Tag: Wilderness at the Smokies

Nation’s best volleyball players converge on Sevierville for K2 Volleyball’s Wilderness at the Smokies Tournament

Posted by Rick Laney – January 17, 2012

SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. – K2 Volleyball Club is back at Wilderness at the Smokies resort for its second annual volleyball tournament. This year, it’s bigger than ever!

This weekend, the nation’s best volleyball clubs will open the two-weekend tournament.  This weekend’s invitational will draw 78 teams to Sevierville (more than 1,000 competitors and 5,000 spectators, coaches and officials) and 181 teams (more than 2,500 athletes with 10,000 attendees) will come to the resort the weekend of Jan. 27 to complete the tournament.

In 2011, the first K2 Wilderness at the Smokies Volleyball Tournament had 120 teams and more than 6,000 guests. Because of the success of the inaugural event, K2 expanded this year’s tournament at Wilderness at the Smokies.

Traditionally a slower tourism season, Wilderness at the Smokies has successfully attracted massive crowds to Sevierville and the Smokies Region during the winter months because of the resort’s year-round offerings. This boosts sales in shopping, food and family activities and has a big impact on local revenues.

“We knew that K2 Wilderness at the Smokies Volleyball Tournament would be successful,” said Erin Caylor, a coach for K2 Volleyball Club. “Last year’s event exceeded our expectations in every way.  We immediately decided that not only were we coming back in 2012, but that we would expand the tournament into two separate weekends allowing us to grow.

“In spite of the event being two weekends this year, we are completely at capacity for this year’s event and have a lengthy list of teams from around the country on a waiting list.”

K2’s Elite Invitational will begin this weekend and is for power/open level teams ages 13-18. Junior Volleyball Association (JVA), Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) and USA Volleyball (USAV) clubs will participate.

For players in the Knoxville area and those who will be arriving a few days early, two-time gold medalist Kerri Walsh and husband, Casey Jennings, hosted volleyball clinics this week at K2 Volleyball Club . The clinics were held at K2 Volleyball Club at 2639 Topside Road Louisville, TN 37777.

Attached to the 200,000 square-foot Sevierville Event Center, Wilderness at the Smokies has restaurants, gift shops, convenience stores, game rooms, a 36-hole championship golf course, mini-golf, lounges, a deli, two outdoor waterparks and a five-acre indoor waterpark, it isn’t necessary to leave the 700-acre resort. Coaches, athletes and spectators can even get to/from the event center without ever going outside – making Wilderness at the Smokies one of the Southeast’s only year-round destinations for sporting events.

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Media Contact
Rick Laney
(865) 584-0550
rlaney@ackermannpr.com

Wilderness at the Smokies Resort Will Open Indoor Waterpark for FREE to Sevier County Residents

Posted by Rick Laney – December 11, 2011

SEVIERVILLE, Tennessee — Although Wilderness at the Smokies only allows registered resort guests to use its waterpark facilities, on Sunday, Dec. 18 – for only the second time ever – the Wild WaterDome indoor waterpark will be open to all Sevier County residents FREE of charge from 3 p.m. until 8 p.m. in exchange for three (3) canned food items for donation to the Sevier County Food Ministries, a Second Harvest Food Bank of Knoxville partner agency.

Wilderness at the Smokies Resort

Guests will enjoy the entire seven-acre indoor waterpark (where it is ALWAYS 85-degrees), four huge water slides, an enormous indoor wave pool, indoor/outdoor hot tubs, and the amazing SurfRider which shoots 19,000 gallons of water per minute to create a six-foot wave to surf on. Don’t miss this opportunity to have an amazing afternoon and evening with your family while helping those in need right here in East Tennessee. **Each donation of three (3) canned food items will get free access for one individual.**

Also, many Wilderness at the Smokies employees – who each receive a holiday turkey from the resort – are donating their turkey to Sevier County Food Ministries this year to help those in need.

