What's New in Gatlinburg

New Businesses in Gatlinburg

Loco Burro Fresh Mex Cantina opens in Gatlinburg
The Gatlinburg Chamber of Commerce along with City Officials joined Loco Burro Fresh Mex Cantina, in celebration of its newest restaurant opening on the Parkway of downtown Gatlinburg December 2, 2011. Special guests from the community included Mayor Mike Werner, Vice Mayor Jerry Hays, and City Manager Cindy Cameron Ogle. Gatlinburg Chamber of Commerce President, Chad Reagan of Mountain National Bank welcomed Owners Chad and Jennifer Kennedy and Partner Gary Douglas to the community wishing them great success.

Loco Burro Fresh Mex Cantina, located at 735 Parkway, features an open air casual dining atmosphere and as Gatlinburg's only rooftop patio restaurant makes an excellent location for viewing downtown activities. Loco Burro can also host private parties. For information on their hours of operation please call (865) 430-5624. http://www.locoburro.com/

Johnny Rockets now open in the Burg!
Johnny Rockets just opened its newest restaurant at The Shops at Gatlinburg Town Center in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Situated on the outskirts of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the only free national park in the country, the 25-year old Johnny Rockets brand is introducing its new design, updated music program and classic American cuisine to our quaint resort town. Johnny Rockets serves signature menu favorites including Hamburgers, American Fries and Shakes, in a fun and upbeat environment. The Gatlinburg restaurant is located in the center of downtown, by the space needle, mountain sky lift and other nearby attractions including Ripley's Believe It or Not and the Fort Fun Family Entertainment Center, creating a new gathering place for locals and visitors, catering especially to families. "The charming simple goodness of small town life in Gatlinburg aligns with Johnny Rockets' classic food, friendliness and feel-good Americana," said Chad Kennedy, Johnny Rockets Franchise Owner. "There is something for everyone who visits this mountain resort destination and we want to bring the delicious all-American fare that Guests have come to know and love."

The Gatlinburg Johnny Rockets will be open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and late night service, catering to locals who work late and visitors who want early morning comfort foods.The new 2,000 square foot Johnny Rockets restaurant employs 25 local residents, from all over the U.S. and countries that include Honduras and Russia. It is located at 735 Parkway, Suite 2 in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. For more information about Johnny Rockets and its franchising opportunities, go to www.johnnyrockets.com.

Appalachian Ghostwalks
Beginning Thursday, September the 1st of 2011, the new Haunted Historic Gatlinburg GhostWalk will unveil the findings of skilled researchers during professional ghost hunter investigations on site and in many of the buildings along the route chosen for this tour of Tennessee's most popular tourist destination - rich with Cherokee Indian and early settlement history! All original true stories and real history await you!! Advance reservations are now being taken for inaugural tours with limited availability. Make your plans now to attend one of our most anticipated productions ever! Do the spirits of early pioneers still frequent old frontier trails? What former actress still haunts a popular overnight stay? Learn about the lost, but not forgotten graves of original native people. Which well-known attraction of the town is still haunted by the spirits of several early settlers? You and your family, or friends will be amazed by these and other even more intriguing discoveries presented throughout the NEW "Haunted Historic Gatlinburg GhostWalk" - a true Smoky Mountain haunted history and heritage tour! Reservations are now being accepted with limited availability so call (423) 743-WALK (9255) right away for information and reservations to be a part of Appalachian GhostWalks' first Ghost Walk Tours of Gatlinburg, Tennessee http://www.appalachianghostwalks.com/haunted-historic-tennessee-ghost-tours/gatlinburg-tn-ghost-walk-tour.html

Sugarland Cellars
Within our walls, visitors enjoy bits of Gatlinburg's rich and abundant history along with a carefully chosen selection of fine wines made on site. The original settlers of this area and the wonderful oral traditions they passed down are much harder to come by these days. At Sugarland Cellars, we strive to re-ignite some of these often forgotten stories and tales through our passion for winemaking and the opportunity it presents us to showcase some of the wonderful people and places of our area. While you're here, or the next time you decide to drop by, take a moment to sip back a spell and drink in the stories contained within these walls. Located at 1133 Parkway, (865) 325-1110. http://www.sugarlandcellars.com/

Cabin Cafe - NEW in the Arts & Crafts Community!
A local cafe serving mainly sandwiches, salads, soups, and pizza- all homemade at the cabin. Now serving breakfast! Come check out the 8-mile Glade Road Loop to see more than 120 artisans at work in the Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community- the largest concentration of independent artisans in the United States. This adorable shop is a great place to grab a bite to eat! Visit them at 600 Glades Road Suite 10 in the Glades Arts & Crafts Center complex. Local number (865) 325-1000. http://visitthecabin.com/

