A local breaks down what may be the biggest season of change since tourists started flocking to the mountains
One thing about life in the Smoky Mountains is that change is always just around the bend. One season, you’re doing big business selling pancakes, racing go-karts or touting your special and authentic brand of moonshine.
The next season? Your life works are gone. Paved over for a parking lot, remodeled for a new restaurant, or rebranded into something newer and cooler and bigger and better and bolder than what had been the year before.
Living in the Smokies all these years, I’ve gotten a little immune to it. Things come. They go. The mountains and I remain; one of us is a little more eternal than the other. Ob-la-di, ob-la-da, life goes on, you know?
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But this year? This year – the year of our Lord 2025 – feels vastly different. The sheer number of projects that have opened, are opening, or are under construction surpass any season in my memory. We are facing an avalanche – or maybe a tidal wave – of new projects from one side across Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville.
What does it mean? Can the area support all the new businesses and sustain the old? Do area business leaders believe the available dollars spent in the region are enough to support all this change? Will a corresponding article in the next year or two examine a corresponding list of closures or businesses that didn’t make it?
Without any crystal balls, it’s hard to say. All we can be sure of is that word on everybody’s lips this season in the mountains will be “new.”
Things that have opened or will open imminently
Great Big Game Show in Pigeon Forge
Located on The Island in Pigeon Forge, the Great Big Game Show opened in February of 2025, bringing its interactive experience that allows guests to fulfill their lifelong dream of being a Game Show Guest right there in Pigeon Forge. With bright lights and two studios that hold 2 to 14 players, guests can show off their Game Show mettle by competing in a variety of mini-games in a studio that features the lights, sounds and energy of a real TV game show.
Taco Trail Taqueria & Bar in Gatlinburg
For years, one of the glaring weaknesses in the culinary community on the strip in Gatlinburg has been a surprising lack of quality Mexican options. Taco Trail – located in the old TGI Fridays spot – hopes to change all that. It is part of the Collier Restaurant Group, which owns a wide variety of regional restaurants. They include three pancake brands, a Golden Corral, and The Melting Pot. Taco Trail offers taco and burrito-inspired options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The restaurant is pushing its $6 cocktails and some non-traditional taco options.
Gorilla Taco in Pigeon Forge
In the mountains of East Tennessee, tacos are the new pancakes. Welcome to Gorilla Taco, a place with good food and marketing that makes me weep for the future.
I know it’s Pigeon Forge, so everybody thinks they’ve got to have a schtick. What’s the schtick at Gorilla Taco? It’s a couple of wrestling gorillas in luchador masks. “Think Mexican wrestlers, gorilla-sized margarita towers and a menu packed with bold tacos, burritos, Enchiladas.” But wait, there’s more. The Mexican wrestling Gorillas are taking a page from Guy Fieri’s playbook. Gorilla Taco is “where traditional Mexican cuisine gets flavor slammed!”
Again, I have nothing against the actual food. It’s just that Gorilla Taco is trying so hard to be fun and irreverent, but it all seems just perplexing to me. I don’t want to be a stick in the mud and I’m willing to concede it may be that I’m impossibly old. But reader, I have no wish to choose my fighter when ordering a margarita. Or to pay $69 to “Gorilla-size” my margarita.
Moonshine Mountain Cookies and Ice Cream in Pigeon Forge
Located in Pigeon Forge, next to the Mellow Mushroom in the place of a former ice cream shop is a … cookie and ice cream shop. Moonshine Mountain Cookies is a growing East Tennessee franchise with three locations in Knoxville as well as the new spot in Pigeon Forge, which may open before I finish typing this sentence. The freshly baked cookies are made from scratch daily and paired with creamy, hand-scooped ice cream – as opposed to feet-scooped, I suppose? It’s great, fresh cookies and good – maybe great – ice cream. You’d think that would be a good recipe for success, but I wonder if they’ve thought about adding Irish step-dancing Orangutans to the marketing scheme. Put a KICK into your cookies and cream.
Dollywood’s 40th
This is ongoing. Dollywood’s 40th operating season is underway with some recent updates and other things that will debut as the season goes on. Click here for more.
