Fairhope, 68 Ventures to Face Off in Court Over Canceled Projects
By Rick McCann
Blue RAM Media/Gulf Coast News
September 10, 2025
FAIRHOPE, Ala. A battle between local government and local business is brewing and will soon be settled in court.
68 Ventures, a Daphne-based real estate development and investment firm, and the City of Fairhope had agreed on two new apartment complexes to be built, but that suddenly changed.
Recently, a Baldwin County judge denied a summary judgment and set a trial date in the case between the developer and the city.
68 Ventures spoke with City officials and planning commission members on how to meet the requirements for developing them. There was a meeting of the mind for moving forward with both projects, at which point, 68 Ventures bought the land and hired multiple contractors, consultants, designers, and others to work on the properties to ensure they met all requirements
The two developments included Skyline Village, which was to be built on 17 acres along Dryer Road, and a second complex called the Gables on Lawrence would have been built on 19.5 acres along Lawrence Road.
Even though both projects are outside of the Fairhope city limits, they sit within what’s known as the extraterritorial jurisdiction, allowing Fairhope to regulate zoning based on an agreement with Baldwin County. In essence, it allows Fairhope to dictate who and what can be built inside or in the outer areas of Fairhope, and herein lies the issue at hand with these and other projects that have been turned away by Fairhope leaders.
Several city employees, residents, and unknown others met privately after an agreement had been reached between the developer and the city, and it was decided that they did not want the developments in Fairhope.
68 Ventures claims it was denied due process, and the case is about “equal justice and the rights of every American to enjoy the property rights provided by the State of Alabama.” They are seeking monetary damages.
Circuit Judge J. Clark Stankoski set the case for a jury trial on Feb. 2, 2026.
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