Bootleggers Homemade Wine
Bootleggers Homemade Wine is owned by two country winemakers. To create the finest homegrown Appalachian wines, we start from scratch using the best local fruit and the same small-batch recipes folks in these parts perfected long ago. Bootleggers Homemade Wine uses no machines or fancy equipment just the stuff you'd find in kitchens throughout the South. We even bottle each batch by hand. It ain't California or France just great homemade wine, and when you pop open a bottle you'll surely know it cam from the mountains. Located in Moonshines Holler next to Ole Smoky Distillery at 903 Parkway in the middle of downtown. Local number (865) 603-4611. Free tastings of great local wine. http://www.bootleggerswine.com/

The Melting Pot
Offers a truly unique dining experience created by the art of fondue. Whether you are celebrating a birthday, anniversary, a long overdue date night, or celebrating with a group, The Melting Pot Restaurant is perfect for any occasion. Tailor your visit with a four-course dining experience including cheese fondue, salad, entree and dessert. Or, come by for fondue cheese paired with that perfect glass of wine from our extensive selection. That's not to say, we haven't had more than a few stop by to satisfy that chocolate craving after a long day of shopping, attractions and sightseeing. Make reservations today, and see what people are talking about at (865) 430-4430. Located at 959 Parkway. http://www.meltingpot.com/gatlinburg/welcome

Ole Smoky Distillery
A visit to Ole Smoky Distillery is the true moonshine experience. As you approach the entrance, you can detect the distinct smell of our grains cooking and fermenting. You'll see authentic working moonshine stills and experience the process from beginning to end. Our distillers will take the time to visit with you and answer any questions about the history and lore of moonshining in East Tennessee. After you see, smell and hear about the process, we offer you a taste of our shine for free. Samples of our Original Unaged Corn Whiskey, White Lightnin' and Moonshine Cherries, plus we offer seasonal and special flavors that aren't available in package stores. And of course, you'll be able to buy plenty of moonshine and Ole Smoky merchandise to take home with you.Our flagship store is located in Ole Smoky Moonshine Holler at 903 Parkway, Traffic Light # 8 in Gatlinburg, TN. We're open daily from 10 am to 10 pm, but please be aware that Tennessee state law won't allow us to sell liquor on Sundays and some holidays. http://www.olesmokymoonshine.com

Old Dad's General Store
Last stop before the National Park at Light #10! Come in for Homemade Cupcakes & Dessert, Homemade Muffins & Pastries, hand dipped ice cream & milkshakes, pizza & wings. They also have Fishing Supplies, Hiking Supplies, lottery tickets, Crafts & Collectibles, Cold Beer, Firewood, Camping Supplies, Fresh Produce Section, Frozen Food Section, Fresh Brewed Coffee, Styrofoam Coolers, Flip Flops, Walking Sticks, Sunglasses, Lunchmeat / Cheeses By The Pound, Free Convenient Parking For Market, Ice, Cigarettes And Much MORE! (Previously the Mountain Market & Grill). Located at 1127 Parkway. Local number (865) 430-1644.

Community News

Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies Opens New Exhibit Perfect Predators: SHARKS
Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies announced today the opening of a new innovative, educational and fascinating new exhibit “Perfect Predators: SHARKS! It is definitely a “Jaw-some” expansion to the aquarium that will leave any visitor captivated and mesmerized by the variety of live sharks featured along with over 30 hands-on interactive displays.

Mark Rackley, extreme underwater cameraman from the Discovery Channel’s Shark Week, Fabien Cousteau,deep sea explorer and grandson of Jacques Cousteau and Commissioner Susan Whitaker of the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development spoke today at the opening luncheon of the new “Perfect Predators: Shark” exhibit.

The exhibit, created specifically for Ripley’s Aquariums, is free with paid admission to the aquarium and will be on display throughout 2012. Sharks take visitors beyond the superstitions surrounding sharks, shark attacks and exploring their daily struggles to survive.

Our “Perfect Predators: SHARKS!” exhibit provides our guests with an opportunity to appreciate these magnificent predators and an interactive experience to see Sharks in an amazing new way. For millions of years sharks have ruled the seas. Live animals - great and small, video and interactive, will fascinate and educate,” said Ryan DeSear, general manager of Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies.

During a walkthrough of this amazing exposition visitors will be able to:

Guess what unusual man-made objects have been found in a Shark’s Stomach.
Have an up close view of shark skin
Have “shark vision”
Experience the force of shark bite!
See why sharks have endured for millions of years

Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies is located at 88 River Road, Traffic Light #5, Gatlinburg, Tennessee and is open 365 days a year. For information call 888-240-1358 or see us on the web at www.ripleysaquariumofthesmokies.com

Great Smoky Mountains National Park the 2012 Top Family Destination!
Frommer's once again has announced their list of top global destinations, including a top ten's list and a select number of category specfic winners. After thousands of nominations and votes, conferring among writers, editors and others, Frommer's has announce that Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the 2012 Top Family Destination... in the world! As the gateway community to the Park, we are excited for this news, and look forward to even more visitors than ever before! For more information, visit www.frommers.com

Another LEED certified property for Gatlinburg!
Nantahala Outdoor Center Gatlinburg, has been certified LEED Silver by the U.S. Green Building Council, the leading and most comprehensive third-party designation for green building. NOC Gatlinburg, located adjacent to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, is the first LEED retail and family attraction of its kind in the entire two-state Smokies gateway region.

