Belle Island Pigeon Forge Tennessee
Belle Island, will she ever SALE?
As I pass the majestic uncompleted structures inhabiting Belle Island I am quickly reminded of a ghost town. About 80% complete, Belle Island seems more like a ghost town along the Mississippi River left to vanish along with deserted dreams.
In reality it started as an idea by a developer having repeatedly set up shop in other towns across the US before coming to Pigeon Forge. Each time he departed and all that remained where uncompleted projects, shattered businesses having given their products and services, as well as broken promises. Pigeon Forge failed to do their homework, thus they turned over millions in printed and television ads heralding the new Belle Island. But before doors even opened, while many doors where never installed, Pigeon Forge found themselves burdened with an albitros.
Pigeon Forge went out of the way to ensure support for the grand Belle Island project. Belle Island businesses were given the rights to utilize the city’s $30million dollar parking lot for FREE. The company would not have to pay for parking, lights, clean up nor security in the city parking lot. Unconfirmed rumor that engineers required 15 feet of new soil to raise properties above possible flooding and that only 8 feet was used, does not help SALE the abandoned real estate.
Belle Island possesses a wonderful river town appeal believably similar to what earlier Pigeon Forge pioneers would have witnessed as pioneer forts and mills dotted the Little Pigeon River and neighboring water tributaries. Pigeon Forge’s nearby Old Mill itself is recorded as one of the early pioneer hubs for Sevier County inhabitants.
Pigeon Forge has been given a gift. The opportunity to set things right and build a destination hub for to-days weary travelers.
Imagine this! If rumors are true, Belle Island is threatened by possible future flooding, then the city needs to give it a wall, hear out the rest of this idea. The city needs a convention center, so the city works a deal with the bank to acquire the property and appoint a manager. The city has bought privately held properties before and sold for commercial real estate, so they either keep the properties and lease or sell the properties out right with the understanding that particular design will be utilized and rules as a unique community enforced (similar to Jamestown).
With the parking lot already in place, city building officials oversee contracting for completion of the project along with the building of a flood proof concrete wall that appears as an old log fort and a rustic bridge to the parking lot. Name the fort after one of the county’s early recorded forts.
Now how to make the magic happen, the Belle Ship style structure would serve as the new convention center. In the fort is everything needed for big business conventions with facilities nearby for the overflow. Condo and hotel accommodations, catering facilities, restaurants, specialty shops, name it and it’s there. The setting would be Victorian with early pioneer touches, men an women working in the various businesses would be dressed in themed clothing, adding to the atmosphere.
Guest visiting functions or the shops enjoy mingling with early settler street characters reenacting the parts Pigeon Forge’s early settlers lived. Craftspeople can make their soaps, forged iron works and the like. Yes, from the ghost town Belle Island would rise a monumental opportunity for drawing people to Pigeon Forge!
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