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The city of Valley has had an eventful year, to say the least. 2024 has been the year of growth for Valley. Mayor Leonard Riley said the new businesses and housing developments will only help the city. 

“We got to Chick-fil-A. That’s always great. Now we got a shopping center addition going on. We are a new shopping center going on at Fob James. We got four subdivisions going up, and that is in just really great financial shape. And we own a lot of land,” Riley said. 

Some of the biggest announcements were commercial acquisitions. In May, the Chambers County Development Authority announced the Valley Square Shopping Center would be getting four new businesses. Express Oil is already up and running, despite a severe fire which temporarily closed the location. Five Below, Marshalls and a PetSense will be going into the shopping center soon. The additions have a projected investment of around $10 million and potentially 200 new jobs. 

Shortly after that announcement, the CCDA released news that Scooter’s Coffee and sports pub Beef ‘O’Brady’s will also be locating to Valley. 

By far the most anticipated addition in 2024 was Chick-fil-A. The popular chain restaurant opened earlier this month, to lines of locals which has not ebbed since opening. 

The housing market has also grown this year, with the groundbreaking on a subdivision off of King Road, and more planned off of Fob James. 

“We’re looking to make all these subdivisions work, and getting them graded out, getting houses in these subdivisions,” Riley said. 

The Chambers County School District did break ground on the consolidated high school, Chambers County High School, near Rams stadium in February. However, the construction is on hold until the new superintendent, Dr. Sharon Weldon gets into office in January. 

“I just like to wish all our citizens a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, and I hope everybody has a good next year,” Riley said.