NOC opened its retail and adventure center in the spring of 2010, in Gatlinburg, one of the most heavily visited destinations in the Southeast. A $4 million project, NOC Gatlinburg is a groundbreaking initiative, working with the City of Gatlinburg to create a closer connection to the National Park while deepening environmentally responsible practices throughout the city.

"NOC's mission of "excellence in outdoor adventures" is only possible if we not only promote recreation in the outdoors, but preserve and protect the outdoors as well," says Bacon. "By committing ourselves to a green culture, including LEED building measures, we strive to promote environmental responsibility so we can continue to share the joys and benefits of outdoor recreation with many future generations."
For more information on NOC visit www.noc.com. For more information on LEED and the U.S. Green Building Council, visit www.usgbc.org.

The Gatlinburg Hilton Garden Inn is the first new hotel in Tennessee to be awarded silver level certification for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).
Built in 2009, the Hilton Garden Inn recently completed the certification process and confirmed that the hotel satisfies criteria for sustainable site development, water conservation, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environment quality.

With the Smoky Mountain National Park in our backyard, it is a natural fit for Gatlinburg to be an innovator in promoting efficient and sustainable green development and we encourage others to follow our lead, said Logan Coykendall, President of Hospitality Management Solutions.

LEED is a third-party certification program and is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. LEED promotes sustainable building and development practices through a suite of rating systems that recognize projects that implement strategies for better environmental and health performance. The LEED rating systems are developed through an open, consensus-based process led by LEED committees, diverse groups of volunteers representing a cross-section of the building and construction industry.

The Hilton Garden Inn has reduced water usage by 30 percent and showed an energy reduction of nearly 20 percent to achieve Silver level LEED certification. The property also implemented a recycling program for both guest and owner participation. The contractor was an integral part of the team establishing a waste management plan designed and implemented to divert more than 75 percent of the construction waste from the landfills. Additionally, the products used in the construction of the Hilton Garden Inn were 20 percent recycled content and regionally extracted and manufactured.

About Gatlinburg Hilton Garden Inn:
The Hilton Garden Inn in Downtown Gatlinburg opened in summer of 2009 and offers 118 guest rooms and luxurious suites. The property is located on River Road with access to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and the main downtown parkway and walking district. The hotel is 100 percent nonsmoking and offers the Garden Sleep System bed, complimentary WiFi, a 24 hour business center, 24 hour Pavilion Pantry convenience market, workout facility, meeting space and indoor pool.

Get Plugged in at Johnson Family of Restaurants Locations!
Alamo, Bennett's, Mama's and Big Daddy's are first businesses in Sevier County to get EV stations! Wondering what those space age boxes are that have been mounted in front of The Alamo Steakhouse, Bennett's Pit Bar-B-Que, Mama's Farmhouse and Big Daddy's Pizzeria? Answer: electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. The Johnson Family of Restaurants is proud and excited to announce its seven locations are the first businesses in the county (and some of the first businesses in East TN) to receive electric vehicle charging stations through the EV Project. The stations will enable customers with electric vehicles to top off the charge on their vehicles while dining at one of the locations, whereas the majority of the charging will be done at one's residence. Some participants of the EV Program will charge users for the cost of electricity, but the Johnson Family of Restaurants is offering the service free to its customers.

The Johnson Family of Restaurants believes in electric and hybrid-electric vehicles, their potential ability to improve air quality in the Great Smoky Mountains (and beyond) and reduce our nation's dependence on foreign sources of energy. We are proud of our customers who choose alternative vehicles and we are happy to help them out. In a nutshell, we are thrilled to be part of this great project!

Wondering where to get a bite and charge up? Locations are as follows:

Bennett's Pit Bar-B-Que 714 River Road Gatlinburg (865) 436-2400 - Gatlinburg Chamber Member
Bennett's Pit-Bar-B-Que 2910 Parkway, Pigeon Forge
Alamo Steakhouse 705 East Parkway, Gatlinburg (865) 436-9998 - Gatlinburg Chamber Member
Alamo Steakhouse 3050 Parkway, Pigeon Forge
Mama's Farmhouse 208 Pickel Street, Pigeon Forge
Big Daddy's Pizzeria 1820 Parkway, Sevierville, TN
Big Daddy's Pizzeria 3053 Parkway, Pigeon Forge

Please feel free to contact Jonathan Wimmer at jww@jfor.biz or (865) 429-0082 with questions.