Tourism Spending Sets Record for Sevier County Businesses

The announcement adds to a string of recent developments for the Gatlinburg business community, which has seen steady growth over the past year.

"We've put a lot of work into getting this right, and we think people are going to notice the difference," said Ashley Walker, chief executive in Gatlinburg.

Company leaders point to Gatlinburg's growing workforce and lower cost of doing business compared with larger metro markets. The move is expected to create or support roughly 72 jobs in the region over the next two years.

"This is exactly the kind of progress our community deserves." — Ashley Walker

Local economic development officials say they will continue tracking the impact on jobs and tax revenue in the months ahead.