Belle Island To Sale Third Time
Belle Island, Pigeon Forge Tennessee, is a multi-use attraction facility housed on the Little Pigeon River downtown Pigeon Forge. This is the 3rd attempt to keep construction going and complete the 17 acre facility. Financial troubles and the downed economy have plagued Belle Island from the start, however with new financial backing, the drive is to have Belle Island in full operation by the end of December 2010.
Started back in 2006, Belle Island is about 80% complete. Despite the two previous stalls in construction and financial woes, Belle Island is still slated to have two key anchor attractions. The first is a showboat style structure housing Debbie Reynolds’ Hollywood Motion Picture Museum. Second anchor, a Darrell Waltrip NASCAR “racing experience.” In addition to these two, there will be several restaurants, unique gift shops, and some lodging.
Pigeon Forge was rumored to have committed the city to building a bridge that would conjoin Belle Island to their 40 acre parking lot. Belle Island has no parking but Pigeon Forge signed contracts with a few car groups earlier in the year to use the parking lot. Wonder what impact this will have on construction and future parking?
Tennessee Smoky Mountains Hopping!!!
The Tennessee Smoky Mountains is caught up in a whirlwind of activity this April 16th weekend.
Gatlinburg is hosting the Mountain Man Memorial March April 17th.
Pigeon Forge is wall to wall with antique autos and custom hot rods for the Spring Grand Rod Run. Thousands of these cars line the Pigeon Forge Parkway from one end of town to the other and all points in-between. Bring plenty of film or digital media as the sights are just endless. Several of the custom and antique automobiles are for sale, prices and deals seem better than past years.
Sevierville is having a big Flower And Garden Show & Sale at the Sevier County Fairgrounds (Old Knoxville Highway behind Lowes) Saturday April 17th from 9am - 4pm. They will feature flowers, plants, shrubs, yard art, lawn equipment, tools, children crafts, music, an auction and snacks. Admission is $3.00 or $2.00 with nonperishable food item.
Pigeon Forge New American Oldies Theater
Pigeon Forge Tennessee to get another new theater this year! The American Oldies Theater, 167 E. Wears Valley Rd. Shops of Pigeon Forge Mall, will be presenting sneak preview performances on March 10th-12th, 2010. Patty Waszak will open her theater while still perfoming her morning variety show at the popular and well known Country Tonite Theater.
American Oldies Theater will feature music of the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s. Host of the show will be Kenny Evans, with past performances at Country Tonite, Ole Smoky Hoedown (closed), and the top local award winning Smith Family Dinner Theater. For more information call (865) 453-0833 or (865) 774-9454.
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!
What is your comment, would love to hear from you.
Pigeon Forge Saddle Up Chuckwagons
Pigeon Forge Saddle Up is a 4 day festival of the American West, this year the event runs Feb. 25th-28th. The American Cowboy Magazine named Saddle Up! a 2010 Best of the West event.
Five chuck wagons will roll into Pigeon Forge Tennessee from Georgia and North Carolina. A fully dressed authentic chuck wagon costs in the neighborhood of $15,000. These chuckwagon teams mean serious business when it comes to serving up vittles. They will participate in the Pigeon Forge Saddle Up Chuck-wagon Cookoff on Saturday.
There’s plenty more events planned to occur that weekend, several are FREE while others require admission. For more details and ticket questions, contact Country Tonite Theater at 800-792-4308.
Saddle Up Pigeon Forge Tennessee
Saddle Up, a Pigeon Forge annual event, brings western flair and early Smoky Mountain settlers flair to the city of Pigeon Forge Tennessee.
Wrapping up Winterfest 2010 festivities sponsored by the city of Pigeon Forge, is Saddle Up Week. This year Saddle Up runs from the 25th-28th. The annual Saddle Up event brings well known Cowboy poets, western style singers, and chuckwagon cooks to the city of Pigeon Forge, in the scenic Tennessee Smoky Mountains.
