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Read about
previous TDC bumbles, stumbles and fumbles. They don't have a great track record!

Who is
The Development Corporation anyway, and why should I care?

The Thorn Grove/Midway area is a small farming community on the east edge of Knox County, bordering Sevier County, the last exit on I-40 East before the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (Exit 402).

The area is peaceful, rural and scenic, with pastoral views at every curve of the road. Most of the families have lived in Thorn Grove for generations and have known each other forever, and the landscape is dotted with houses surrounded by barns and fields.

All that is going to change if TDC has its way. TDC is planning to put an industrial park on 378 acres of property in the heart of the agricultural corridor.

They estimate the industrial park will generate over 30,000 additional vehicles per day, although that could change because they don't really know what kind of company will end up going into their business park, assuming they get it built. It's possible that a regional distribution center of some type could locate there, driving the number of vehicle trips to two or three times their estimate now.

This land is beautiful pasture and farming land, with rolling hills. It is not really suited for development because those rolling hills are formed by sinkholes, some of them big as houses. It's kind of hard to show in a photograph, but here are some sinkhole pictures.

And here's some photos of West Knoxville interstate exits before the development rush:

One of the groups interested in preserving the rural character of the Thorn Grove/Midway area is the 8th District Preservation Association, which is leading the fight against the proposed industrial site.

Meetings are generally held at the Thorn Grove Community Center. To get to the community center from Knoxville, take I-40 East to Exit 402, Midway Rd exit 402. At the end of the ramp, turn left at Midway Rd - go 0.6 mi to the stop sign. Turn right onto Thorngrove Pike - go 0.5 mi and turn left onto Carter School Road. Just past Thorn Grove Christian Church on the right, make a right turn and follow the road behind the church to Thorn Grove Community Center on the left.

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