A sprawling lifestyle resort in the shadow of the Great Smoky Mountains is due to bring hotels, restaurants, retail, sports and other elements of leisure to the North Carolina wilderness.
Former Disney executive Jerry Pospisil is overseeing the development of the US$14bn (€13.2bn, £9.3bn) complex, which will stretch 4,500 acres in the picturesque Jonathan Valley.
“The resort will combine wilderness experiences, upscale amenities, family entertainment, casual and fine dining, retail shopping, lodging and championship golf,” said Pospisil, who is president of development company Cataloochee Holdings.
Architecture studio Urban Design Group developed the masterplan for the project, which seeks to create an "architectural environment with a sophisticated rustic outdoor character that reflects the spectacular landscape of lakes and valleys."
The resort will be set around The Commons – a pedestrianised main street, with a 450,000sq ft (41,800sq m) retail store and a public plaza at its heart. Meandering pathways will lead guests towards a 14-screen cineplex, luxury hotels and residencies and 375,000sq ft (34,800sq m) of restaurants, shops and art galleries. A 50,000sq ft (4,600sq m) museum will showcase the artefacts from the region.
Accommodation facilities will include campgrounds, an RV park, a variety of high-end hotels and a 375-room Wilderness lodge, which will feature a 16,000sq ft (1,500sq m) state-of-the-art spa. There are also plans to add a wellness campus, assisted care facility and rehab centre.
Pospisil said guests would use the resort as a base from which to explore the surrounding nature and national parks. The complex will feature an extensive hiking, mountain biking and equestrian trail system, as well as two natural lakes.
A ski area, horse riding centre and three signature golf courses – created by Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman and Arnold Palmer – are also part of the masterplan’s sporting elements.
The resort was initially proposed by previous developers, but the plans fell through following the economic downturn. The project was resurrected by Cataloochee Holdings – a subsidiary of Maryland real estate investment group EquiTrust – in order to meet growing demand for services, amenities and housing in Western North Carolina. The company says that the project will create employment for more than 3,700 people.
"Now the US Securities and Exchange Commission must approve the project before investment capital can be solicited so this ambitious endeavour can begin,” said Pospisil.
The development is expected to take place in five phases over ten years. The Commons will be the first element developed, and is expected to open by 2018.
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of the most popular visitor attractions in the US, receiving more than 10m visitors every year.
