Dollywood Announces New Resort Property, Half-Billion Dollar Investment Strategy
PIGEON FORGE, TN— Having just finished a decade of unparalleled growth, The Dollywood Company is embarking on an ambitious investment strategy that will see the Smoky Mountain vacation destination invest more than half a billion dollars over the next 10 years across its properties. Announced today, one of the first projects in the campaign is Dollywood’s HeartSong Lodge & Resort, a 302-room property currently under construction.
The new HeartSong Lodge, which is being built adjacent to Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa, serves as the next element in the company’s thriving lodging business. Set to open in 2023, the new property ushers in another period of tremendous growth for The Dollywood Company and for the entire Smoky Mountains region.
With more than 3 million visitors annually at Dollywood theme park and Dollywood’s Splash Country water park, the Pigeon Forge parks comprise Tennessee’s most-visited ticketed attraction and have been driving forces behind the Smoky Mountains’ tourism boom.
The new investment plan will provide Dollywood’s “Dreamer-in-Chief,” Dolly Parton herself, with plenty of opportunities to do what she does best for many years to come. “I’m always dreaming and coming up with new ideas and things I want our guests to experience,” she explained. “We wanted to talk about this last year, but with everything going on, we knew we needed to pause because it just wasn’t the right time to do it. Things are looking brighter and with the popularity of the Smokies soaring, there are more people than ever wanting to visit our area.
“I’m so happy with what we are doing to make sure our guests have a great season this year,” Parton continued, “Being able to announce the new HeartSong Lodge & Resort is just one more way we’re going to be able to help families reconnect, explore and discover together. I truly believe the natural beauty of the Smokies and the warmth of this special place will inspire every guest to nurture the ‘heartsong’ within them.”
Tucked away in a beautiful cove in the rolling foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, Dollywood’s HeartSong Lodge & Resort will be a well-appointed, reimagined property that features a variety of accommodations and amenities. The resort is being designed to honor everything that makes the Smokies special.
Welcoming the outdoors in with high ceilings, exposed beams and natural layered textures, Dollywood’s newest resort offers lodging options for multi-generational families and couples. Spacious family suites and bunk rooms feature lovely touches that are inspired by the beauty of the Smokies. The five-story resort also features themed suites and loft rooms tucked into the dormers. Many of the resort’s guest rooms include balconies, which provide a “place among the leaves” for families to escape everyday stresses while reconnecting.
This reimagined Smoky Mountain Lodge will feature four-story, lantern-inspired windows in the resort’s welcoming atrium; epic indoor and outdoor pools that provide guests a refreshing escape in all seasons; and a picture-perfect outdoor cove with family gathering spaces, communal firepit and screened-in porch.
With 26,000 square feet of flexible indoor and outdoor meeting space, the property will be able to accommodate gatherings of several hundred guests. From the two-story HeartSong Event Center to spacious outdoor spaces and an event lawn, the resort offers numerous options to provide a unique and inspiring setting for groups, from meetings and conventions to family reunions and weddings.
“From the time we announced Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort in 2015, we have seen the entire region emerge as one of the nation’s leading family vacation destinations,” said Eugene Naughton, President of The Dollywood Company. “We’ve been able to help Dolly achieve the dreams she had more than 35 years ago, and with this announcement today, we’re going to be able to put wings on even more of her dreams.”
Since 2010, The Dollywood Company has invested more than $220 million into its properties as part of its ongoing investment plan.
Dollywood celebrates a year full of exceptional experiences, with each season unlike the next. The park currently celebrates the joy of springtime in the Smokies with the final weekend of the Flower & Food Festival presented by Covenant Health (through June 7). Many great festivals are still planned this year, including Summer Celebration (June 25-July 31), which includes a new evening drone show and dance party every night. Thousands of pumpkins glow to life as part of the Harvest Festival presented by Humana (September 24- October 30), and Smoky Mountain Christmas presented by Humana (November 6- January 2, 2022) celebrates the spirit of the season with millions of beautiful lights, award-winning shows, and festive culinary creations.