Those who attend should take their canned food items to the entrance to the indoor waterpark marked “Wild WaterDome.” For more information about Wilderness at the Smokies resort, visit www.WildernessAtTheSmokies.com.  **Because of maximum capacity requirements, those attending will get access on a first-come-first-served basis (so don’t be late!).**

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Media Contact
Rick Laney
(865) 584-0550
rlaney@ackermannpr.com

Wilderness at the Smokies resort home to Santa Hustle Half-Marathon Run-and-Walk this Sunday

Posted by Rick Laney – November 29, 2011

Santa Hustle Run 2010

Sevierville, TN – Santa Claus is running to town, so don’t be a Grinch this holiday season!  The race will take place at the Wilderness at the Smokies hotel and waterpark resort on Sunday, Dec. 11, 2011 at 9 a.m. ET.  More than 1,200 participants are expected to attend the Santa Hustle in the Smokies this year.

The Santa Hustle series has had great success in Chicago, with last year totaling more than 3,500 finishers. The Santa Hustle race in Chicago has been featured on the Rachel Ray Show and will be shown on the Travel Channel this winter. This year the race has expanded and will take place in Sevierville, Chicago, and Indianapolis.

“Wilderness at the Smokies is honored to be part of this fantastic addition to the Sevierville holiday offerings,” said Steve Cruz, General Manager of Wilderness at the Smokies. “Since the day we opened, Wilderness has tried to give people new, exciting ways to enjoy the Smoky Mountain area – and this is just one more example of how we are doing that.”

Participants in the holiday-themed race will receive a free Santa hat, beard and a customized shirt to wear while running. The top three runners from each age category will be awarded along with the participant and group with the best Santa costumes. All half-marathon participants will receive a Santa Hustle Finishers medal. After the race, everyone can enjoy an after party at the Wilderness with holiday music, food and drinks.

“We are so excited to bring this race to Tennessee and can’t wait to see 1,200 Santa’s running down Route 66,” event director Heather Frayn said. “You will also see over 100 volunteers dressed as elves along the course, giant inflatable Santa’s candy stations and more.”

The Santa Hustle Smokies is presented by Reebok and is hosted by Adrenaline Sports Management of Illinois. With stores in both Sevierville and Pigeon Forge, Reebok is happy to share their holiday cheer with the community and take part in this event. The Santa Hustle Smokies also benefits two charity organizations; The Sexual Assault Center of East Tennessee and Harvestfield Ministries.

Pre-Race Packet Pick-Up is only available at the Wilderness at the Smokies on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2011 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Packet pick-up will take place within the Adrenaline Sports Management expo, which is open to all participants and the general public.

Wilderness at the Smokies, located minutes from Interstate 40 and situated in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, is one of the area’s only year-round vacation destinations.  With a 36-hole championship golf course, two outdoor waterparks, a seven-acre indoor waterpark with a wave pool and the Southeast’s only Surf Rider, hot tubs, and countless waterslides and attractions, Wilderness at the Smokies has something for all age groups.  It is adjacent to a 200,000 square-foot conference, convention and event center known for hosting the areas largest conferences, athletic events and trade shows.

For more information or to make a donation, please visit www.santahustlesmokies.com or call toll-free 877-325-9453 or visit www.WildernessAtTheSmokies.com.

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Media Contact
Rick Laney
(865) 584-0550
rlaney@ackermannpr.com

Wilderness at the Smokies resort announces multi-million dollar expansion

Posted by Rick Laney – October 18, 2011

Rick Laney addresses the media in front of the existing indoor waterpark at Wilderness at the Smokies, which will soon double in size.

SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. –  Following a spring and summer tourism season that resulted in record-breaking attendance numbers at Wilderness at the Smokies resort, the Southeast’s largest indoor and outdoor waterpark announced that it is about to get bigger – considerably bigger.

This week, Wilderness at the Smokies resort will begin construction of its new “Adventure Forest” indoor park, literally doubling the amount of indoor space the resort provides for its guests.  Currently, the Wild WaterDome indoor waterpark provides acres of indoor water attractions for visitors, and the addition of the new Adventure Forest family entertainment center will double the total amount of “under-roof” year-round fun at Wilderness at the Smokies.

“Unlike our other attractions at Wilderness at the Smokies, the new Adventure Forest will be a ‘dry’ park,” said Steve Cruz, General Manager of Wilderness at the Smokies.  “It will feature a three-story ropes course, a multi-level enclosed laser tag arena, bowling, black-light mini-golf, a 7,000-square foot arcade, a ‘Laser Maze,’ a 25-foot tall spring ride, special birthday party rooms, another restaurant and lounge, plus other attractions and activities that do not involve water – all of it indoors and open year-round.

