May 03–Pigeon Forge — Under a white tent at the construction site for Dollywood’s DreamMore resort, Dolly Parton on Friday unveiled new conceptual renderings of the project and personal mementos she plans to display.
The 306-room resort, slated to open in summer 2015 as part of a $300 million, 10-year capital investment plan, will feature a variety of room types, large windows showcasing the spectacular mountain views and plenty of rocking chairs for guests to take advantage of what Parton called, the Southern tradition of porch sitting.
“So you can sit out there and rock away, dream away. Anywhere you look from these rooms and around the area, you’re going to see the Smoky Mountains, which we love,” Parton said. “I really can’t wait to come next summer and sit on the porch.”
In addition to various front porch areas, the resort will feature a three-story lobby that includes a full-length window framing a view of Mt. LeConte in the distance. Iron stair railings exhibit Dollywood’s signature butterfly every step of the way.
The 230,000 square-foot resort will feature king rooms with bunk beds, king rooms with sleeper sofas, extended suites, double queen rooms and reunion suites that link adjoining rooms. Parton will also have a suite of her own that will be available for others to book when she’s not there.
There will be an indoor and outdoor pool complex, a spa and full-service farmhouse-style restaurant as well as family gathering areas like fire pits, swings, hammocks and story spots, she said.
A copy of Parton’s 2012 book “Dream More: Celebrate the Dreamer in You” and a piece of wood from the front porch of the singer’s Tennessee mountain home will be among the personal mementos incorporated in a Dream Box display at the resort.
It will also hold a future song written by Parton and a locked chestnut box with items that only she knows the contents of. Both items will be released in 2045.
“I’ve been dreaming of this since the very day we opened Dollywood,” Parton said. “We’ve almost done it a few times but never got it off the ground. That’s OK because the Lord said not yet, not yet. Now we’re ready and we’re very excited and very proud of Dollywood in general and the people who work here and the people who will work here.”
The resort, managed by Sevierville contractor D&S Builders, is expected to employ an estimated 2,500 people, bringing the company’s total to 5,000.
DreamMore is the second investment in a capital plan announced last year for Parton’s Dollywood properties. The first was the $15 million FireChaser Express, a dual-launch roller coaster which debuted last month at Dollywood.
Dollywood Co. President Craig Ross declined to put a price tag on the resort but said the entire investment includes five major attractions and plans for two more resorts on the 100-acre property.
“During our research for this project, families said it was harder these days to spend quality time with their kids. With the opening of FireChaser Express Coaster and this resort hotel, we believe we’re doing just that and creating more opportunities for folks to spend more time together,” he said.