Dollywood Announces Auditions for Christmas Shows
PIGEON FORGE, Tenn.—Dollywood’s entertainment department will conduct children’s auditions Saturday, Aug. 29, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Connor-Short Center at Walters State Community College’s Sevierville campus.
Dollywood is seeking performers to cast in the park’s live productions during its annual Smoky Mountain Christmas festival. Roles require boys and girls who can appear to be approximately eight to 12 years of age. Performers must be able to sing, act and move well. For those cast, rehearsals begin in October. Performances begin Nov. 7 and continue through Jan. 2, 2010.
For the audition, each child should be prepared to sing three songs that best demonstrate his/her ability. Children should audition in clothing that is comfortable and allows them to move. All children will be asked to learn a simple dance movement routine. A cassette/CD player will be provided as well as a keyboard accompanist. Participants should be prepared for at least a two-hour commitment for the auditions. For additional information, please visit http://dollywood.com/employment/schedule.aspx.
News Pigeon Forge Tennessee - Stimulus Money
Stimulus Money For Trolleys and More..
PIGEON FORGE Planning Commission members are set to consider accepting $1.165 million from the economic stimulus act. The money is scheduled to be used to purchase trolleys, trams and a minibus to be used in the city’s Fun Time Trolley operation and build more local trolley shelters .
Commission Votes On
Pigeon Forge Riverwalk Extension
Commission members will also vote to ammend the contract with Barge, Waggoner, Sumner & Cannon (BWSC) for extension of the Riverwalk greenway behind the new city parking lot. This is the empty parking lot next to the unfinished Belle Island development that went to auction 30 July, 2009.
Pigeon Forge Overtaxed
Over 2 years ago the city of Pigeon Forge made it known at area business meetings that the city’s sewage treatment plant was over taxed and millions were needed to upgrade.
Now the city is being courted with grand promises to build a public road and 2 water tanks. According to a recent news article, the city seems to be repealing what they have been saying over the the last few years and replacing it with the sewage treatment facility is not currently overtaxed. The Planning Commission has now approved the 500 unit condos off the Spur for Mountain Reflections and are still working with Grand Crowne Resort for the approval of 492 units. That is nearly a 1000 combined multi-bedroom units and does not include another nearly 500 units that will eventually open at Belle Island or the dozens of business having opened over the last 3 years we have been made aware of our waste water facility being overtaxed.
At one time the area had more guest than it had lodging, this is no longer the case. As more and more lodging facilities have vacancies throughout the year, we have to ask ourselves. Is this a move by the city only an attempt to fill city coffers? Will the city try for new taxes or increase current taxes for city businesses to cover what they said was an overtaxed sewage treatment facility. There was no mention of contributions by these businesses to cover the added burden to the sewage treatment facility.
For these condo developments to build water towers and public access roads, well this ensures ample water for them in case of fire and should lower fire insurance costs. The public access road promised from the Spur to Upper Middle Creek, this is great for the developers. If the road cuts through their property, they can sell the remaining property at commercial rates or develop the unused portion and lease commercially.
So where do we see these new facilities coughing up the money to expand and upgrade an already taxed sewage treatment facility? Will the new occupants of Belle Island be required to contribute to the parking lot it will use, no parking lot on Belle Island. When the trolley services move to Pigeon Forge’s parking lot and Belle Island opens up, we can guess the parking lot will be occupied. Who will pay for the security of cars and people parked on 40 acres of parking, electricity for lights, cleaning, repairs, insurance for claims?
Its time the Planning Commission and Pigeon Forge City Officials start talking with the people in public forums and answering some of these questions. Viral sites need this info as the newspaper is but one small source to share with voters.
Automatic License Plate Reader
Pigeon Forge City Commission votes on acceptance of a federal grant of $25,151 and a local share of $1,399 to purchase an automatic license plate reader for the Police Department. Now I have a time reading plates from time to time, but my glasses don’t cost that much? Anyone know just what this automatic license plate reader really does for $26,550?
