Margaritaville in Gatlinburg Gets the Go Ahead

The Mountain Press reports that plans for a Margaritaville restaurant in Gatlinburg, Tennessee have been given the go-ahead:

To local Parrotheads’ delight, the city’s Municipal/Regional Planning Commission approved the site plan for Margaritaville — a popular Jimmy Buffett-inspired casual dining chain — during its Monday evening meeting.

The 13,000-square foot restaurant will sit at 805 Parkway—a property that was home to the recently-demolished Midtown Lodge and an area where construction is almost completed on a two-story parking garage that’s accessible from River Road and Parkway. The restaurant and parking garage will share the same tract, City Planner David Ball explained.

“There’s enough space there for both,” he told the board.

The single-story building will boast an outdoor dining area and have approximately 400 seats. A retail store will be connected to the restaurant — located on the upper portion of the lot, at the corner of Maple Lane and Parkway — though the retail component would only be a small portion of the building, local developer Ned Vickers said.

“(Margaritavilles) are typically restaurants and retail,” he explained. “It’s a big restaurant.”

Plans are still in the initial stages, with changes to the building’s overall design still being considered. The concept still requires submittal to the city’s Environmental Design Review Board, Ball explained.