GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. — While we're ringing in the new year there's a lot of new additions coming to North Alabama...including to Guntersville.
Lake Guntersville is one of the main attractions that brings tourists to the city of Guntersville.
And last year's opening of the multi-million dollar development, City Harbor, has brought retail, restaurants, entertainment and more to the city.
But that's not all that's growing here. A Hilton-branded hotel is going up right beside City Harbor.
Also in the works, Mayor Leigh Dollar says they'll continue improving the city's parks and recreation.
"We're completely renovating our gym that should open any time now. Then we're looking to do the two ball fields beside that and a splash pad adjacent to our swimming pool," Mayor Dollar said.
All while getting close to finishing road projects and increasing the city's recycling efficiency.
"We should have a new recycling center that we'll be bidding out soon and giving them some much needed room at our Conners Island Complex and then we'll continue our paving plan," Mayor Dollar said.
She says revenue from sales and property tax have maintained and even increased since recent developments have come to the city, "that helps fund all, you know, police and fire. It helps give our schools some, our chamber. It just finances the whole operations of the city. So when we see those sales tax increasing we're able to maintain our same level of service."
And Guntersville City Schools just celebrated the start of construction for their new high school that's projected to be finished in 28 months.
Superintendent of GCS, Dr. Jason Barnett, shares, "this facility is going to provide world-class STEM opportunities, engineering labs and robotics labs, all sorts of things that they have fine arts opportunities, career and technical opportunities, and obviously just regular, amazing academic opportunities, media centers with maker spaces."
Mayor Dollar is excited for what's to come and hopes more people come and visit their city.
"We invite everyone to come experience just our little part of home and our southern charm here," Mayor Dollar said.
Lots of new additions coming to the city of Guntersville. We'll keep you posted on these developments and their progress throughout the year.