12/22/2025
New retail stores plan to locate in Athens, including Hobby Lobby and the possibility of Academy Sports and Outdoors, HomeGoods, Burlington, Books-A-Million and PetSmart.
On Monday, Dec. 22, the Athens City Council approved an economic development agreement with NRE Swan Creek, LLC, related to the development of a commercial retail shopping center on the southern end of Braly Boulevard near I-65 and U.S. 72.
The development includes an anticipated investment of $34 million, the creation of new jobs and the generation of annual taxable sales of approximately $30 million.
As part of the agreement, the City of Athens will work with ALDOT on road improvements along Braly Boulevard, U.S. 72, I-65, Cool Springs Drive and Audubon Lane. The City of Athens plans to seek economic development related grant funding from ADECA to help support those improvements. In addition, the Athens City Council approved to pay in arrears 100 percent of the proceeds from the city’s sales taxes that the development generates, net certain costs, for a period of 12 years or until $7.4 million is paid, whichever comes first.
The development addresses retail needs published in the Athens 2040 Comprehensive Plan, which included public input. The plan referenced retail leakage to Madison County and the need for Athens to address grocery stores, full-service dining, clothing and accessory stores, sporting goods stores, home furnishings and small format specialty stores. The plan noted the overall leakage was $225 million. Since the plan’s adoption, the City of Athens has addressed specific stores mentioned in the plan, such as TJ Maxx, as well as programs for Downtown Athens merchants.
“Our general fund relies on sales tax to fund police officers, firefighters, paving, sanitation, parks and recreation and other services,” Mayor Ronnie Marks said. “Sales tax makes up more than 40 percent of our General Fund revenue. The city looks at its return on investment for incentives and infrastructure improvements. We need these name brand stores that draw people off the interstate and encourage our own citizens to shop local, and we also need the mom-and-pop stores that provide unique shopping and dining experiences for citizens and visitors.”
Recently, the Athens City Council allocated $100,000 to Athens Main Street to oversee a grant program for downtown merchants. That process is underway.
“I’ve also talked to a downtown property owner about an exciting opportunity to expand on The Square to provide a unique experience, and hopefully I can present an economic development request to the Athens City Council about this in the near future,” Marks said. “My office works with Planning and other departments as needed to review retail project requests and present opportunities to the City Council. These range from as large as Buc-ee’s to Downtown-oriented projects like Salty Cod.”
