Dollywood will add a new 302-room hotel as part of a $500 million-plus expansion over the next 10 years, the park announced today.
Dollywood’s HeartSong Lodge & Resort will be located adjacent to the park's DreamMore Resort & Spa and open in 2023. The new resort will feature "high ceilings, exposed beams and natural layered textures," and include themed suites and loft rooms, many with balconies overlooking the Smoky Mountain landscape.
“With the success we’ve experienced at DreamMore Resort, we feel this is the perfect time to expand our portfolio of resorts. Despite the challenges of the pandemic, we had a relatively strong 2020 and we currently are outpacing our original expectations for 2021, so we are confident in the potential we see in the continued growth of the Smokies," The Dollywood Company President Eugene Naughton said. "With this addition and the epic plans we have in the works, Dollywood and the Smoky Mountains will continue to be mentioned among the best places in the country for family travel."
The planned $500 million investment more than doubles the $220 million that Dollywood has spent on improvements since 2010. Dolly Parton and Eugene Naughton spoke about the park's plans at Dollywood's 2021 press conference, which includes additional looks at HeartSong Lodge and news that the park is master-planning its third, fourth, and fifth on-site resorts.
"I’m always dreaming and coming up with new ideas and things I want our guests to experience," Dolly Parton said. "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 always dreamed of accomplishing two things with Dollywood," Parton said. "I wanted to give jobs to the folks who live here and I wanted to give visitors another reason to come and experience the beauty of the Smoky Mountains. We celebrated our 35th season last year, so I think it is fair to say we’ve been able to do that. I’m so happy with what we are doing to make sure our guests have a great season this year, and 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."
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i'm sure it's well-recognized In The Community, but it's pretty darn impressive what they've been able to do with this resort. that kind of capital expenditure without being owned by one of the Big Chains (understanding of course the herschend involvement) is really remarkable; and that's obviously not considering that uh, it's a nice place to visit than anything cedar fair and six flags offers. pretty dope!
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Does anyone know if the I-Box track on Lightning Rod helped and/or if the operating status of the coaster has been improved?