“You have to have a hook, a destination, and then from there people look for things to do,” Gay notes. “The 17 Springs hook is not only sports tourism but event tourism too. We have several expo shows scheduled soon, dinners out there, and you can have concerts. The whole facility in a sense is 12 months, 24/7 driving people in.” The 21 acre commercial component, called “The Marketplace at 17 Springs,” fronts Highway 14 and has been divided into 12 parcels ranging from just under an acre to two and a half acres. The city recently announced its first flagship restaurant tenant, Baumhower’s Victory Grille, an Alabama sports-themed chain. “We are looking for dining and lodging establishments primarily to fill that development,” Harper says. “While people are there for their tournaments or concerts and utilizing the sports facilities, we want them to be able to have a place to eat and stay in our community overnight.” COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS AND FUTURE VISION Millbrook’s growth trajectory hinges on strategic partnerships that extend beyond the city limits.The city has fostered collaborative relationships with educational institutions, county government, nonprofits and economic development organizations to maximize impact while sharing resources and expertise. “The Elmore County Commission is key to our growth and to helping us make things happen,” Harper says. “Being a smaller city, we can’t always do things on our own. We have a very good relationship with our county governing body. They have a program where they’re implementing quality of life projects all over the county. 17 Springs is one of those qualityoflife projects that they have helped us with tremendously in terms of not only funding parts of it but providing in-kind services and other types of support.” 13 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 06 MILLBROOK, AL
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