Taco Ranch in Pigeon Forge
Guys, we’re going to have to have a serious talk about the tacos and the marketing. Again, I am extremely pro-taco and am open to a future in which every other restaurant in the mountains is a taco joint. But can we all just turn it down a notch with marketing?
I do not want to be greeted by the phrase “Hola Y’all!” And I certainly don’t want to deal with a luchador-mask-wearing pigeon named Hector who wants me to call him El Jefe because “he’s the one calling the shots around these parts.”Can I just get some lunch? Must I swear to follow the “To life, lucha libre, and a love of tacos” code?
So, what is this place? It’s the “only” Western-style saloon on the parkway, inspired by the Old West and “perfected” by Southern Culture. “Taco Ranch combines the unforgettable flavors of a streetside taqueria, with the welcoming spirit of a down-home country ranch.”
Sure, I will be enjoying Taco Ranch tacos. Yes, of course, I love a good taco and these are good tacos. But will I want to shout “Yippe-ki-yay” after as the marketing promises? God, I hope not.
Compass Hotel Margaritaville in Pigeon Forge
Jimmy is gone. But the brand will live forever. The Compass by Margaritaville Hotel has opened in Pigeon Forge – just the entrance to the west end of Teaster Lane. Compass Hotel is the latest entry from the extensive Margaritaville brand in the region. Laid back with the bright colors of an old-style Florida getaway with an extensive indoor/outdoor pool area/mini waterpark, the classic hotel offers a complimentary breakfast and an on-site 5 O’clock Somewhere Bar and Grill. It’s a good place to not “waste away” your vacation.
Buffalo Breakfast Co. in Sevierville
The excellent and growing Sevierville foodie scene suffered its first real casualty late last summer when Trotters Whole Hog Barbecue shut down its restaurant and moved exclusively to catering. But in its place? The KBS Restaurant Family’s Buffalo Breakfast Co. KBS includes restaurants of diverse quality like the excellent Greenbrier and the significantly less excellent No Way Jose’s and a lot of stuff in between. Serving breakfast, brunch, and lunch from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. seven days a week, Buffalo Breakfast Co. offers “crafted Southern dishes with a modern twist” and a drink menu that’s described as “delightfully fun.”
Carhartt at Mountain Mile in Pigeon Forge
The durable work Carhartt clothing brand is having a moment in the culture. Carhartt is cool. To capitalize on the trend, there’s a new Carhartt store where you can buy work-clothing for men, women, and kids, as well as tons of Carhartt accessories, at the Mountain Mile just off Teaster Lane in Pigeon Forge.
Stellara Resort in Sevierville
Luxury tree houses near Foxfire Adventure Park in Sevierville combine comfort and the great outdoors. It’s a venue perfect for a vacation that doesn’t involve leaving the resort. You can, but with a place this nice, why would you want to? All Stellara Decks are equipped with private hot tubs, fire pits, telescopes, and barbecue grills. Did I say telescopes? Yes. Stellara is the perfect spot for gazing at the celestial wonder that is the mountain night sky.
The Fat Bear Family Tavern in Pigeon Forge
This family tavern offers smash burgers, wings, sandwiches, and an “all-day” breakfast in the strip mall next to the Food City location on Teaster Lane. The Family Tavern is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. during the week, 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sundays.
Cinnamon Bread Factory in Sevierville
Have you ever seen a business model so obvious that you want to smack yourself in the face for not thinking of it? Reader, let me ask you this. What if you could have “Smoky Mountain Famous” cinnamon bread – in a style that’s, let’s say, reminiscent of what is sold at Dollywood – without having to pay a park admission? Located at 240 Forks of the River Parkway in Sevierville, it offers cinnamon bread and other sweet treats as well as bagels, from scratch soups and sandwiches. The hours are Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The factory is closed Sunday through Tuesday.
Duck Yeah! in Pigeon Forge
Do you ever have days where you feel hopelessly out of touch? Welcome to Duck Yeah!, a new shop coming “this spring” to The Island in Pigeon Forge. What is Duck Yeah! going to sell? Duck if I know. It’s a thing for Jeep owners it seems, particularly Jeep Wrangler owners. According to Al Gore’s internet, Jeep owners started “ducking” each other’s Jeep by placing a rubber duckie on them. The tradition started in Canada in 2020 and has gone ducking wild. I don’t know for sure, but I do know it makes me feel ducking old.
