The Poarch Band of Creek Indians today donated $1 million to relieve traffic problems at busy Gate 9 at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville.

The donation was presented in downtown Huntsville where Federal Building Authority and other leaders gathered for a press conference. Robert McGhee, vice chair for the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, said infrastructure issues are a safety threat for thousands of drivers who use Gate 9 each day.

McGhee said Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, brought the Gate 9 problem to his organization, the only federally recognized Indian Tribe in Alabama.

"I think this was a perfect example on how the Poarch Band of Creek Indians could benefit not only the state of Alabama, north Alabama, but Madison County to the safety issue that's going on," he said.

Bob Ludwig, chairman of the Federal Building Authority in Huntsville, said the donation will fund the first phase of a project that will move and widen Gate 9, making it easier for travelers to get in and out of the U.S. Army base.

It also allows officials to get started on the work sooner than they anticipated, with an estimated completion date of about 18 months.

"This project is to be able to move Gate 9 three quarters of a mile," Ludwig said. "If you're going towards NASA today, you'll see a stoplight down in close to where you turn to go to the airport on base and that's where the new Gate 9 will be located. The visitor's center will move, other things will go along with it, but it will allow you to be able to have almost a mile's worth of collecting point for people."

Dirt is already moving on the $8 million to $9 million, two-phase project, which received $1 million from Madison County. Ludwig said other entities in Limestone County, Tennessee and Scottsboro also chipped in toward Phase I.

Chip Cherry, CEO of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County, said Redstone Arsenal initiated a plan to develop a business park on the northern edge of the installation 10 years ago.

He said that vision is being manifested in brick, mortar and asphalt for people working at Redstone Gateway, a more than 400-acre mixed-use complex adjacent to I-565 at Gate 9 in Huntsville. Of the more than 41,000 people who work at Redstone Arsenal, about 19,000 cars enter Gate 9, which is inadequate to handle that level of traffic.

"It's critical to our regional economy that we do everything we can to improve this infrastructure," he said.

McGhee said the Poarch Band of Creek Indians is investing $14 million at TownePlace Suites by Marriott at Redstone Gateway and may build another hotel at the site.

TownePlace Suites is expected to open early this year. The 120-unit, four-story hotel, developed and operated by Yedla Management Company, sits on the south side of the six-acre lake with access from Market Street.