“There is absolutely nothing like Adventure Forest anywhere in this region.  If it were a stand-alone attraction, it would be an amazing addition to the local tourism market – but when combined with the already outrageous offerings of Wilderness at the Smokies resort, it is going to be a premier Smoky Mountain destination.”

Unlike the other attractions at Wilderness at the Smokies, Cruz said the new Adventure Forest would be open to the general public periodically for special events.  Currently, all of the amenities at Wilderness at the Smokies are only open to resort guests.

Since opening in 2008, the $100 million Wilderness at the Smokies resort has consistently added attractions, rooms and other amenities for its guests.  Just six months after opening the Wild WaterDome waterpark, the resort added the $1.5 million, five-story Runaway Canyon waterslide.

In 2009, the resort opened its second multi-million dollar outdoor waterpark, Lake Wilderness – featuring the Cataloochee Creek Adventure River, the Wilderness Rapids Wave Pool, an 18-hole miniature golf course, a poolside restaurant and plush cabanas.  In spite of its long list of major expansions and additions, the new Adventure Forest indoor park is by far the most significant investment the resort has made in the Sevierville area since its grand opening.  With its latest addition, the only other area attraction that has invested as heavily as Wilderness at the Smokies in the local tourism market is Dollywood.

Wilderness at the Smokies resort also sells one- and two-bedroom condominiums ranging from 850 to 1,200 square feet priced from the mid-$300,000s to the mid-$500,000s.  When condominiums went on sale at Wilderness at the Smokies resort in 2007, buyers snatched up $41 million worth of the units in just one day – in only six hours, to be exact.

In the past, the City of Sevierville has estimated in press releases that Wilderness at the Smokies generates about $3 million in sales taxes and more than $500,000 in bedroom taxes every year for the local economy.

Wilderness at the Smokies employs approximately 350 year-round employees and adds around 200 additional workers during the busy summer tourism season.  The addition of the new Adventure Forest indoor park is expected to initially increase overall employment numbers at the resort by about 10 percent (approximately 50 new jobs).

Cruz said, “Wilderness at the Smokies resort is the only local attraction where you get everything a family is looking for in one place.  If you consider that when you book your room at Wilderness at the Smokies, you get access to all of our water attractions and offerings, we are by far the best value out there for families watching their vacation budgets.”

In June 2011, Southern Living Magazine listed Wilderness at number two on its list of the nation’s “Ten Best Pools” and just two months later, Wilderness at the Smokies resort was named one of the “Top Three Waterparks” in the nation by Aquatics International Magazine (the worldwide authority on waterparks).

Wilderness at the Smokies, located minutes from Interstate 40 and situated in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, is one of the area’s only year-round vacation destinations.  With a 36-hole championship golf course, two outdoor waterparks, a huge indoor waterpark with a wave pool and the Southeast’s only Surf Rider, hot tubs, and countless waterslides and attractions, Wilderness at the Smokies has something for all age groups.  It is adjacent to a 200,000 square-foot conference, convention and event center known for hosting the areas largest conferences, athletic events and trade shows.

The resort is owned by Patrick Helland, Pete Helland, Jr., Tim Lucke and Tom Lucke (who also own Wilderness at the Dells Waterpark resort in Wisconsin).  Steve Cruz is the General Manager of Wilderness at the Smokies and Rick Laney is spokesperson for the resort.  For more information about Wilderness at the Smokies, call toll-free 877-325-9453 or visit www.WildernessAtTheSmokies.com.

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Media Contact
Rick Laney
(865) 584-0550
rlaney@ackermannpr.com

Jenny & Ashley all set to rock out Wilderness at the Smokies resort with concert and video shoot Saturday night

Posted by Rick Laney – July 14, 2011

SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. – The proverbial stage is set and everything is in place for the Jenny & Ashley concert and video shoot at Wilderness at the Smokies resort in Sevierville, Tenn.  Those attending the concert should plan to be at the “Wild WaterDome” indoor waterpark by 7 p.m. Saturday evening July 16, 2011. The concert/video shoot will begin promptly at 8 p.m. and is scheduled to last approximately 90 minutes.

