Southeast Tennessee’s Bledsoe and Grundy counties are among nine in the state to be targeted by an economic initiative to grow tourism using state-owned lands.
Distressed counties are those that rank among the 10% most economically challenged counties in the nation, according to the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. Besides Bledsoe and Grundy, Tennessee has seven other distressed counties: Lake, Lauderdale, Perry, Clay, Scott, Hancock and Cocke counties.
State lands exist in all of them.
The program will capitalize on the attraction of state parks, state natural areas, state forests and state wildlife management areas, which are rich in natural resources and can draw visitors to local communities, according to TDEC spokesperson Kim Schofinski. Outdoor recreation comprises almost $9 billion of the state’s gross domestic product and accounts for more than 100,000 jobs, she said.
County mayors in the two counties – members of the task force made up of top officials and stakeholders who will help direct the project by providing information on key areas – hope the initiative helps draw more out-of-town visitors and their money.