Northport Approves Development of Two Hotels, 100,000 Square Foot Indoor Sports Facility by River Run Park

The Northport City Council approved an agreement Monday requiring a developer to invest at least $52 million in two hotels and an indoor sports facility of at least 100,000 square feet next to River Run Park at Northport Shore.

The city will provide no tax incentives and agreed to sell two parcels of land for more than $2 million for the developments.

The agreement with HD Land Holdings LLC sells two city-owned tracts to the developer. After a public hearing during which no citizens spoke, the council took three separate votes: one on the development agreement and one on each of the two property sales. All three passed, with councilwoman Jamie Conger abstaining each time.

Attorney John Ray, who presented the agreement for the city, stressed that the deal involves no public money beyond the land sale.

"I want to be real clear: this does not include tax abatements, tax incentives, or other cash incentives," Ray said. "This is simply here because it includes the sale of real property and some related items."

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The deal is unrelated to Northport's infamous $350 million University Beach project, where another hotel has also been announced.

In the agreement approved on Monday during a meeting held in the Northport Civic Center lobby due to a power outage, the first parcel of land will sell for $1.2 million. On it, the developer must build what the agreement calls the "Family Hotel."

Ray described that as a sports-focused, family-friendly extended-stay or select-service hotel with at least 100 rooms, built for families traveling to youth sports events. Its required minimum investment is $12 million.

The second parcel will sell for at least $1 million, although appraisals to set that price have not been finalized.

On that tract, HD Land Holdings must build "the Championship Hotel." Ray described that as an upscale hotel as defined by Smith Travel Research, with at least 100 rooms, a full-service restaurant open seven days a week, a full-service bar and a pool.

The same site will include an indoor sports facility of at least 100,000 square feet that Ray said would be able to host basketball, volleyball and gymnastics tournaments. He said this larger site has a required minimum investment of $40 million.

In return, the city is giving the developer a right of first refusal. If Northport ever wants to sell other land in the sports complex for a hotel, it must offer that land to HD Land Holdings first.

The agreement also includes protections for the city, Ray said. The deeds require the developer to maintain the project for at least 32 years. Once a deed is recorded, the developer has nine months to obtain a land disturbance permit and then 30 days to begin construction. If either deadline is missed, the city can return the money from the sale and take the property back.

The city approved the deal under Amendment 772 of the Alabama Constitution, which allows cities to sell land and provide things of value for economic development.

Will Hewson, the developer behind HD Land Holdings, thanked the council after the presentation.

"Thank you all for having me here. It's been a long road but I'm glad we've made it to this point. We're looking forward to the project. I think it's a great economic partnership between us and the city of Northport," Hewson said. "I'm excited to get some dirt moving over there. I think it's going to be a big benefit to the community, bringing jobs, bringing tax revenue."

An indoor sports facility and a hotel have been part of Northport's plans for the riverfront property for years.

In June 2024, the Thread reported that the council had approved an $840,000 professional services agreement with Northport Sports Complex Development LLC, led by Indiana developer Birch Dalton, to develop amenities at Northport Shore. That agreement called for an indoor sports facility of at least 100,000 square feet and a hotel with at least 100 rooms.

River Run Park, the nine-field baseball and softball complex at the center of Northport Shore, opened in August 2025.

For more exclusive coverage of Northport news in West Alabama, stay connected to the Tuscaloosa Thread.

Editor's note: A previous version of this story misidentified the developer behind HD Land Holdings, LLC, as Will Houston. His name is Will Hewson; we have corrected the error and are happy to set the record straight.