All resort guests – and those who obtained tickets to this special event last week – should make plans to be at the entrance to the indoor waterpark by 7 p.m. Although ALL tickets for this show are now gone (please do NOT show up if you do not have a ticket to this event or a room booked at Wilderness at the Smokies for the night of July 16), those who want to see the rising music and television stars perform will get a second chance when they perform at Smokies Stadium on Wednesday evening, July 20, 2011 as the Smokies take on the Carolina Mud Cats.

Jenny & Ashley will meet fans and sign autographs after the Wilderness at the Smokies concert and after the Smokies baseball game. Fans who bring a pair of gently used shoes to donate to Soles4Souls (a charity that provides footwear to those in need) will get special access to Jenny and Ashley during the meet-and-greet following the show.

Jenny (15) and Ashley (14) Cooke are originally from Wisconsin, but moved to Pleasanton, Calif. when they were in elementary school. The sisters discovered their talents early while performing in a number of theatre productions and quickly made the move to acting and modeling. Jenny appeared as a model and cover girl for Kohl’s television and print advertising and also started acting. Ashley quickly caught the bug too, and modeled for both Levi’s and Kohl’s in television and print advertising. They followed their dreams to Los Angeles, where Jenny and Ashley picked up television work with both Disney and Nickelodeon.

Realizing their love and passion for music, the girls switched gears and headed to Nashville. Jenny & Ashley caught the eye of some very important players in Nashville and soon found themselves in-studio recording their first EP. The EP, “Songs About You,” has songs the girls wrote as well as great songs from famous Nashville writers. Darran Smith, Tim McGraw’s co-producer and lead guitarist, produced the entire product and Tim’s band, The Dance Hall Doctors, tracked every instrument you hear on the EP. “Songs About You,” available now on iTunes, is an upbeat pop/country album which includes the song “Indescribable,” co-written by Ashley, that is receiving national radio airplay.

Following in the footsteps of Disney superstars Miley Cyrus (“Hannah Montana”), Selena Gomez, and the Jonas Brothers, Jenny and Ashley Cooke are skyrocketing to stardom. Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see them perform up-close and live.

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Media Contact
Rick Laney
(865) 584-0550
rlaney@ackermannpr.com

Passes for Jenny & Ashley Concert and Music Video Shoot Available on July 7

Posted by Shane Rhyne – July 5, 2011

SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. – July 5, 2011 – When rising teen music and television stars Jenny and Ashley Cooke take the Jenny & Ashley will be filming a music video and live concert at Wilderness at the Smokies Resort. stage at Wilderness at the Smokies Resort to film a music video and concert this month, East Tennessee residents can be a part of the fun for the price of a pair of shoes. A limited number of public passes are available and will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis at 9 a.m. on Thursday, July 7, at Smokies Stadium in Kodak, Tennessee.

A pass for one admission to the concert and video shoot will be given out for every pair of new or gently used shoes brought for donation to Soles4Souls, a charity organization providing shoes for those in need. Organizers for the concert will have a donation area set up in the parking lot of the Tennessee Smokies minor league baseball stadium, located near Exit 407 on I-40 in Sevier County. Passes will be distributed beginning at 9 a.m. Only one admission will be provided for each pair of shoes donated. Families wishing to receive multiple passes should bring a pair of shoes to donate for each ticket desired. There is a maximum of five passes per person. Passes will be distributed on Thursday, July 7, while supplies last.

The Jenny & Ashley concert and video shoot will be held at Wilderness at the Smokies Resort on Saturday, July 16. Admission to the concert is limited to guests of the resort and recipients of the passes distributed on July 7. Following the concert and video filming, concert pass holders will receive an admission pass to enjoy a free day at the Wilderness at the Smokies Resort’s waterpark—a benefit normally reserved only for the resort’s hotel guests. Tickets to the concert will not be available at Wilderness at the Smokies Resort and can only be obtained by donating a pair of shoes (one pair per pass) at the donation event on Thursday, July 7.

Jenny & Ashley are filming their new music video at Wilderness at the Smokies Resort in support of most recent new album. The concert and video will include the girls’ complete touring band, as well as the production team and director for the music video. Rick Laney, vice president of Ackermann PR who has also worked with National Geographic Television, MTV Productions, Travel Channel, and has also produced live concert DVDs in the past, is serving as a production consultant to the project.

