Travelers coming into Alabama from I-65 will once again be able to stop at the Ardmore Welcome Center, which reopened in Elkmont this week.
The center, near the Tennessee state line, underwent renovations for nearly two years to update the lobby and facilities and improve the sidewalks and outdoor grounds.
“For many, this welcome center is their first introduction to our great state and what it has to offer,” said ALDOT North Region Engineer Curtis Vincent in a press release. “As always, we will continue to greet guests with true southern hospitality. Now, they will be able to experience that old-fashioned hospitality while also enjoying the comforts of a modern building.”
However, the center is still without its most iconic landmark, the Saturn 1B rocket that was brought down last year because of deterioration.
The rocket – owned by NASA and loaned to the welcome center – was used to carry Skylab astronauts into orbit and last flew in 1975.
Officials are still working toward a replacement for the rocket so that Huntsville’s space heritage can be one of the first things people see when they enter Alabama.
Funds have been set aside in the legislature for the project, with Rep. Andy Whitt, who represents Limestone County and chairs the tourism committee, leading the effort.
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“We have $7 million to begin building a rocket, a replica,” Whitt told WHNT. “The plans are going out now. It’s working on an RFP, so we’re moving forward with that. I’m anxious to see the rocket go back up.”
The Ardmore center will be able to recommend travel destinations, like the Space Center to see other rockets while it awaits its own.
Visitors can also enjoy kiosks displaying real-time travel information, a tourism lobby with information about destinations and events in the state and picnic pavilions.
The renovation was carried out in two separate projects totaling about $14.6 million. The first demolished buildings, prepared the site, and added parking lots, lighting, maintenance buildings, pavilions, and ramp improvements while the second built the main facility.
A ribbon cutting took place on Wednesday to unveil the updates, hosted by the Alabama Department of Transportation, Alabama Department of Tourism, Athens-Limestone Chamber of Commerce, and Greater Ardmore Chamber of Commerce
