Historic Inn uses? Visitors Center, residents’ use for events: BOMA, survey ideas
Farragut Board of Mayor and Aldermen gave their feedback on the Tourism/Visitor Advisory Committee presentation of plans for the interior of Historic Campbell Station Inn during a workshop Thursday, Jan. 9.
While not taking any action, Board members did express their reactions to the proposed plans.
“Do you like the idea of Tourism (Department) being someone who would have the house and occupying it?” Town administrator David Smoak asked Board members. “Or is there some other use you would like to see?”
“I would like to see the Museum Committee be involved with your committee,” Mayor Ron Williams said. “We’ve got some videos that we have and have those in a rotating manner on the bottom floor there, so if visitors come in, that could be in a loop
“I agree. This (plan is) a great idea,” the mayor added.
“What I see for (the inn), for the residents, is pretty simple: I want access for the residents,” Alderman Drew Burnette said. “I’m not as in line with a visitor center. I’m not sure who visits visitors’ centers anymore.”
He suggested, instead, having more rentable space on the main floor for more event opportunities.
“My vision is people in that building,” he said. “Everyone in Farragut needs to be in there to check that building out, check the history out … I just want the doors open as wide as possible.”
“I like the ideas you presented,” Vice Mayor Scott Meyer said. “I think they’re all straightforward. I think they’re very usable. I think it will be very successful.”
Yet, Meyer agreed with Burnette about attracting people to Campbell Station Inn.
“I think the more people in the building, the better off we will be,” the vice mayor added.
“To allow occupancy on the second floor, what do we need to do?” Alderman Alex Cain asked.
“We have to do a lot,” Smoak said. “That’s what we’re working on right now.”
He said an alternate bid would be to add another restroom upstairs.
“I like everything you’ve done,” Alderman David White said, adding he would like to see a second bathroom upstairs.
“I think we need to do everything we can to get it up there,” he added.
Smoak said the property was purchased in 2013 to preserve the home and its history. Over the last 10-plus years the Town has been working on the home, first to stabilize it in 2017 and then build Mayor Ralph McGill Plaza beside the Inn.
“A couple years ago, we started the process of talking about the last phase of the project: the interior of the home,” Smoak said. “We currently have that part of the project out for bid. We hope to have that back in a couple of weeks to the Board for your approval. We hope to get some good bids on that.
“But, as we were talking about this and looking at it, we got a lot of public input,” Smoak added. “We got a lot of good discussion about what we want to do with the home. How do we want to use the home?”
Hallie Reed, Tourism manager, said the Town had its last survey in 2023, which had 101 participants.
From that survey, the top four suggested uses were a heritage center, an information desk or visitor kiosk, a café and an art or historic artifacts display.
Reed proposed it be used as a “welcome center, venue for small events, historic displays and provide information about events and attractions to our visitors and guests.”
On the main floor Reed proposed one room at the entryway would be dedicated as a welcome center space with a host desk in the entryway that would be staffed during operating hours.
“You could also have a small gift shop with Farragut merchandise,” she said.
On the same floor, there would be dedicated space for renting for small, private events, community classes, pop-up shops from local businesses and other uses.
“The last room on the main floor would be dedicated to highlighting the community’s history,” Reed said.
The second floor would serve as a dedicated office space, accommodating up to six staff. “This plan includes a conference room and a break room (upper floor),” Reed added.
