B

The main parking lot near the former pool and current playground at Panther Creek State Park in Morristown is closing permanently to make way for a redevelopment project.

A new lodge/event center and playground are being built in the park’s biggest upgrade in decades.

“I’ve worked on it since 2015,” State Sen. Steve Southerland said. “They are closing parking lots and the playground to begin construction. Since we were going to lose the swimming pool, we needed something in return.”

Estimated to cost $8 million, the lodge-style events center will have a timber-frame aesthetic that will be consistent with other Tennessee State Parks and provide indoor and outdoor event spaces.

Other features included include covered porch, rugged exterior materials such as stone veneer, and a metal roof.

As of the last released report on the project, the new playground will be fully ADA-accessible with shaded seating, lighting and capacity for up to 100 children.

Southerland said the new lodge will enhance one of the things that makes the park standout every year.

“There’s approximately 90 weddings per year in the park up at the top (elevation where scenic views provide a beautiful setting),” he said. “This will give them a place to have receptions. It also can be rented out for birthday parties or any type of event.”

After pushing for campground upgrades that have come to fruition, Southerland said he’s looking forward to see how this new project turns out and he’s hopeful to continued improvement at the park.

“So we would like to see the campground expand,” he said. “And also one of the things that I got in there was one of the disc golf course. And I think that another disc golf course could go in the park also.”

Campground expansions are a little simpler to argue for since they generate revenue and can largely “pay for themselves.”

While the large lodge will take longer, the new playground should be open by mid-2027.