Margaritaville May Be Coming to Gatlinburg

The Mountain Press has an article discussing the possibility of a Margaritaville opening in the tourist town of Gatlinburg, Tennessee:

If the lyrics are true, it seems “somewhere” could be downtown Gatlinburg — with the city’s Municipal/Regional Planning Commission set to consider a commercial site plan for a popular Jimmy Buffett-inspired casual dining chain or merchandise store during its meeting at 5 p.m. today in City Hall.

On the agenda is a site plan for Margaritaville at 805 Parkway, a property that was home to the recently demolished Midtown Lodge and an area where construction is ongoing on a multi-story parking garage.

Details surrounding the project are limited, though officials with Margaritaville Holdings, LLC have confirmed their interest in bringing the brand here.

“We are considering the possibility of coming to the area and we would like to see it happen,” an email from the company’s management group’s publicity division stated. “At this point in time it’s too premature to give any further details, but we are considering Gatlinburg for a Margaritaville location. It’s definitely a market we’re interested in coming to.”

They were unable to confirm whether the property — located on the corner of Parkway, Maple Lane and River Road — would be home to an eatery or shop. They’re still conducting preliminary research into the market, the email said.