Additional details for the Jenny & Ashley appearance will be updated online at http://www.ackermannwire.com/category/jenny-and-ashley/.

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MEDIA:

FOR MORE INFORMATION, TO ARRANGE INTERVIEWS, FOR HIGH RESOLUTION PHOTOS OR DIGITAL B-ROLL, CONTACT RICK LANEY AT (865) 584-0550, rlaney@ackermannpr.com


New teen sensations Jenny and Ashley will shoot concert video at Wilderness at the Smokies resort July 16

Posted by Rick Laney – June 30, 2011

SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. – Following in the footsteps of Disney superstars Miley Cyrus (“Hannah Montana”), Selena Gomez, and the Jonas Brothers, Jenny and Ashley Cooke, better known as “Jenny & Ashley,” will perform and shoot a video at Wilderness at the Smokies resort in Sevierville on Saturday night, July 16, 2011.

Jenny & Ashley

Not only will the video shoot be free and open to our guests and some members of the general public, but everyone who shows up for the video shoot will also receive a pass to come back and spend an entire day for FREE at Wilderness at the Smokies resort.  Although the resort has been open for three years, it has never been open to the general public (only resort guests can use the waterparks at Wilderness at the Smokies). During the concert, a limited number of outside guests will be permitted to watch the concert and participate in the shoot.

The concert / video shoot begins at 8 p.m. ET and those who wish to be in the video are asked to be at the resort by 7 p.m.  Special parking will be provided at Wilderness at the Smokies and those who wish to participate in the music video shoot will be directed once they arrive.

To get a free pass to participate in this event, you will need to make a donation to Soles4Souls, a charity group that gives shoes to those in need.  We will know in coming days where people can drop off new or gently used shoes in exchange for passes to the Jenny & Ashley concert event at Wilderness at the Smokies.  Please note that ONLY those who have obtained passes to this concert by donating shoes to Soles4Souls will be allowed to attend.

Jenny and Ashley’s complete touring band will be joining them at Wilderness at the Smokies and a production team and director are coming in to manage the music video shoot.  Rick Laney, vice president of Knoxville’s Ackermann PR who has also worked with National Geographic Television, MTV Productions, Travel Channel, and has produced live concert DVDs in the past, is serving as a production consultant to the project.

Those who come to the video shoot are asked to bring their swimsuits.  Although some people will be directed to be in the water during the video shoot, not everyone will be and many of our attractions (waterslides, Surf Rider, etc.) may be closed.  You may be asked to follow the direction and instructions of the production crew while the video is being shot.  After the shoot, Wilderness at the Smokies will show our appreciation for your involvement in this production by giving everyone in attendance a FREE wristband good for one entire day – from open to close – at our waterpark resort (to be used any time in the next two months).

Jenny (15) and Ashley (14) are originally from Wisconsin, but moved to Pleasanton, Calif. when they were in elementary school.  The sisters discovered their talents early while performing in a number of theatre productions and quickly made the move to acting and modeling. Jenny appeared as a model and cover girl for Kohl’s television and print advertising and also started acting.  Ashley quickly caught the bug too, and modeled for both Levi’s and Kohl’s in television and print advertising. They followed their dreams to Los Angeles, where Jenny and Ashley picked up work with Disney, Nickelodeon and Fox Television.

Quickly realizing their love and passion for music the girls switched gears and headed to Nashville to pursue music.  Jenny & Ashley caught the eye of some very important players in Nashville and soon found themselves in studio recording their first EP.  The EP, “Songs About You,” has songs the girls wrote as well as great songs from famous Nashville writers.  Darran Smith, Tim McGraw’s co-producer and lead guitarist, produced the entire product and Tim’s band, The Dance Hall Doctors, tracked every instrument you hear.  “Songs About You,” available now on iTunes, is an upbeat pop/country album which includes “Indescribable” co-written by Ashley and received national radio airplay.

Stay tuned to find out how YOU can join us for a FREE evening of music and fun while Jenny and Ashley shoot their music video on July 16 at 8 p.m.  We will also be announcing the drop-off location where you can donate shoes in exchange for passes to the concert.  Jenny and Ashley will stick around after the concert to meet our guests.  As our way of thanking you for helping with this video production, we want you to then bring your free passes and come back to Wilderness at the Smokies and enjoy all three of our waterparks for the entire day.  Visit www.AckermannWire.com regularly for all updates and more details as they are available.

