A golfer tees off on the first hole of the Canyon Ridge Golf Club near the site of the planned Canyon Ridge Resort on Thursday, May 11, 2017, in Rising Fawn, Ga.Walker County Commissioner Shannon Whitfield will hold public meetings about the Canyon Ridge Resort project in two weeks.
On June 5 and 7, residents can question Whitfield about the county's involvement in the planned $106 million luxury hotel and conference center project. The meetings will take place at 6 p.m. each day at the Walker County Civic Center on U.S. Highway 27 in Rock Spring.
Developer Duane Horton announced on May 14 he is raising money for a project on the edge of Lookout Mountain. Some Walker County Republicans criticized Whitfield, because the county has agreed to give Horton property tax abatements if the hotel opens. Horton would pay no property taxes in the hotel's first five years and only 10 percent of total property taxes for 25 years after that.
In exchange, Horton must maintain a workforce of at least 180 employees and spend more than $100 million on the project.
In addition to Whitfield, Walker County Development Authority Chairman Robert Wardlaw and members of Horton's Scenic Land Co. will be available to answer questions.