Phase 1 of the project complete by fall of next year, but made no promises. Phase 1 includes several country music themed restaurants, a hotel, amphitheater, fairgrounds, family entertainment complex and an electronic bingo center.

He said he is considering other pieces of land for later development. He also said the smaller property size confirmed an earlier decision to keep next year’s BamaJam concert weekend in Enterprise.