Panda Express Sevierville
This new location (820 Winfield Dunn Pkwy) employs approximately 40 people from the Sevierville community and boasts the newest restaurant design concept – “Panda Home.” Inside, customers will find a distinctly American Chinese design that bridges the East and the West with red lanterns, a moon gate portal and vibrant Chinatown signs.
As we all navigate the busy spring season, Panda Express offers a convenient meal solution for families, whether you’re looking for a balanced protein plate, want to take advantage of the $35 Family Meal or just need to satisfy your The Orange Chicken craving! The Sevierville store is also serving up the brand new Firecracker Steak & Shrimp, which is available for a limited time only.
Things that are “coming soon”
Jurassic Adventure at The Island in Pigeon Forge
The Island in Pigeon Forge is thrilled to announce the arrival of Jurassic Adventure, an epic experience 200 million years in the making! This larger-than-life FREE experience will transport guests millions of years back in time to encounter the awe-inspiring giants of prehistoric times including the Jurassic era.
Opening this Spring, Jurassic Adventure at The Island in Pigeon Forge will immerse families in a world of dinosaurs, discovery and delightful adventure. 22 life-sized animatronic dinosaurs, each with interactive elements, will take over The Island, captivating guests with their realistic movements and sounds. Curious explorers will find plenty of educational opportunities to broaden their dinosaur knowledge!
Hogan’s Wrestling (and/or Beach) Shop in Pigeon Forge
We don’t have to travel far to find another “Coming this Spring” shop on The Island in Pigeon Forge. The wrestler Terry Bollea – better known to millions as Hulk Hogan – is opening a shop on The Island and I’m not ducking kidding. Sorry, that was the last one. What exactly is coming to the mountains? It’s hard to say. Honestly, the Hulkster really could use a stronger marketing team. The initial teaser announcement featured a picture of Gatlinburg, and it hasn’t been 100% clear which brand he’s bringing to the mountains.
Hulk’s name is on a Florida beach shop – which is inland in Orlando – and a wrestling shop which is near the beach in Clearwater. Will it be a beach shop, a wrestling shop, or a bit of both? Whatever it is, I expect wrestling merchandise and memorabilia will be on sale at the island this spring.
Rafters Rage Soaky Mountain in Sevierville
It is unclear if the newest edition to Soaky Mountain – Rafters Rage – will be open when the park opens for the season. The Soaky site indicates this six-person raft ride will open in 2025, however. The ride starts 8 stories in the air, travels 825 feet and reaches a speed of 19 mph. It should be fun.
Ripley’s Illusion Lab in Pigeon Forge
While traditionally, Ripley’s has chiefly focused on Gatlinburg in Sevier County, the Ripley’s footprint in Pigeon Forge will expand this spring with Ripley’s Illusion Lab located in the former Welcome Center on the Parkway. It will be next to the former Smoky Mountain Opry. If you want a location without a former in it, it will be near the Hard Rock Café and WonderWorks.
What is Ripley’s Illusion Lab? Well, the one in Myrtle Beach says it will “switch up your perspective, challenge your senses, and spark your curiosity through optical, photographic, and interactive illusions.” It’s set to open “this spring.”
Scooby Doo Mystery Putt in Pigeon Forge
Opening May 8, Scooby Doo Mystery Putt is 36 holes of mini golf with a Scooby Doo theme. It is located close to Mountain Mile. Prepare yourself for a lot of Zoinks and Jinkies and other groovy phrases as well as holes themed around classic Scooby Doo locations, shows and themes. You can count on Scooby, the Gang and the Mystery Machine being involved. But I am hoping for some special guests like the Harlem Globetrotters. The big question is will Scrappy Doo – whose arrival on the scene in 1979 tore Scooby Doo purists asunder – be represented in the park? The answer could make or break Mystery Putt.
Pigeon Forge Racing Coaster
Located on the hill just above Wild Bear Tavern, where the old Dome on the Hill zipline used to be, the Pigeon Forge Racing Coaster is billed as the first racing coaster in the United States. Is that true? Maybe. But I’ve been burned too many times by people claiming to be the first, the only or “exclusive” to just go with it.
