Gatlinburg, Tennessee, located at the western gateway of Great Smokey Mountains National Park, serves as a cautionary tale in the debate about a proposed resort near Slade in Eastern Kentucky.

An opinion piece by David Musser for the Lexington Herald Leader spreads the word about the negative effects of committing to a “Gatlinburg-type model” of economic development.
Gatlinburg, Tennessee is a mountain resort city, with an aerial tramway, the “Gatlinburg Space Needle,” and other man-made tourist attractions like a suite of Ripley’s attractions, from an aquarium to a haunted adventure and an odditorium.
With a similar type of resort development proposed for Slade in the Red River Gorge area in Eastern Kentucky, Musser is on the offensive: “…the Gatlinburganization of any area causes negative environmental outcomes, accompanied by low-paying seasonal jobs that do little good for the local citizens. National corporate restaurants and motels suck money from the area and into the pockets of outside investors,” according to the opinion piece.
While listing numerous other reasons to reject the plan, Musser concludes that the state of Kentucky should focus on drawing people to its natural wonders. “The proposed model at Slade would not be a gateway to Eastern Kentucky. It would be the stopping point, the final destination. It would be a wall to keep visitors from entering the rest of the region.”
The article cites a paywalled editorial published separately by the Lexington Herald Leader for most of its evidence.
FULL STORY: The ‘Gatlinburginazation’ of Red River Gorge would ruin this fragile gem forever

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

King County Supportive Housing Program Offers Hope for Unhoused Residents
The county is taking a ‘Housing First’ approach that prioritizes getting people into housing, then offering wraparound supportive services.

Researchers Use AI to Get Clearer Picture of US Housing
Analysts are using artificial intelligence to supercharge their research by allowing them to comb through data faster. Though these AI tools can be error prone, they save time and housing researchers are optimistic about the future.

Making Shared Micromobility More Inclusive
Cities and shared mobility system operators can do more to include people with disabilities in planning and operations, per a new report.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie