Editing Decatur, Alabama (section)

==Economy==
Decatur has grown to be the busiest river port on the Tennessee River. The [[Port of Decatur]] sees large amounts of barge traffic from up and down the Tennessee River, which has led to twelve [[Fortune 500]] companies opening plants in the city. Major employers include [[General Electric]], [[3M]], [[Wayne Farms]], [[United Launch Alliance]], [[Nucor]], [[Bunge Limited]], [[Daikin]], [[Hyosung]], [[Ascend Performance Materials]], and the [[Tennessee Valley Authority]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.decaturalabamausa.com/pdf/finance_dept/other/2011_CAFR.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130418055601/http://www.decaturalabamausa.com/pdf/finance_dept/other/2011_CAFR.pdf|url-status=dead|title=City of Decatur CAFR, 2011|archive-date=April 18, 2013}}</ref>

Decatur is also known as the "Home of [[Meow Mix]]", after the company bought a {{convert|200000|sqft|m2|adj=on}} facility in town, and now utilizes its riverfront property to ship the finished product up and down the Tennessee River.{{citation needed|date=November 2017}}

Being part of the [[Huntsville-Decatur, AL Combined Statistical Area|Huntsville-Decatur CSA]], the city lies within the region having the most engineers per capita in the nation.{{citation needed|date=November 2017}}

A recent BRAC Base realignment will bring a population, conservatively estimated at 5,000−10,000 people (not including their families), to the area surrounding [[Redstone Arsenal]].{{citation needed|date=November 2017}}

[[Image:Delta IV Medium Rocket DSCS.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Delta IV rocket]]

Approval of the United Launch Alliance combined [[Lockheed-Martin]] and [[Boeing]]'s rocket manufacturing contracts to a central location at the plant in Decatur. All satellite launching rockets used by the U.S. government will be built in Decatur. This approval brought over 230 new jobs to the Decatur area. The ULA plant utilizes the Tennessee River to ship the rockets to [[Cape Canaveral]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/news/061004/ula.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930185446/http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/news/061004/ula.shtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 30, 2007 |title=FTC Gives Approval |date=October 3, 2006 |publisher=Decatur Daily Newspaper |access-date=November 9, 2006}}</ref>

In March 2008, a $1.3 billion development, including a [[Bass Pro Shops]] was announced for the [[Interstate 65]]/[[Interstate 565]] interchange inside the city limits. The development, named Sweetwater, would have included more than {{convert|1000000|sqft|m2}} of retail space, {{convert|825000|sqft|m2}} of medical and office space, 2,700 residences, and an entertainment venue with seating for up to 8,000 people. A school, fire department, parks and lakes were expected to support the future development.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.al.com/business/index.ssf/2008/03/bass_pro_convention_center_pla.html |title=Bass Pro, convention center planned for major Decatur development |date=March 17, 2008 |newspaper=Birmingham Business Journal |access-date=March 17, 2008 |archive-date=February 11, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090211013559/http://www.al.com/business/index.ssf/2008/03/bass_pro_convention_center_pla.html |url-status=dead}}</ref> As of Spring 2010, this project still seems to be on the horizon, but there is no set date for the project to start.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.whnt.com/news/morganandlimestone/whnt-sweetwater-deal-still-good,0,6530043.story |title=Decatur Mayor: Sweetwater Deal Still Good |date=March 15, 2010 |publisher=WHNT 19 News |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928100904/http://www.whnt.com/news/morganandlimestone/whnt-sweetwater-deal-still-good%2C0%2C6530043.story |archive-date=September 28, 2011}}</ref>  As of 2012, Bass Pro Shop has removed Decatur from its list of stores "Coming Soon" on its webpage. In 2013, Mayor Don Kyle announced that the "Sweet Water" complex was back on track, but has not announced whether Bass Pro Shops will be involved or not. Research from the [[Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity]] suggests that the economic impact of Bass Pro Shops is typically limited despite the large subsidies the company often receives.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.theatlanticcities.com/jobs-and-economy/2012/08/why-have-so-many-cities-and-towns-given-away-so-much-money-bass-pro-shops-and-cabelas/2906/ |title=Why Have So Many Cities and Towns Given Away So Much Money to Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's? |date=August 13, 2012 |magazine=The Atlantic |access-date=May 5, 2014 |archive-date=April 26, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140426142222/http://www.theatlanticcities.com/jobs-and-economy/2012/08/why-have-so-many-cities-and-towns-given-away-so-much-money-bass-pro-shops-and-cabelas/2906/ |url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Tourism===
[[Image:AlabamaJubilee90.jpg|thumb|left|Balloons inflating at the 1990 [[Alabama Jubilee Hot Air Balloon Classic|Alabama Jubilee]]]]
Tourism is a major part of Decatur's economy. Hundreds of thousands of people from in and out of town and from many other countries and territories attend some of the premier festivals in the South.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.decaturcvb.org/Pages/Festivals/fest.html |title=Festivals and celebrations |year=2006 |publisher=Decatur-Morgan County Convention and Visitors Bureau |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070728135633/http://www.decaturcvb.org/Pages/Festivals/fest.html |archive-date=July 28, 2007}}</ref>

