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In response to the “Coal Collapse” of Kentucky’s Economy the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce commissions California-based company AECOM to conduct a feasibility study on the tourism potential Eastern Kentucky. Jim Booth, serving as board chairman of the chamber at the time, said, “Tell us if there could be a well planned Gatlinburg in Eastern Kentucky.” The study defines Eastern Kentucky as counties south of I-64 and west of I-75.
Project continues to gain momentum. A study on the feasibility of a “destination resort” in Eastern Kentucky by HVS (Hospitality Valuation Services) is released. The study was commissioned by The Kentucky Chamber of Commerce. The published study is titled “Eastern Kentucky Tourism Study Destination Resort and Tourism Assessment” (Part 1, Part 2), but focuses all attention on Powell County and the Red River Gorge region and has little mention of the rest of Eastern Kentucky. The report even singles out exact site in Slade, Ky which RRED (which at this time in 2017 had not yet legally formed) later focuses on with the Stantec study in 2020. David Adkisson said in a Jan. 2020 public meeting that the group specifically asked HVS to study the exact site which RRED later focuses on for development. The HVS study describes the site as “An undetermined site on 600 acres of property northeast of Natural Bridge State Resort park and south of the Mountain Parkway.” (page 55, “Site B”).
The HVS study was large and comprehensive but in part one there is a suggestion that a, “A fully developed themed community would attract one to two million annual visitors” (view full HVS study here, this is taken from page 53). RRGU has repeated this projected “one to two million annual visitors” number including on our petition. Despite this clear and obvious source, Dave Adkisson has publicly questioned in the media and elsewhere where that projected visitor number comes from. RRED included in their Concept Paper an entire section calling for a “Themed Community” so this portion of the HVS report is clearly relevant here and should be known to Adkinson.
Despite the objections of Adkinson it seems clear where this number comes from.
Red River Economic Development (RRED) forms out of the Kentucky Chamber Foundation, the non-profit arm of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce. RRED is made up of four Kentucky bank presidents, judge executives from the four counties surrounding the Gorge, former Chamber of Commerce President and CEO David Adkisson, and Jim Host the owner of Host Communications. The organization releases a concept paper and applied for an Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) grant to conduct a study “to evaluate the feasibility of developing a destination resort in the Red River Gorge area of Eastern Kentucky.” Focusing on 891 acres in Slade, Ky, the concept paper calls for 150-175 room resort, a themed village, an indoor recreational feature (water park or rock-climbing feature), a large outdoor water feature big enough for small boats, and possible “gaming options” among other prospects.
RRED creates an RFP (Request For Proposal) for a master plan for a destination resort and associated tourism study.
RRED receives thirteen proposals for master plan contract.
RRED releases plans for the first time to the general public during meeting held at Natural Bridge State Resort Park. “Everyone wants to see an area grow right? But you want to see it grow in a responsible way,” co-owner of Miguel’s Pizza, Dario Ventura tells Lex-18.
“It’s not a project yet,” says David Adkisson to the Louisville Courier.
Red River Gorge United (RRGU) forms as a community organization in response, and in direct opposition to the proposed RRED development.
RRED awarded $500,000 grant from Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) and matching $500,000 funds from the State of Kentucky. RRED then signs $769,000 contract with Stantec, a Canadian planning firm, to produce a master plan for the resort and local tourism assessment for the Red River Gorge region.
RRED holds public board meeting to discuss project, and during meeting they confirm Stantec for project. Judge Anderson from Powell County registered the only “no” vote during the confirmation of Stantec. Part 2. Part 3.
In this meeting RRED group members state that they are a part of the project for moral reasons and several members insist that no members of the RRED board had any plans to, or interest in, investing directly in the project or profit directly from the project. Months later on March 31, 2020, several RRED board members become direct investor and purchase the 890-acre site to the tune of $2.2 million. The group purchasing the land, Red River Economic Holdings LLC, did not disclose its board members but a week later on April 8, 2021 three members of the RRED Adkinson, Beech and Whitaker resign from RRED board. “We wanted to avoid any appearance of a conflict of interests” says Jean Hale regarding the change.
During the Jan. 17 meeting Dave Adkisson says, “…no [the Stantec study] won’t be an architectural study, it won’t be drawings of the lodge. It’s a planning process to say, ‘here’s what we think will work, here’s how much you would need to charge per night for it to work’…”
Red River Gorge United (RRGU) holds our first public town hall meeting.
Red River Gorge United (RRGU) applies for non-profit 501c3 status.
Plans for development continues despite world-wide COVID-19 pandemic.
First town hall meeting occurs (virtual video conference).
Watch part one, Watch part two
Second town hall meeting (virtual video conference).
Watch part one, Watch part two
Third Town Hall meeting (virtual video conference).
Watch part one, Watch part two.
Fourth town hall meeting (virtual video conference).
Watch part one, Watch part two
RRED releases Stantec’s regional tourism plan and plans for destination resort.
Unnamed private investors form “Red River Property Holding Group LLC” and privately purchase the 891 acre site from Teal for approximately 2.25 million to hold it for future possible project developers. The full list of investors was not disclosed but a later article revealed that RRED board members David Adkisson, Charles Beech, and Elmer Whitaker were among those who purchased the property. Adkinson tells the Lexington Herald Leader that his role was vetted by lawyers for “potential conflicts of interests.”
Adkinson, Beech and Whitaker resign from RRED board. “We wanted to avoid any appearance of a conflict of interests” says Jean Hale regarding the change.
National Geographic publishes article on recent events in the RRG and the debate sparked by this proposed resort. David Adkisson quoted as saying he doesn’t know where “one to two million annual visitors” projection for the resort comes from, author says Stantec documents only anticipate 75,000 new resort guests but makes no mention of HVS study anticipating that many visitors for a themed village alone, which was part of RRED’s Concept Paper.
Leo Weekly publishes story titled Red River Gorge is Already Growing, Will a Resort Push it Over the Edge?
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