Developers plan to make the Gateway to Adventure a “regional destination” with attractions, retailers, restaurants and hotels.
SEVIER COUNTY, Tenn. — Millions of people use I-40 Exit 407 to venture to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and recreational areas like Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge.
The Gateway to Adventure project may soon see some changes as developers are changing plans for the project. Originally, plans called for massive attractions, retail spaces, restaurants and hotels. Developers previously said the Gateway to Adventure would span about 200 acres and include an attraction from Puy du Fou, a European entertainment company.
On Wednesday, they announced that the plans had been slightly modified. They said the focus had shifted from an entertainment district to a resort district, while retaining many elements of the original vision.
“A property like this never stops growing. We envision the resorts helping to support and sustain the restaurants and attractions that we were originally focused on last year,” said Matthew Cross of OE Experiences. “The strategy is to make this a regional destination. So we’re looking at resorts, premier amenities, brands and IP partners.”
Exit 407 is already home to the second-largest Buc-ee's location in the United States, which attracted an estimated 9.3 million visitors last year.
“It’s an incredibly successful property and we’ve proven that people will stop here on their way to the rest of the Smoky Mountain experience. That’s why we called it the ‘Gateway to Adventure,’” Cross said.
The project is also expected to create jobs in the region, employing up to 5,000 people in total.
“One of the things we’re looking at going forward is having to offer additional benefits, like competitive pay and even housing for employees. There’s really no other way to protect and build a workforce,” Cross said.