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Media Contact
Rick Laney
(865) 584-0550
rlaney@ackermannpr.com

No Summer Vacation for Social Media

Posted by Amelia Daniels – June 13, 2011

Knoxville, Tenn. – Summer vacation is usually a time to relax, unwind and maybe even unplug from those digital devices that have become extra appendages to many.  But social media is increasingly becoming intertwined with family vacations.

Whether you find yourself mobile uploading photos of your adventures to Facebook or “checking-in” at various stops along your drive down I-75, you may have an excuse the next time your spouse politely asks you to put down your iPhone and join in the family fun.  Social media tools can actually enhance your vacation, but finding a balance is key.

Ackermann’s Digital Strategies Manager, Shane Rhyne says, “Living Social and Groupon, for example, can save your family money when you take advantage of special offers on restaurants, shopping and lodging.”  The social media community on FourSquare offers valuable tips about tourist attractions.  “We’re seeing that with the Titanic Museum Attraction in Pigeon Forge,” says Rick Laney, Ackermann PR Vice-President.  More than 300 people checked-in to the attraction in the first year since the grand opening.

One vacationer, Bri-Anne S. enjoyed her experience at the Titanic Museum Attraction and was particularly impressed with the iceburg exhibit that allows visitors to feel the temperature on that fateful night.  Bri-Anne S. checked-in to the museum on FourSquare and offered this tip, “Make sure you don’t go in flipflops and shorts!  It’s cold in there anyway, but when you get to the 30 something degree room and then stick your hand in the 28 degree water, it’s really cold!”  Dollywood and Wilderness at the Smokies are also popular “check-in” destinations on FourSquare.

Popular travel websites like TripAdvisor.com are now teaming up with Facebook to further connect users to their friends.  “Soliciting travel advice from friends in your online networks can be extremely helpful,” says Rhyne.  Even government agencies are using social networks to provide information on road conditions and detours via Twitter.

Rhyne warns that the “always on, always connected” mentality may contradict with your family’s vacation.  “Finding the balance between the two, especially when you’re on vacation, will make for a happier experience,” says Rhyne.  “Or at least that’s what my wife Ruth tells me between my Twitpic uploads of our beach trip.”

For a full recap of Shane’s social media tips to use for your summer vacation, visit the Ackermann Experience.

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Media Contact
Rick Laney
rlaney@ackermannpr.com
(865) 584-0550

Wilderness at the Smokies is a premier eco-friendly resort

Posted by Rick Laney – June 8, 2011

SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. – It is only natural that a resort called “Wilderness at the Smokies” is doing everything it can to preserve the environment and be an environmentally responsible business.  Although thousands of visitors travel from all over to experience the resort’s indoor and outdoor waterparks every day, many of them don’t realize all that Wilderness at the Smokies is doing to be a leader in environmental-friendliness.

Inside the Wild Water Dome at Wilderness at the Smokies resort.

Just this month, Wilderness at the Smokies resort launched a new towel program designed to give guests the high level of service and convenience they are accustomed to from the resort while significantly reducing the amount of washing and drying it does and the energy it consumes.  With every waterpark pass, guests are issued a towel card which allows each visitor to have two towels at all times.  As the towels become wet, guests simply trade them for dry towels.  The new towel card system has already resulted in a huge reduction in energy use by the resort.

The first thing many families notice when entering the indoor waterpark at Wilderness at the Smokies is that it feels like you’re outside on a beautiful summer day – even in the middle of winter.  The see-through Texlon™ roof that covers the indoor waterpark allows sunlight and UV rays into the 60,000 square-foot indoor waterpark.  The Texlon™ roof not only allows guests to tan year round, it allows real plants to thrive indoors and dramatically reduces the resort’s energy consumption.

According to John Regnerus, operations director at Wilderness at the Smokies, the resort uses 300 to 400 less therms of natural gas per day to heat the indoor waterpark during the colder winter months because of the Texlon™ roof.  One therm is the energy equivalent of burning about 100 cubic feet of natural gas and the average U.S. household uses roughly 1,000 therms per year.  “It significantly lowers our energy consumption,” Regnerus said.  “Over a three or four month period, we can reduce our natural gas usage by 30,000 to nearly 50,000 therms.  That’s a considerable reduction in our use of fossil fuel.”

