Ross Dress for Less and Marshalls are among the first stores announced to open in the new Kroger-anchored Dawson Marketplace.

Hobby Lobby, Petco and Famous Footwear will also bring locations to the 100-acre site just south of North Georgia Premium Outlets at the southwest intersection of Ga. 400 and Dawson Forest Road.

Representatives with Hendon Properties, LLC and Blanchard Real Estate made the announcement on Monday.

"We are thrilled to partner with Blanchard Real Estate to bring an additional shopping destination to north Georgia and Dawsonville," said Charlie Hendon, president of Hendon Properties. "Dawson Marketplace secures the area as the preferred stopping and shopping point up Ga. 400, between Atlanta and Dahlonega."

Kroger announced plans in May to relocate the grocer from its current location and open one of Georgia's largest grocery stores at approximately 123,000 square feet, with a nine pump Kroger Fuel Center.

Last month, a judge ratified an agreement between the local development authority and Kroger that will give the company some tax relief and guarantees the grocer will build the new flagship Marketplace store in Dawson County.

Charlie Auvermann, the authority's executive director, said the grocer was also considering a number of location options, "all of which would have meant that they would no longer have a store in Dawson County."

The authority will provide private bonds for title in the amount of $23 million at Kroger's request, which means the actual property will be owned by the authority and exempt from property taxes.

"The real implication here is that we're going to have a very important, very significant anchor store for a shopping center to carry the tax revenue for county citizens for the next decade or longer," Auvermann said.

The county can expect to see in excess of $450,000 annually in additional tax income from the new larger, Kroger store, according to Auvermann's projections.

"We're extremely pleased this is coming, and I think the citizens will find, after the construction hassles are all over with, this will be a very nice, very important place for people to shop and enjoy restaurants and that it will be a very significant project for this county," he said.

The business community is also pleased with the new developments coming in.

"We are excited for the positive economic impact that the new development will have on our community," said Christie Haynes, chamber president. "Our citizens greatly benefit from [sales tax] and this new development will bring an increase in those revenues."

Dawson Marketplace is estimated to be operational by the first quarter of 2017.

Another massive retail development is also planned across Ga. 400 at the southeast intersection of Dawson Forest Road.

Set to open in the fall of 2016, a 45,600-square-foot space, Publix supermarket will anchor the shopping plaza, where Brooklyn Joe's Pizzeria, Lee Nails, Great Clips and a Chili's restaurant outparcel have already signed on to open locations.

Totally Running and Top Cleaners are also set to open locations in the 98,400-square-foot Halpern Enterprises Dawson Crossroads.

Halpern representatives said the high-traffic intersection that sees nearly 33,000 vehicles per day is a prime location for the development.

"We have a strong relationship with Publix and enjoy working with them," said John Brozovic, regional leasing director at Halpern Enterprises. "Publix is a high-quality brand that fits in well with other tenants and will certainly benefit the 35,000 nearby households."