This mountain coaster will have two tracks, allowing guests to race against each other. It truly sounds like a lot of fun and may well be a game-changer in the Mountain Coaster game. The scheduled opening is in spring 2025. Here’s a video of schematics with some especially gnarly copyright-free guitar licks to pump you up.
Wildside MEGA Zipline in Pigeon Forge
Another “first” or “longest,” the Mega Zipline is billed as America’s longest continuous zipline. Is it? Maybe? Probably. I mean, 5,771 feet does seem like an extraordinarily long continuous zipline. This addition to the Wildside outdoor adventure park is scheduled to open this spring and will ratchet up the adventure. Riders will launch from an elevation of 2,472 feet and reach speeds of up to 55 mph on four side-by-side lines that allow family and friends to compete. The over-a-mile-long course features a nearly 20% drop.
A few caveats: riders must be at least 10 years old to zip and anyone under 18 must be represented by a legal guardian. Zipliners – I prefer Zippers – must be between 48” and 82” tall and must weigh between 50 and 260 pounds. Closed-toe shoes are also required.
Cambria Hotel Gatlinburg and rooftop bar in Gatlinburg
In 2020, the Cambria Hotel chain announced plans to build hotels in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. The Pigeon Forge location opened last fall while what is happening with the Gatlinburg locale has been a mystery. Gibson Hospitality Ventures – a nationwide hotel management company – has a website with a job listing for the hotel’s general manager position that indicates the hotel and its rooftop bar are “soon to open.”
The hotel is located on the Parkway next to the Smoky Mountain Trout House and will have 132 rooms. Cambria is considered an upscale brand. An article shared by several hotel industry sites in November of 2024 indicated the brand has had several recent openings – including the Pigeon Forge location – and talked about planned groundbreakings in Oregon and Missouri. But it did not mention the Gatlinburg location at that time.
Blue Moose Burgers and Wings in Gatlinburg
Coming to the former Landshark Bar and Grill near Margaritaville in Gatlinburg, the Blue Moose – which already has a Pigeon Forge location – is expected to open in May of 2025. What do they sell? Burgers. Wings. It’s right there in the name. They do not, however, serve Blue Moose at this family-friendly sports bar.
Myron Mixon’s
Goodbye, Crawdaddy’s. Hello, Myron Mixon’s Barbecue Co. Myron Mixon is a world-renowned barbecue chef, not a former Pittsburgh Steeler as I originally thought. The restaurant will remain part of the Kennedy Concepts family, which includes Pucker’s Sport Grill, Loco Burro and Johnny Rockets. Mixon is a champion on the barbecue competition circuit who has been frequently featured on reality TV cooking shows. The restaurant is expected to open in May.
Things That Have Been Announced but May Not Be Imminent
The Truth Traveler
The Truth Traveler, which will be located next to the China Gift Mart in Pigeon Forge, was announced with a planned opening of Spring 2025. It doesn’t appear from looking at the building that it’s going to meet that goal. This biblically based VR experience takes guests through key historic moments from the Bible.
The experience was developed in conjunction with the Ark Encounter in Kentucky and planned openings in Pigeon Forge and Branson, Missouri, have been announced. Mindscape Creative has an official website with a section for joining the teams in Branson or Pigeon Forge. However, the majority of the job listings are for the Kentucky facility. The respective Facebook pages for the Pigeon Forge and Branson locations are active – recently advertising the ultimate Time Traveler snack but updated opening information is not available on either.
Things that have closed or are closing
Walgreens Pharmacy (Not Store) Downtown Gatlinburg
It always seemed odd to me that Walgreens held onto that location on the strip. It seems like it could be more valuable as something else. I recognize that tourists need aspirin and other medicinal products, but it seems like they’d be willing to drive off the strip to get them. Meanwhile, who is filling prescriptions in such a hard-to-drive-to location? It just never made sense.
Trotters Whole Hog Barbecue
RIP. Gone too soon.
Landsharks Bar and Grill
First Jimmy. Now this. It’s a good thing there’s a couple more in Pigeon Forge.
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A Look Back at 2024
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