Consultant Paints Dim View Of Using McDonald Farm As Industrial Site

  • Wednesday, October 9, 2024

A consultant on Wednesday painted a dim view of the viability of the county-owned McDonald Farm at Sale Creek as an industrial site.

Instead, Randall Gross said the pastoral site might work for recreation, agro tourism and heritage tourism, including lodging, culinary areas and event venues.

The report was a surprise for commissioners, who said the purchase had been touted as the next big industrial park for the county with other industrial parks filling up.

Chairman Jeff Eversole said, "In my mind, do we just need to sell it?" On the freeway issue, he said, "You have a four-lane federal highway going by it."

Commissioner Chip Baker said, "We were led to believe there were 800-1,000 acres that could be used for industrial. That really weighed heavily in our decision to buy it. It's sure a different message than we were getting four years ago."

Commissioner Warren Mackey told the consultant, "I wish we had heard from you before we made this purchase. We made this purchase with the idea to put factories on it. It is 34 miles from the courthouse to this farm. I can't see people beyond the courthouse going up there to play and recreate."

Commissioner Gene-o Shipley, who represents the Sale Creek area, said, "It would be hard to put in the big pads" given the farm's terrain, and he said, "You can't fill up blue line streams or you're going to deal with TDEC in a way you ain't gonna like." 

He has the farm has much potential "without putting in metal buildings and an industrial park."

Mr. Gross told members of the commission that the site is limited by the fact that it is 24 miles to the closest interstate highway and that the projected return on investment is so low.

He cited estimates of $348.5 million to prepare just a portion of the historic Sale Creek farm with separate industrial pads. Sites were listed as 100-120 flat acres, 70-90 "shelf" acres to the northwest of the first site, and 50-60 acres along Highway 27.

There would be around 400 acres for industrial use if the three pads were graded so they connected, it was stated.

The county in late 2021 acquired the 2,027-acre farm from the Roy McDonald family for $16 million. About 500 acres are in nearby Rhea County to the north.

Mr. Gross said the lack of a freeway is an impediment, though he said the site has an excellent rail connection.

He said to draw 1,000 jobs to McDonald Farm the cost was projected at $360,000 per job. "It has a low ROI (Return on Investment)," he said.

The commissioners were told that the site is also hampered by the fact that it would be costly to bring sewers to the location. The cost was estimated at $40 million to extend a sewer from Dayton in Rhea County or as much as $100 million to bring one from the south. Commissioner Joe Graham said the county would not want to be reliant on a Rhea line.

Commissioners were also told it would be very expensive to bridge over a creek and the railroad to the farm coming off Highway 27.

A citizen group led by Jim Stewart of the Audubon Society said they strongly support utilizing the property as a working farm and for tourism activities. He said the group has been meeting for months and came up with "13 pages of ideas."

He said the property is enhanced by the fact that the Cumberland Trail will be extended along a nearby peak.

McDonald Farm has become the site for the Hamilton County Fair held each fall.

A commission committee will discuss the matter further next Wednesday.

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