FOLEY — Although an official announcement has yet to be made, it seems Blue Collar Country is causing concern among South Baldwin residents.

During Monday’s Foley City Council work session, Parrish Lakes subdivision resident Ron Rowe expressed concerns that he and his neighbors have about the entertainment resort that is set to be housed on 520 acre along County Road 20 and Foley Beach Expressway. Those concerns, he said, centered around the idea that the subdivision, which is off Juniper, would be situated right next to the resort.

“Are they going to have the appropriate buffers?” he asked, explaining that residents worried that they would be visually and audibly exposed to Blue Collar Country.

“We can’t say anything about Blue Collar Country,” Foley Council President Wayne Trawick told Rowe, “they haven’t announced anything yet.”

Rowe also asked the council whether by extending Pride Drive, the city would cut into trees in Parrish Lakes.

“It all affects our property owners’ property values,” he said.

However, city officials made arrangements with Rowe to have a community meeting with Parrish Lakes residents to address those concerns.

“We really appreciate his coming and letting us know their concerns and that the citizens were receiving information that was really not correct,” City of Foley Economic Development Director Jeff Rouzie said in an interview after the meeting.

He said part of that misinformation includes what will be situated near Parrish Lakes.

“Blue Collar Country is not really that close to Parrish Lakes,” he said.

Instead, the city’s multi-use sports complex will be near the subdivision. Rouzie added that buffers would be installed to separate the facility from Parrish Lakes.

“We’re not going to be shining lights into that subdivision,” he said.

As for the extension of Pride Drive, Rouzie said its impact will actually be positive.

“The extension of Pride Drive is going to enhance that area and, I belive, increase property values,” he said.

But Elberta Mayor Marvin Williams isn’t even confident that Blue Collar Country is even coming to Foley.

“Some of us are a little skeptical,” he said when a new Elberta resident expressed similar concerns during Tuesday’s Elberta Town Council meeting. “There’s been wolf cried at us on several occasions.”

He cited projects that were touted but never came to fruition, including bringing Six Flags to Orange Beach and a race track to Summerdale.