TELLICO VILLAGE, Tenn. — Sunday will mark one year since a fire destroyed Tellico Village's Tanasi Golf Clubhouse in Loudon County.
On the Saturday afternoon of Aug. 27, 2022, a fire broke out in the kitchen of the Tanasi Golf Clubhouse. The fire quickly spread and engulfed the entire building, reducing it to ash and smoldering ruins.
"Someone sent me a picture of the clubhouse up in flames, I couldn't believe it, really really sad," golf course member Mary Nowlin said.
Now a year later, Tellico Village is beginning the rebuilding process. It is preparing to build a new clubhouse and is currently in the planning phase.
This rendering released by Tellico Village shows what the new $7 million project could look like when it's done.
"We know what the weaknesses were of the old building were and its strengths, so we're ready to move forward and our members are really excited for it," Casey Flenniken, Director of Golf Operations, said.
As of now, the Tellico Village Property Owners Association said it plans to break ground on the new clubhouse sometime in the spring of 2024. It said the new building will come equipped with top-of-the-line sprinklers and fire suppression systems to prevent another destructive fire from happening again.
In the meantime, the golf course has been operating out of a trailer for the past year. Management said it wouldn't have been possible without the community's help.
"It's been an incredible effort, not only from the staff, but also our community and volunteers who helped shuttle carts off-site. Without them, there's no way we would have been able to operate," Flenniken said.
Even though the trailer has been getting the job done for them, members say they are ready for a new clubhouse.
"We're thrilled to get our clubhouse back and I'm sure it will be beautiful, we miss it don't we? We miss it!" Nowlin said.