Local leaders from around the region gathered to celebrate the newly-opened River Gorge Drive – an innovative modern mountain road that has literally paved the future of Aetna Mountain – and to share plans for future development of Black Creek.
The first phase of mountaintop development, known as “The Pass,” is currently under construction and will include 200+ new homes. Later phases of mountaintop development will include over a thousand new homes, a small commercial village, and community amenities.
Black Creek’s mountaintop developments are within Chattanooga city limits and are already contributing new tax revenue for public benefit, including Hamilton County Schools.
River Gorge Drive has already added more than $70 million in appraised value – an amount expected to grow significantly in the coming years when 1,000+ more units will be added to the tax rolls.
"The opening of River Gorge Drive will bring a whole new Chattanooga community to life on Aetna Mountain, adding new homes, residents, jobs, and tax revenue within our city limits while preserving the stunning natural beauty of the area," said Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly. "Black Creek is a model for blending new development with natural conservation, and I'm excited to see Aetna Mountain grow and thrive in the coming years, for the benefit of all Chattanoogans."
“We are excited to share our vision for the future of Black Creek because all Chattanoogans will benefit from future development through increased tax revenue, economic activity, public access, and natural land preservation,” said Andy Stone, Managing Partner at Black Creek. “The potential for growth in West Chattanooga is enormous, and we are grateful to have the opportunity to have such a positive impact on our community.”
In addition to driving economic development to the region, Black Creek has proven to be a responsible steward of this remarkable land. Most recently, Black Creek donated approximately 300 acres to the Tennessee River Gorge Trust for a new multipurpose public trail network to permanently preserve portions of the mountain for public outdoor recreational use.