Developer: Change of plans at Exit 407 set to transform Sevier County region

KODAK, Tenn. (WATE) — After pivoting from their initial development plans , Sevier County’s exit 407 tourism site is still underway.

“The announcements for this caliber — That’s going to change not only the trajectory for this development but also, we feel, for the entire region,” said founding partner and CEO of OE Experiences, Matthew Cross.

Cross said while they have changed some development plans, there is still much to come from Exit 407: Gateway to Adventure .

“It’s already home to the world’s largest Buc-ee’s as of a few months ago , that was supplanted by another location in Texas. But it’s still the most visited, having over nine million people that visited over the last year,” he said.

Their partners, Kituwah, LLC, a company created by the eastern band of Cherokee Indians, owns the Buc-ee’s, and the Courtyard Marriott in that area. Cross said the Marriott should be opening any day now.

Earlier this month, he shared that Kituwah pivoted its focus from the retail, dining, and entertainment area to a resort development .

“The current development strategy for the 407 is to focus on what we were previously calling phase two, which is really the overnight hospitality and resort component of the program. We’re very excited in the next couple of months we’ll be able to announce more specifics around what this strategy is,” said Cross. “In the meantime, the retail dining entertainment district, that was our previous focus is still an opportunity for us to be leasing and finding new partners.”

Cross said focusing on the resort will support the attractions that have been pushed back. However, he added that development can be a long process.

“There’s always a lot happening behind the scenes even if from a public-facing standpoint, things can be quiet,” he said. “We’ve been quiet for quite some time now, especially last year as we reoriented our strategy, as we prepared ourselves for this next big push. But in the months ahead, we’ll have a lot to talk about and you’ll see a lot of activity pick up on site.”

Cross also said the 407 project will include plans for a proposed highway interchange at Exit 408 to accommodate the nearly six million vehicles that pass through the area each year.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WATE 6 On Your Side.