By the summer of 2015, the city hopes to be opening the doors to a new 100,000-square-foot events and sports center based at a tourism hub of hotels and multi-use ball fields, a precursor to what officials expect to be much more to come.

The projects will be the first concrete step toward the much-anticipated Blue Collar Country entertainment complex, off the Beach Express at Baldwin County 20, tied to the comedy team of Bill Engvall, Larry the Cable Guy and Jeff Foxworthy with strong backing by show business icon Tony Orlando.