Matt Leavell is a licensed architect and urban planner with the University of Alabama Center for Economic Development and was the Director of Design and Planning for the Gulf State Park Enhancement Project. The $143 million effort to transform the 6,150-acre Gulf State Park included a 350-room hotel, a learning campus, dune restoration, an Interpretive Center seeking Living Building certification, and a 28-mile trail network.
The Enhancement Project was originally conceived with the goal of increasing public access to Alabama’s natural resources. But that goal evolved to include a demonstration of how to improve Alabama’s economy through sustainable tourism, cooperative development, southern hospitality, and a confidence in Alabama. Through a series of milestones and challenges, the development team evolved an implementation model for other state agencies or project teams interested in affecting positive change in the state.
Leavell will discuss his experience with transforming Gulf State Park into an international benchmark for economic and environmental sustainability.
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