The Jefferson County Commission on Thursday placed its stamp of approval on the sale of the Hallmark Farm project site, which one day will be home to an agriculture center.

Joe Knight, whose district includes the farm property, made the motion to approve the sale, which was finalized Friday.

“We bought that piece of property in 2019. Tomorrow will be the start of a very great project up there, which will be the Farm Center of Alabama,” Knigh said.

The resolution approved the sale of the development site, which is off Interstate 65 near Warrior, for $13.5 million. Jefferson County had to sign off on the deal as it was part of the Hallmark Farm Cooperative.

“They can’t move forward until they have possession of the property,” Commission President Jimmie Stephens explained after Tuesday’s committee meeting. “Now, with them having possession of the property, we can begin to see things actually coming together.”

A bill passed the House in May 2024 before being signed by Gov. Kay Ivey. Senate Bill 219 allowed the Alabama Exhibition Center Corp. to build and operate a state-of-the-art agriculture center on the Hallmark Farm property. The AECC includes appointed representatives from several groups, including the county.

“They will have the property in hand where they can go out and actually raise the dollars necessary,” Stephens said. “It becomes real. It becomes a real project when they assume control of the property.

“That’s a wonderful thing,” Stephens continued. “They will be good partners, working together. We have committed (to providing) infrastructure that will help that project.”

Alabama Farmers Federation President said in a statement issued Friday: “The federation is proud to have cast a vision for the Alabama Farm Center, and we appreciate Alfa Insurance and the Alabama Farmers Agriculture Foundation investing over $15 million into making it a reality. We are excited to see the AECC take the reins as others join in moving the Farm Center forward.”

Stephens said the county will fulfill its obligation but said the process had to proceed in stages.

“When they do what they need to do, as far as having the financing in place, we will begin and do our infrastructure,” he said. “Then you’ll begin to see great things happening in north Jefferson County.”