After reading this, go to the January and March Archives or link to the other Blogs about Country Crossing and other topics!

Country Crossing is a one-of-a-kind master-planned entertainment destination resort located in Dothan, Alabama. It has been designed to create lasting family memories and to bring the spirit of music to the community and its visitors. The official groundbreaking was held on October 27, 2008 and construction is under way. Several venues are scheduled to open in 2009. Country Crossing will have a countrified retail and dining entertainment district home to unique dinner-music theaters, old time western saloons, restaurants, live music, a recording studio, and themed retail shops. Country Crossing will also offer a host of hospitality options including the George Jones Possum Holler Bed & Breakfast. Country Crossing will showcase year-round entertainment with multi-platinum selling artists performing weekly at its various venues.

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Located in Houston County, Alabama south of the downtown district of Dothan Alabama, Country Crossing will showcase year-round entertainment with multi-platinum selling artists performing weekly. For those of you who do not know, the person responsible for this entertainment destination which will help boost our economy here in the wiregrass area is a man by the name of Ronnie Gilley. This Enterprise, Alabama businessman is a multi-task entrepreneur who loves the country music industry. With these connections, the support of the Houston County Commission and thousands of area residents who have supported his efforts, Ronnie Gilley has fulfilled his long term goal of bringing a country music theme park to our area.

“Country Crossing”, will be just a just a few miles from the Florida line leading to some of the “World’s Most Beautiful Beaches” and brand new international airport being built just 90 miles away. With one of the entrances being constructed on 231 south, “Country Crossing” will be a Branson, Missouri Style Country Music Theme and Water Park. It is a welcomed economic impact for the area of Dothan, Alabama and it’s Wiregrass cities.

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The pictures you are viewing are of the “Country Crossing Support Rally” that was located at the Dothan Convention Center the beginning of April 2008, but the projected facilities location was announced as early as late 2007.   The rally, organized by locals who love country music and wanted to show their support by starting a petition to support “Country Crossing”. With only a two week time frame to get this rally together. Organizers were thrilled with the turnout that ended up with enough local support to fill the convention center with cheers of, “We Support! Country Crossing!”, over and over again. After a opening prayer given by one of Dothan’s County Commissioners, Ronnie Gilley was introduced.

Escorting his fiancé Deidra Grant to the rally, Ronnie explained to his supporters that this whole project was not built around “a charity bingo concept”. It was built on his vision to bring the country music industry to his home town area one day. Charity Bingo was only introduced to him by consultants who helped assure him that he would have the “investment support” that he needed to bring this vision to reality. Being a part of this rally made you feel the optimism and enthusiasm that Ronnie Gilley showed on stage, but also his admitted hate for “Brown-Bagged Politics”. When it was over, you came away having realized more of the benefits of this development that would enhance our local economy than that of which the opposition had to try and stop it.

Ronnie Gilley, you are almost there. You are giving us all the opportunity to have charitable contributions to one of our counties, family entertainment with the water parks, Rv Resorts including Hotels and Amphitheaters to host some of Nashville’s most popular entertainers.. You. with the help of your investors are soon to bring to our area something that none of us could have ever imagined in our area.

We are proud of our past but ready for the future. We appreciate your dedication and hard work for the sake of our economy as well as accomplishing your dream of bringing country music to our area.

Website: CountryCrossingAlabama.com

Blog written by: Jan Renae Walding

www.DothanAlabamaMall.com