By DOTTY NIST
A recent county commission decision has paved the way for a “sit-down restaurant” and hotel at the Mossy Head Industrial Park.
At the Feb. 25, Walton County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) meeting at the Walton County Courthouse, there was a decision to sell seven acres to Love’s Travel Stops on which the restaurant and hotel would be constructed.
Love’s had been the first party to purchase land in the industrial park for a travel stop, combined with country store and Subway and McDonald’s restaurants, on a 15-acre parcel. Jones reported that construction on the facility had begun. A July opening is anticipated.
Jones said that Love’s initial plans for the seven additional acres were for a Sleep Inn and an IHOP.
The BCC unanimously approved Love’s offer to purchase the seven acres at a price of $20,000 per acre, with the understanding that the purchaser is to construct a public access road to the businesses from the industrial park access road.
Empire Truck Sales, the second party to purchase land in the park, had made two purchase offers totaling 15 acres, both of which were agreed to by the BCC. Jones revealed that Empire had also expressed interest in additional acreage and that there was ongoing negotiation on the matter.
At the Feb.25 meeting, a proposal by Brian Brigman was presented for purchase of 10 acres in the area just west of the Empire Truck Sales site for the price of $18,800 per acre. This was for a used truck sales business. Brigman and his real estate agent Steve Youell had discussed the offer at the BCC meeting two weeks earlier, and a price of $20,000 an acre had been proposed, along with the payment of a 6-percent commission by the BCC to Youell.
At the Feb. 25 meeting, the commissioners indicated a desire to see what Empire Truck Sales’ needs would be before making a decision on Brigman’s proposal. There was also consensus that $20,000 an acre would be the minimum price that would be entertained at this time and that the commissioners would not be inclined to pay Brigman’s agent’s commission.
District 4 Commissioner Sara Comander observed that, now that Love’s Travel Stop is locating at the industrial park, “it is a huge attraction.”
“We want that park to be above nice. I want it to be great,” she added.
It was agreed that Jones would set a timeline for Empire to decide on what they would need in the way of acreage so that that information could be presented to the commissioners at their March 11 meeting. Jones also agreed to continue to work with Brigman regarding his proposal.
Jones revealed that negotiations were also in process with another party who had expressed interest in a 60-acre parcel in the industrial park.
