Sevier County finds a way to keep Great Smoky Mountains National Park open despite government shutdown

Smoky Mountains National Park
(David Hertle, Unsplash)

Sevier County in Tennessee worked together with state officials, U.S. senators’ offices, and local partners to keep the Great Smoky Mountains National Park open despite the government shutdown that caused other parks around the country to close, Tyler Whetstone reported for the Knoxville News Sentinel.

Mayor Larry Waters said that keeping the park open during the shutdown is important as October draws a lot of visitors who contribute to the economies of Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg.

If the shutdown continues beyond November, they might not continue to keep it open because the costs might outweigh the benefits as visitation numbers drop in winter.

“I wish the federal government would look at us working together and getting this done,” Waters said in an interview with Whetstone. “I think it’s a good template for governments working in the interests of people.”

Local partners and organizations all pitched in money, some around $45,000, while the state of Tennessee gave $80,000 to keep the park running.

“One positive aspect of the routine threats of federal government shutdowns is it has allowed local governments to build up muscle memory on how to cope,” Whetstone wrote.