The difference between an indoor waterpark with a Texlon™ roof and one with a standard roof like one would find in a gymnasium is the difference between night and day.  The transparency of the Texlon™ roof and the natural light it allows into Wilderness at the Smokies brings the outdoors in throughout the year.

The natural lighting provided by the Texlon™ roof at Wilderness at the Smokies also allows the resort to lower its electric consumption by not using artificial lighting during daylight hours.  The roof has a built-in ventilation system to circulate more air in the summertime and reduces the resort’s use of air conditioning when it’s warm outside.

“Because of the roof at Wilderness at the Smokies, guests can literally forget they are inside,” said Dave Keim of Aquatic Development Group, the company that supplied the Texlon™ roof to Wilderness at the Smokies.  “In the middle of winter, guests are surrounded by live tropical plants, getting a suntan and splashing in the water attractions.  The energy savings are important, but what the guests remember is the experience.”

Wilderness at the Smokies is a member of the Green Hotels Association.  In addition to the Texlon™ roof over the resort’s indoor waterpark, Wilderness at the Smokies uses energy-saving compact florescent lighting in many areas throughout its facility and all of its appliances and kitchen equipment are the latest Energy Star rated design (using 30 percent less energy than older appliances).  Guest rooms at River Lodge are equipped with state-of-the-art key-controlled occupancy sensors which save electricity by turning on lights and the HVAC system as guests enter their rooms.  Tinted windows in guest rooms are also designed to reduce energy consumption and motion-sensing paper towel dispensers in the common areas reduce paper usage.

“Wilderness at the Smokies is adjacent to one of this nation’s most valuable natural wonders – the Great Smoky Mountains National Park,” said Steve Cruz, the general manager of Wilderness at the Smokies.  “The environment is one of the primary reasons guests come to the Smokies.  We value nature and the environment the same way our guests do.  Being environmentally responsible is everyone’s job and Wilderness at the Smokies wants to be a leader in this area.”

Wilderness at the Smokies resort opened in 2009 and is the Southeast’s largest indoor/outdoor waterpark resort.  With two outdoor waterparks and a 6-acre indoor waterpark, Wilderness also has six restaurants, a deli, gift shops, convenience stores, mini-golf, and a 36-hole championship golf course.  Wilderness is connected to a 200,000 square-foot conference and event center capable of hosting events for 10,000 people.

Wilderness at the Smokies, located minutes from Interstate 40 and situated in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, is one of the area’s only year-round vacation destinations.  For more information about Wilderness at the Smokies, call toll-free 877-325-9453 or visit www.WildernessAtTheSmokies.com.

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Media Contact
Rick Laney
(865) 584-0550
rlaney@ackermannpr.com

Beat the summer heat in one of Southern Living’s Best Pools of the South

Posted by Shane Rhyne – June 1, 2011

Sevierville, Tenn. – As summer temperatures begin to climb, families and travelers will soon be looking for Southern Living June 2011 coverentertaining ways to beat the heat. With that in mind, the editors of Southern Living began a search for best destination pools for dipping your toes and cooling off. Wilderness at the Smokies, the Southeast’s largest indoor-outdoor waterpark resort, was honored in the June 2011 issue as one of the magazine’s choices for “Best Pools in the South.”

The resort is featured in both the print and web editions of the popular magazine. The resort is located conveniently nearby the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the nation’s most visited national park. With two outdoor waterparks and a 6-acre indoor waterpark, Wilderness also has six restaurants, a deli, gift shops, convenience stores, mini-golf, and a 36-hole championship golf course. Wilderness is connected to a 100,000 square-foot conference and event center capable of hosting events for 10,000 people.

Wilderness at the Smokies, located minutes from Interstate 40 and situated in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, is one of the area’s only year-round vacation destinations.  For more information about Wilderness at the Smokies, call toll-free 877-325-9453 or visit www.WildernessAtTheSmokies.com.

Media Contact
Rick Laney
(865) 584-0550
rlaney@ackermannpr.com