Notable news: Some of the biggest stories in the Rocket City in 2025
Reading time: 7 minutes
Believe it or not, we are just a few weeks away from the beginning of a new year. So, we wanted to look back on 2025 and review some of the biggest stories we covered this year.
From big developments to store openings to weather and more, here’s what made our headlines here at Hville Blast this year:
In the news:
Space Command announces relocation to Huntsville
The relocation of the Space Command headquarters to Huntsville has been a hot-button issue for more than five years now, and with the new administration of Pres. Donald Trump, the possibility of Huntsville getting the HQ resurfaced.
Then, in September, Trump announced that the U.S. Space Command headquarters will move from Colorado Springs to Huntsville, along with approximately 1,400 Space Command employees.
Read more:
- Space Command set to relocate to Huntsville
- Mayor Battle meets with top U.S. Space Command officer
- Here’s what state leaders said about the big Space Command announcement
Huntsville annexations put the city limits in 4 counties
In July, the Huntsville City Council approved the annexation of more than 1,000 acres of land south of the Tennessee River. This addition to the city limits not only places Huntsville in four counties, but also means the Rocket City is geographically as large as some of the most populated cities in the country.
The newly annexed property lies primarily along McCutcheon Loop Road in Morgan County, with a smaller portion extending along Vaughn Road in Marshall County.
The portion of Marshall County annexed now means that Huntsville now includes acreage in four counties (Madison, Limestone, Morgan and now Marshall counties).
Also this year, the Huntsville City Council approved the annexation of more than 500 acres in North Huntsville and an annexation in March that included more than 600 acres.
Read more:
- City is now poised to annex 572 acres in North Huntsville
- New annexation plan puts Huntsville in 4 counties
- Huntsville annexation approved, city now expanded to 227 square miles
New stores at MidCity + Bridge Street
A new hotel opened last month near Bridge Street Town Centre–a Tru by Hilton at Cabela Drive–and that was just the latest in a series of new openings at the shopping center.
New stores that have opened or were announced this year at Bridge Street include:
Not to be outdone, MidCity also saw some pretty significant expansion in 2025. Some of those new spots include:.
Alabama’s first IKEA store to open in Huntsville
Rumors of furniture giant IKEA coming to Alabama have been swirling around for nearly a decade. This summer, those rumors were confirmed, as IKEA announced it had leased a space University Place Shopping Center.
This Huntsville location, at 6125 University Dr NW, Huntsville, AL 35806, will include:
- 5,000 products in fully furnished room settings, including a selection of over 2,000 items available for take-home
- Other products available for purchase online, with free pickup at the Huntsville location
- An “As-Is Department,” offering gently used products, discontinued items, and a range of affordable furnishings
- A central planning area where customers can meet one-on-on with IKEA planners
- On-site restaurant
Read more:
- IKEA leases new space in Huntsville: what does it mean?
- New IKEA in Huntsville issued building permit, set to open in 2026
The Orion named Top 10 amphitheater in the world
Snce opening in 2022, The Orion Amphitheater has racked up a pile of awards and accolades, and this year, Pollstar, the prestigious digital site that provides data for the global concert industry, ranked The Orion the #9 Worldwide Amphitheater by gross sales, and the #10 Worldwiode Amphitheater by tickets sold.
Read more HERE.
Huntsville gets significant snowfall in January
It doesn’t snow much in Alabama, so when it does, it’s news. And this January, we definitely saw some “newsworthy” snowfall in the Rocket City. According to the National Weather Service, Huntsville got the most snow we’ve seen in 10 years, with 7 inches in certain areas.
Read more HERE.
Old City Hall demolished, Big Spring Park renovations approved
Demolition began in February this year on the former Huntsville City Hall building that sits above Big Spring Park. The building served as the City’s center of government for almost 60 years.
Coinciding with the demolition, the City unveiled its master plan for the site, including an expansion of Big Spring Park East. City leaders unveiled the final designs for an expansion of Big Spring Park East to the Huntsville Planning Commission over the summer.
The project re-imagines the former City Hall site at 308 Fountain Circle as a dynamic public greenspace, adding approximately 2.4 acres to the heart of downtown’s signature park.
See renderings and more info:
- New Big Spring Park expansion gets final design plan [Renderings]
- City unveils new master plan for Big Spring Park
- Demolition now underway for former Huntsville City Hall building
2 Huntsville restaurants recognized my MICHELIN Guide
The prestigious Michelin Guide for restaurants has included two Huntsville eateries in its inaugural Michelin Guide to the American South. This is the first time the Michelin Guide has included a Huntsville restaurant.
Purveyor and Salt Smokehouse were both mentioned in the guide, as the Rocket City’s culinary scene continues to grow with its population.
Read more HERE.
U.S. Space & Rocket Center CEO Dr. Kimberly Robinson announces retirement
U.S. Space & Rocket Center CEO Dr. Kimberly Robinson announced her retirement this summer. Robinson took over the positions in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and was able to bring the USSRC out of uncertain times, and has brought about several positive changes during her tenure.
Since Johnson became CEO, the U.S. Space & Rocket Center launched a successful $65 million capital campaign that enabled transformative investments, including the completion of two major facilities: the Space Camp Operations Center, which opened in May 2023, and the I⁴ Skills Training Complex.
Read more HERE.
Huntsville Ice Sports Center expansion begins
The City of Huntsville broke ground in September on a major expansion of the Ice Sports Center, doubling its size to better serve the growing demand for ice sports and recreation.
The project will add 118,822 square feet to the existing 83,934-square-foot facility.
The $44 million project is expected to serve multiple purposes, in addition to meeting the city’s current high demand for ice sports facilities. The facility will have increased capability to host national tournaments and events, bringing tourism dollars to Huntsville.
See more details HERE.
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