Brow lots offer panoramic views of the Tennessee River and Nickajack Lake below
A land rush for the Tennessee hills that began during the pandemic is flowing strong, says Thunder Enterprises President Dane Bradshaw. That desire for spacious skies first came for Thunder Thornton's Jasper Highlands development, and now sales of lots at River Gorge Ranch are three years ahead of schedule.
“The secret got out on Tennessee and our mountaintop communities,” Mr. Bradshaw said. Popularity of the two Marion County developments has continued to increase, and people from 35 states have bought 545 lots at River Gorge Ranch atop Aetna Mountain. Construction has begun on 40 homes.
The on site fine dining restaurant Riverdance will open as early as summer 2025, during early phases of River Gorge Ranch. The success of Top of the Rock restaurant in Jasper Highlands convinced planners to open Riverdance as early as possible.
“It certainly gave us the inspiration and the confidence,” Mr. Bradshaw said.
Riverdance will be managed by SquareOne, also manager of Top of the Rock, Stir at the Choo Choo and State of Confusion on Main Street.
“Their track record has been really spectacular,” Mr. Bradshaw said.
A vaulted and airy breezeway shown in the most recent renderings will gain icon status for photo ops, with its wide views of the Tennessee River surrounded by forest below, he predicted.
Mr. Bradshaw said that Riverdance is more than twice the size of Top of the Rock, and it has more than twice the view. The 13,000-square-foot restaurant brings options to the secluded area, he said, and will seat more than 700 people.
An October meet-and-greet for property owners was well attended and festive, its proof of concept pioneered by Jasper Highlands, he said.
“It was awesome,” said Mr. Bradshaw. “It was packed with 400-plus property owners who were so excited to meet one another and meet their future neighbors.”
Buyers are empty-nesters and pre-retirees building a new primary residence, but Mr. Bradshaw said the proximity to Chattanooga makes River Gorge Ranch an option for second-home buyers from Chattanooga. Mr. Bradshaw said he is honored that people would choose Marion County for this important life event.
“It was really rewarding to see,” he said.
Owners design custom homes inspired by the architecture of Blackberry Farm in Maryville, Tn., whose architect, Summerour & Associates, designed the River Gorge Ranch model home. Mr. Bradshaw calls it mountain modern: lots of glass, natural stone and natural colors. One- to two-acre lots provide privacy without sacrificing community, Mr. Bradshaw said. The property will offer rental cabins, trails, pickleball courts and other recreation spaces. Lots start at $115,000 and go up to $700,000 or more for prime river views.
River Gorge Ranch and Jasper Highlands combined encompass over 16,929 acres, with more than 9,140 acres intentionally preserved as undeveloped wilderness. This commitment to land conservation reflects Thunder Enterprises’ vision of creating sustainable communities that blend seamlessly with the natural environment, it was stated.
Mr. Bradshaw said, “We undoubtedly could have crammed hundreds of more lots into our communities, but we are committed to providing large, spacious homesites to our property owners and responsible development.”
“As cool as the restaurant is and everything else, you got to have a way to get to it,” Mr. Bradshaw said. He said Thunder went above county regulations to build a strong and wide road up Aetna Mountain, a five-minute journey. River Gorge Ranch’s $10 million, 8,500-foot road is built with six inches of roller-compacted concrete - delivering 2.5 times the strength of a four-inch asphalt road. The road, featuring two 12-foot travel lanes with three-foot-wide shoulders, climbs 796 feet in elevation.
The Economic and Fiscal Impact of Jasper Highlands and River Gorge Ranch on Marion County, Tennessee, an impact study by Bento J. Lobo, Ph.D., CFA, outlines the economic influence of River Gorge Ranch and its sister community, Jasper Highlands.
The economic report highlights Jasper Highlands’ $68.8 million investment, which has already generated $91 million in total economic output, 234 jobs and $15.3 million in household earnings in Marion County. Jasper Highlands is 38 percent of the entire county’s residential property taxes, translating to effective tax relief of $146 per household, a figure projected to reach $314 by 2032, it was stated.
River Gorge Ranch is poised to follow suit with an estimated 2,150 lots and 1,720 homes by 2042, creating over 330 new jobs and contributing over $11 million annually in property and sales taxes. Once completed, the community’s total market value is projected to exceed $1.6 billion, "adding an invaluable fiscal resource for Marion County," Mr. Bradshaw said.
He added, "This report highlights the substantial contributions Jasper Highlands continues to bring and River Gorge Ranch will bring, from job creation to tax revenue that benefits every household in the county."
River Gorge Ranch’s new 13,111-square-foot mountaintop restaurant, Riverdance, is planned to open in summer 2025 and will offer residents and visitors a fine dining experience