MDA Executive Director Recaps Accomplishments from Past Six Years

It has been an honor and privilege for us to serve the McClellan Development Authority and this remarkable community.  I am proud to have led our incredible and hardworking staff and manage the board’s development direction through some challenging times.

As we close out this chapter of the MDA, we wanted to highlight some of our successes and achievements for the McClellan area. These photos represent just a sample of the projects, developments, relationships, and positive changes that we have achieved over the past few years. 

Through bringing in new business, helping companies expand, creating interest through marketing, social media and community involvement, advancing ecotourism, providing safety measures, sprucing up McClellan and bringing life to a stagnant area; we are confident that McClellan is in a stronger position to continue to grow and thrive due to our hard work and commitment to this community.

On behalf of my amazing staff, we thank you for all the support and trust you’ve given us to help move McClellan forward.  

With Gratitude,

Jules Moss

Executive Director

We aided the Alabama National Guard with their expansion of the Fort McClellan Training Facility, utilizing previously undevelopable land. Our collaborative efforts were recognized with a Certificate of Achievement from the United States Department of the Army in September 2024.

We’ve welcomed new business ventures, including OneWorld Pet Resort, Team Sports + McClellan Sports & Outdoors, Longleaf Primary Care, McClellan Senior Living, and more. Creedmoor Sports purchased additional land to move their base operations to McClellan, and we aided in the resale of the Starships for development into movie and recording studios.

We worked diligently with the City of Anniston and the Anniston Police Department to install a four-way stop at the intersection of Gen. Gerald Watson Way and Summerall Gate Rd, speed humps at the entrance of the McClellan Trails, and four live-feed security cameras around McClellan. We also invested in a complete overhaul of the wayfinding signs to improve direction and encourage visitors.

In 2019, we opened Phase I of the McClellan Trails, the first trails in the state constructed specifically for middle and high school mountain bikers with the expertise of FlowMotion Trail Builders and IMBA Trail Solutions. Phase II and III expanded the trail system to a total of 18 miles of multi-use singletrack for hikers, bikers, walkers, and runners. In 2023, the McClellan Trails contributed to a $9.7 million economic impact from visitor spending.

After repairing the dam, the MDA began the process of redeveloping Lake Yahou in 2019 — stocking fish, clearing the drives, and marking the walking trail. Since its grand opening in May 2022, new varieties of fish have been added, the roads and parking lot have been paved, and a 50-foot pier has been constructed. The park also connected to the McClellan Multi-Use Trails for additional access.

Our development efforts have led to the demolition, construction, and remodeling of various sites and buildings across McClellan, with a renewed focus on residential development, as well as the consistent maintenance of the grounds to keep properties for sale in prime condition.

McClellan has become a mecca for various events -- social, historical, and recreational. 2024 featured the Alabama Dryland Dawg Derby, Shred for Sloan, McClellan Madness, Alabama Cycling Association Season Race, Gone Riding Georgia State Championship Race #2, OneWorld Canine Obstacle Run, Assault on Sunset Hill, Lake Yahou 50k, Treadhoofalon, German-Italian Memorial Ceremony, Anniston Runners Club Christmas Tree Run, Wreaths Across America Wreath-Laying Ceremony, and more.

In 2019, we deeded the Calhoun County Commission 930 acres of land for the development of horse trails for only $1.

We maintain the non-private grounds in the McClellan community, including upholding the beauty and honoring the significance of the Baltzell Gate entrance to McClellan – the last entrance with a guard house still remaining. During the 2021 Fort McClellan Military Police reunion, we dedicated the Baltzell Gate Guard House to the men and women of the Military Police Corps and federal civilian service who protected the Fort during its operation.

Beginning with the hire of a marketing specialist in 2022, the MDA has ramped up and made outstanding improvements in our digital presence in order to effectively promote development, business, and recreation, highlighting our well-engaged Facebook community. These measures include the much-needed redesign of MDA website to feature a frequently-updated properties page, as well as the creation of the “What’s Happening at McClellan” e-newsletter.

Our staff reunited, fostered, or found new homes for four dogs who were lost or dumped at McClellan.

We began the process of clearing out a 42-acre site for the development of a residential subdivision of garden homes, which would have provided a new area of McClellan for people to call home.

At the end of 2024, we contracted Flowmotion Trail Builders to design an expansion concept plan for the multi-use trails for the 700 acres across from the Camp McClellan Horse Trails on Iron Mountain Rd. The design would safely separate horse riders on their own trails, as well as offer trails for mountain bikers, hikers, walkers, and runners to prioritize the interests of all trail groups.