The [[Alabama Jubilee Hot Air Balloon Classic|Alabama Jubilee]], begun in 1978, is the oldest hot air balloon race south of the [[Kentucky Derby]]'s ''[[Great Balloon Race]]'' (from 1973). With visiting populations rising to 100,000, people crowd around more than 60 seven-story-tall balloons as they inflate. Because of the Alabama Jubilee, Decatur has been named "The Ballooning Capital of Alabama" by the Alabama State Legislature.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.alabamajubilee.net/index.php/blank-page/history |title=The Early Years |publisher=Alabama Jubilee Hot Air Balloon Classic |access-date=March 8, 2019|archive-date=March 2, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190302132654/http://www.alabamajubilee.net/index.php/blank-page/history |url-status=dead}}</ref>

The [[Spirit of America Festival]] is one of the largest free [[Fourth of July]] festivals in the South. More than 65,000 people arrive in Decatur to watch annual celebrations and the Miss Spirit of America beauty pageant. The contest was known as "Miss Point Mallard" from 1976 through 2013. It moved to the [[Princess Theatre (Decatur, Alabama)|Princess Theatre]] in 2014.<ref name="decad140622">{{cite news|first=Catherine |last=Godbey |newspaper=[[The Decatur Daily]] |location=Decatur, Alabama |title=Beauty & Grace: Contestants to vie for Miss Spirit of America title |url=http://www.decaturdaily.com/life/article_3a097fd0-f8b6-11e3-a09f-10604b9ffe60.html |date=June 22, 2014 |access-date=July 17, 2014}}</ref>

Another large event in Decatur and North Alabama, the [[Racking Horse World Celebration]] attracts horses from around the world to compete in the largest Racking Horse competition. Held in the [[Celebration Arena]] near Priceville, the celebration draws up to 75,000 fans and competitors each year.{{citation needed|date=November 2017}}

The [https://www.facebook.com/riverfestbbq/ Riverfest] barbeque cook-off at Ingalls Harbor is sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbeque Society and attracts competitors from across the country. Beginning in 1995, the festival has previously been selected as a top ten tourist event in the State of Alabama, festival goers can expect live, nationally known musical acts, children's activities, and award-winning barbeque. Proceeds benefit the local community including several charitable organizations.

2018 saw the opening of the [https://www.cookmuseum.org/ Cook Museum of Natural Science] located at 133 Fourth Avenue NE Decatur, Alabama 35601 and showcases a wide variety of native animal and plant species within a state of the art facility. Cook Museum of Natural Science has been nominated by USA Today in their 2020 10 Best Readers' Choice travel awards as one of the best new museums to open in the past two years. Cook Museum of Natural Science is the newspaper's only Alabama-based nominee.