The "Queen of Tennessee State Parks", Fall Creek Falls, in Spencer Tennessee is under threat of being "Privatized". Fall Creek Falls is the most visited of all of Tennessee's State Parks. It is 25,000 acres of timber,virgin forests, gorges and waterfalls.
A plan is currently underway to close the Inn and Conference Center and replace it with a "sterile" more modern facility. This would maximize the conference area but diminish capacity of the hotel for families that may wish to visit and enjoy our park.
Once the old facility is demolished and the new one is built and paid for with our public tax dollars;they intend to privatize the center to allow a private company to profit from it.
The Inn and Conference Center is one of the major employers in the area of Van Buren , Bledsoe and White counties. The park is the major employer for Van Buren county.
The Inn and Conference Center at Fall Creek Falls has become an integral part of the community. It is a place for first dates, a gathering place for families and a popular wedding venue. This year over 1300 reservations for Thanksgiving were made in a county of only 5000 people.
Requirements of the request for proposals call for the new inn to have 75-95 rooms that, according to projections in the request, could be rented for $151 per night.
Rooms in the current 145-room facility, rent for $76 per night.
Because of the public response to this petition, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation has "Fast Tracked" the demolition of the facility before Christmas of 2017!
We do hereby petition the Governor of Tennessee and the Legislature of this great state to intercede and prohibit the demolition of the Fall Creek Falls Inn and Conference Center and the termination of the jobs of over 100 families from this economically stressed community.
Updates
December 9, 2016
The petition has now reached 1,000 signatures. This milestone confirms that many people share a deep concern for the future of our park.
Reached 1,000 supporters
December 7, 2016
December 6, 2016
The momentum surrounding our effort to protect the Inn and Conference Center confirms that the community deeply values our park heritage. Witnessing such wide engagement underscores how essential this facility remains for the families who visit every year. We must continue to emphasize the importance of keeping this space accessible to the public.
November 26, 2016
The petition has reached one hundred signatures today. This response confirms that the community values the history and accessibility of our park. I appreciate the time taken by those who have added their names to this cause.
Reached 100 supporters
November 23, 2016
1,001 Comments
I am against the privatization of Fall Creek Falls State Park. It is not right to take the jobs away from an already struggling area of our state. Leave FCF State Park alone! Governor Haslam, doesn't public sentiment count for anything with you? Dana Koogler
Even though the Inn is older it is a lovely place to visit and affordable. Replacing it with a fancy, expensive conference center with fewer rooms will decrease the use of the park, especially for the people of Tennessee. This is business at it's worst.
If teh physical facilities have become tired, it would make far more sense to tear down and rebuild facility by facility while keeping staff employed and the enjoyment of this precious resource open and available. Privatization is NOT the answer here.
Are you insane? I grew up with family vacations here every summer and now I have raised my son to love that park with the same fond memories I cherish. Listen to the people of Tennessee. We are the ones that own this park...not the politicians!
Why would they privatize it when it's one of the few if not the only park in Tennessee that doesn't cost the state money. Private companies will only be concerned with their bottom line and not our community or the conservation of "Our" park!
a great park
Keep our State Parks alive!
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The "Queen of Tennessee State Parks", Fall Creek Falls, in Spencer Tennessee is under threat of being "Privatized". Fall Creek Falls is the most visited of all of Tennessee's State Parks. It is 25,000 acres of timber,virgin forests, gorges and waterfalls.
A plan is currently underway to close the Inn and Conference Center and replace it with a "sterile" more modern facility. This would maximize the conference area but diminish capacity of the hotel for families that may wish to visit and enjoy our park.
Once the old facility is demolished and the new one is built and paid for with our public tax dollars;they intend to privatize the center to allow a private company to profit from it.
The Inn and Conference Center is one of the major employers in the area of Van Buren , Bledsoe and White counties. The park is the major employer for Van Buren county.
The Inn and Conference Center at Fall Creek Falls has become an integral part of the community. It is a place for first dates, a gathering place for families and a popular wedding venue. This year over 1300 reservations for Thanksgiving were made in a county of only 5000 people.
Requirements of the request for proposals call for the new inn to have 75-95 rooms that, according to projections in the request, could be rented for $151 per night.
Rooms in the current 145-room facility, rent for $76 per night.
Because of the public response to this petition, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation has "Fast Tracked" the demolition of the facility before Christmas of 2017!
We do hereby petition the Governor of Tennessee and the Legislature of this great state to intercede and prohibit the demolition of the Fall Creek Falls Inn and Conference Center and the termination of the jobs of over 100 families from this economically stressed community.
Updates
December 9, 2016
The petition has now reached 1,000 signatures. This milestone confirms that many people share a deep concern for the future of our park.
Reached 1,000 supporters
December 7, 2016
December 6, 2016
The momentum surrounding our effort to protect the Inn and Conference Center confirms that the community deeply values our park heritage. Witnessing such wide engagement underscores how essential this facility remains for the families who visit every year. We must continue to emphasize the importance of keeping this space accessible to the public.
November 26, 2016
The petition has reached one hundred signatures today. This response confirms that the community values the history and accessibility of our park. I appreciate the time taken by those who have added their names to this cause.
Reached 100 supporters
November 23, 2016
1,001 Comments
Evans Mill in Smithville is now unavailable to public, how many natural areas will native Tennessaens lose as well as their history. Privatitazation excludes the citizens who have had a deep connection to these areas their whole lives.
I am against the privatization of Fall Creek Falls State Park. It is not right to take the jobs away from an already struggling area of our state. Leave FCF State Park alone! Governor Haslam, doesn't public sentiment count for anything with you? Dana Koogler
Even though the Inn is older it is a lovely place to visit and affordable. Replacing it with a fancy, expensive conference center with fewer rooms will decrease the use of the park, especially for the people of Tennessee. This is business at it's worst.
If teh physical facilities have become tired, it would make far more sense to tear down and rebuild facility by facility while keeping staff employed and the enjoyment of this precious resource open and available. Privatization is NOT the answer here.
Are you insane? I grew up with family vacations here every summer and now I have raised my son to love that park with the same fond memories I cherish. Listen to the people of Tennessee. We are the ones that own this park...not the politicians!
Why would they privatize it when it's one of the few if not the only park in Tennessee that doesn't cost the state money. Private companies will only be concerned with their bottom line and not our community or the conservation of "Our" park!
a great park
Keep our State Parks alive!
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Evans Mill in Smithville is now unavailable to public, how many natural areas will native Tennessaens lose as well as their history. Privatitazation excludes the citizens who have had a deep connection to these areas their whole lives.