SEVIER COUNTY, Tenn. — As work continues on a new entertainment district near I-40's Exit 407 in Sevier County, the Tennessee Department of Transportation said plans are also in the works to alleviate traffic in the area.
The department said the project to build a new Exit 408 is scheduled to start construction sometime in 2030. The exit is meant to give people an alternative way to travel to Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge, avoiding backups that could result from "The 407: Gateway to Adventure" project.
That project is expected to bring international attractions, restaurants and retail stores to the area. Developers said they envisioned the entertainment district would have hotels for travelers, and a Buc-ee's location was completed there recently.
The entertainment district is expected to be 200 acres large and include an attraction by Puy du Fou, a European entertainment company. Developers said that attraction would recount the Cherokees' influence in World War I.
The Exit 408 project would effectively offer travelers a way around the district, letting them directly travel to areas like Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge.
"That exit will not only give an easier and safer way for people to access this development, but for people to continue on to access the wilderness and the Smokys, to access Dollywood and, of course, to get all the way up to the bypass and get to the national park," said a spokesperson.
The project was included in TDOT's 10-year plan. A spokesperson said funding for preliminary engineering in 2025 was secured, as well as funding to acquire rights-of-way in 2027.
