Dolly Parton announces HUGE $500M Dollywood expansion
Looks like Dolly has big plans for Dollywood!
Last updated 15th Jun 2021
Dolly Parton announced a massive expansion project for her theme park located in the Great Smokey Mountains, Tennessee.
Dolly's beloved theme park will be expanding over the next decade as part of a $500 million investment.
Plans include a new 302-room HeartSong Lodge & Resort adjacent to Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa.
The name of the resort hails from her 1994 hit of the same name, inspired by the Great Smoky Mountains where she grew up.
Designed to look like a rustic lodge, the HeartSong’s initial layout features spacious suites with bunk rooms, as well as multiple pools, outdoor gathering spaces, a communal fire pit and porch.
More than three million guests visit Dollywood theme park and Dollywood’s Splash Country water park each year.
“I’m so proud of this place that we’ve been able to build here in the Smokies,” Parton said in a statement on her website.
“I always dreamed of accomplishing two things with Dollywood. I wanted to give jobs to the folks who live here and I wanted to give visitors another reason to come and experience the beauty of the Smoky Mountains. We celebrated our 35th season last year, so I think it is fair to say we’ve been able to do that.”
If you fancy a trip to Dollyland post-Covid, the HeartSong Lodge & Resort is scheduled to open in 2023.
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