Cracker Barrel – A product of leadership

The announcement of Cracker Barrel’s plans to locate near I65 at Exit 328 in Hartselle prompts reflection on Hartselle’s past and current interstate development activities.
For 39 years, from 1971 until now, only scant, primarily spontaneous interstate development has occurred at Hartselle. Chevron (now Jet Pep) gas opened in 1971, and in 2004, Hartselle Hearth Motel opened. In between were Shell and Amoco (now BP) gas and the Huddle House. Other regional cities (including Athens, Priceville and Cullman) have continually capitalized on interstate development during the years, diminishing many opportunities for Hartselle. These diminished opportunities combined with Hartselle’s failure to prioritize interstate development placed the city in a difficult “catch-up” mode for interstate development. Even though by the mid-90s, Hartselle had extended utilities infrastructure to the interstate, there remained no proactive, community-unified and concerted effort focused on interstate development.
Realizing the critical need to exploit interstate development, the Hartselle Area Chamber of Commerce spearheaded an initiative in late 1999 to develop a plan for interstate development. This initiative involved government, civic and private entities, property owners and concerned community leaders and included advisors in economic development. The completed “I65 Corridor Development Plan” by a professional planning firm with a record of successful interstate development was introduced to the public in 2002. The plan provided a “blueprint” for developing the 12-mile corridor from Priceville to Falkville, including the two Hartselle interchanges.
Implementation became the next challenge. The Hartselle Chamber of Commerce again took the lead and organized a focus organization, the Hartselle Development Board (HDB).
The Chamber and HDB then proceeded to enhance development opportunities at the interstate by negotiating available property assemblages with property owners at both Hartselle interchanges, with consent by the owners to market their property.  Marketing brochures containing comprehensive demographic information and available property maps were prepared for discussion with prospective new businesses. Structured legislative agendas were prepared and trips to Washington and Montgomery were initiated to request highway improvements and additional utilities infrastructure enhancements to further prepare the area. Promotional brochures highlighting development opportunities were developed and placed at all seven interstate welcome centers to the state.
Complementary posters were placed at the Ardmore welcome center and the Cullman rest stop. Numerous businesses were contacted with several responding and visiting, yet the absence of a perception of overall community teamwork with authoritative leadership served as a detriment to their locating here. Some questioned why, after all these years, had there been little development at the interstate.
This changed with the  2004 election of Mayor Dwight Tankersley and a supportive council who, as a team, have prioritized economic development, applied the necessary focus and attention and committed to maximizing Hartselle’s economic potential.
Through Mayor Tankersley’s leadership, ability and capability and with his personal experience as a long-time business owner, this city team assumed the lead role in economic development with support from Hartselle Utilities, the Chamber and HDB. Prior work by Hartselle Utilities, the Chamber and HDB had provided a foundation of exhibited preparedness and a cultivated influential advocacy to build on. This, the city has significantly and progressively done since 2004.
Hartselle is now recognized in Washington and Montgomery as a city with exemplary leadership and teamwork, resulting in receipt of numerous grants supporting economic development.
Mayor Tankersley has established meaningful and important relationships throughout Morgan County and at the state and federal levels of government officials and legislators.
Cracker Barrel and the Morgan Center Business Park herald the onset of major development along the I65 corridor, retail at Exit 328 and industrial at Exit 325  as recommended by the 2002 corridor plan. These major announcements, sure to draw other businesses and industry favorable attention to the area, can be largely attributed to Mayor Tankersley`s leadership and influence and his working relationships at community, county, state and federal levels.