Touting Huntsville as a championship city with a long list of wins during his tenure, Mayor Tommy Battle delivered his 16th State of the City address to more than 1,200 people at a sold-out luncheon at the Von Braun Center’s Saturn Ballroom.
Serving as mayor for his 16th year, Mayor Battle likened the City’s successes to a basketball team that advanced to the elite level of the Sweet 16 in a basketball tournament.
The city reports the median household income has increased 74% since Mayor Battle took office in 2008 and Huntsville’s annual gross domestic product has skyrocketed 79% to more than $38 billion.
“What we’ve been able to accomplish is beyond extraordinary,” he said. “It certainly has been a sweet 16 years. As you sports fans know, making it to the Sweet 16 is no easy feat. There are a lot of factors in getting there. First and foremost, you have to assemble the right team, and once you made it, you’ve got to have a plan to advance to the semis to play for the championship.”
That plan included intentional efforts to diversify workforce opportunities, which has led to a robust economy and quality-of-life investments throughout the city that includes new roads, recreation facilities and the first South Star music festival later this month.
Moving forward, sustainability will be a critical asset, according to the city. Mayor Battle announced leaders are working with Huntsville Utilities to build a 200-megawatt solar power plant on 800 acres near the Tennessee River.
“This project will not only help in providing a secure power grid for our future but will also continue the goal of a clean and sustainable power generation mix,” Mayor Battle said. “Huntsville will power its own future and have the energy security that we need.”
Click here to watch the 2024 State of the City address.
