Resort possible after Florida group buys 5,300 rugged acres outside Mountain City

MOUNTAIN CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) — A Florida real estate group recently purchased nearly 5,300 acres of rugged land just east of Mountain City and hopes — long term — to “enhanc(e) community wellness, economic prosperity and cultural richness” in the rural community.

That’s according to Frisbie Group partner Dave Frisbie. The Palm Beach firm, whose website says it “strives to create value at the asset level while significantly enhancing the surrounding community,” paid a total of $10.5 million in June for three tracts of mostly forested, roadless land known as Forge Mountain.

Frisbie said the project is in “highly preliminary stages of master planning.” A resort club “dedicated to Mother Nature, wellness and longevity” is under consideration. He said if that project materializes, the wellness focus would look to immerse people in “the natural beauty of Forge Mountain and the Mountain City area” with hiking, biking and horseback experiences “on miles of nature trails” being “integral to the property.”

Monday, Frisbie told News Channel 11 the master planning process is likely to take “the better part of a year.”

“We have engaged one of our country’s top architectural firms to assist (with that process),” he added.

Early as it may be, Johnson County Mayor Larry Potter told News Channel 11 Monday a successful project could be a boon to the county, which tends to struggle to create good jobs. He said the Frisbie group has had some initial conversations with him and said they’re working toward a master plan.

“Any type of project like this is very important to the county and the city,” Potter said. “I think these people’s really concerned about doing things the right way, which they should be,”

Elevations are mostly between 3,000 and 4,000 feet. Furnace Creek, its south fork, and several of its tributaries form the primary watershed in an area that encompasses more than eight square miles. Potter said running infrastructure like electricity and building any necessary roads shouldn’t be too difficult, but that potable water could pose some challenges. Mountain City doesn’t currently have the capacity to extend utility water to the site.

“It’s not like their first rodeo,” Potter said of the group. “You gotta have that water. I would think they thought that through before they purchased the land.”

The Frisbie Group includes three brothers who began their careers in Boston after attending Harvard and have done major development in West Palm Beach, Nantucket, Mass. and elsewhere. The roughly 8.3 square miles of nearly roadless terrain they’re calling Forge Mountain is a different animal entirely.

Dave Frisbie said they hope to celebrate and promote local culture in the Johnson County project, “though a focus on history, storytelling and music … (and) create a vibrant cultural hub that honors and sustains Mountain City’s musical heritage.”

At this early stage, they’ve begun exploring a partnership with East Tennessee State University for internship and educational opportunities. Dave Frisbie said the group “will be teaming with leadership of our local communities, institutions and the State to ensure all important considerations are given significant research and contemplation.”

Potter said it will be important for the property’s new owners to put together local focus groups and gather community input.

“They want the people’s support. It works hand in hand.”

Potter said what he’s seen of the Frisbie Group’s prior work has impressed him.

“I think they want it to be clean and green as far as doing that the right way,” he said of the likely development approach and sensitivity to the environment. Potter said that could provide a contrast to some of the views coming out of Boone or Blowing Rock, N.C. where drivers can “see a house stuck to the side of the mountain everywhere.”

“I don’t think it’ll be like that,” he added. “You’re not going to see no 100, 200 houses on that mountain.”

He said he expects Frisbie to “keep every tree he can.”

“In a project like this clean is definitely good and (looking at) what they’ve done and what he’s envisioning it could be pretty cool,” Potter said.

“Could be” is an important disclaimer.

Johnson County has seen its share of big plans, with developers hoping to parlay the natural beauty and relatively low development into economic success. More often than not, those efforts have failed to reach their full potential.

On the other hand, never in the last 25 years has Northeast Tennessee experienced the population growth and in-migration that it’s seen the past few years.

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