PIGEON FORGE — The Collier family is spending $30 million on Country Cascades Waterpark Resort with plans to add 91 rooms and refurbish the campus.

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“At our 50th anniversary we committed to investing $50 million over 10 years in the community we call home,” said Kay Collier-Pittman, president of the resort. “With this project we’ll have met our goal in half that time.”
The upcoming building, the River Tower, will be seven stories tall and the new rooms will be focused on family fun.
They’ll have a dedicated “kids space” and will have an in-room feature Collier-Pittman was sure would be fun for all families.
“When our design team pitched the idea of an in-room scavenger hunt with prizes and a treasure chest in each room I immediately thought back to traveling with my children and knew this would be a hit,” she said.
In addition to the new building, the plan is to transform the lobby with a rustic hearth, more stone elements and wood beams.
They plan to add more spots where families can gather, and to add activities like a pajama dance party.
A new family entertainment center will have mini-bowling, arcade games, a VR arena, rock climbing and more games.
And they’re also adding more dining options to the menu, including lighter fare and a market where people can pick up snacks.
They hope to have the work finished next summer.
The Collier family’s place in Pigeon Forge dates back to 1968, when Mindle and Irene Collier opened the Mountain Skies Motel, a 23-room motel on the Parkway.
Now the family owns hotels, restaurants, wineries and distilleries.
“Our pool today at Country Cascades Water Park and Resort is larger than Mountain Skies was in 1968,” Collier-Pittman said.
They’ve also remained involved in the community, Mayor David Wear said during Tuesday’s groundbreaking ceremony.
“They started a business in Pigeon Forge and it has grown tremendously,” he said. “It has helped Pigeon Forge reach the heights it has reached and we are so proud to have them in the community.”