The Island in Pigeon Forge is owned by LeConte Village, LLC, which does business under The Island name and holds the 23-acre entertainment complex on the Little Pigeon River.1The Island in Pigeon Forge. Privacy Policy The developers behind that LLC are Darby Campbell and Bob McManus, who bought the site out of foreclosure and reopened it as a free-admission attraction in 2013.2WBIR. The Island in Pigeon Forge Set to Open June 21
Darby Campbell and Bob McManus
Campbell and McManus are the principal partners who developed The Island and continue to oversee it. Campbell’s background is in waterfront and marina-style properties, and McManus brought operational knowledge of the East Tennessee tourism market. McManus spoke publicly about the project’s broad appeal in the run-up to its opening.2WBIR. The Island in Pigeon Forge Set to Open June 21
Their decision to take on a half-finished project that most investors had written off is what made the economics work. The previous owner had burned through tens of millions of dollars, and Campbell and McManus acquired the distressed asset at a discount rather than building from scratch.
Why Ownership Runs Through LeConte Village, LLC
The property owner of record is LeConte Village, LLC, doing business as The Island in Pigeon Forge.1The Island in Pigeon Forge. Privacy Policy Engineering and development contracts for the site identify the same LLC as the owner and client.3Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc. The Island in Pigeon Forge Site Development A related entity, Smoky Mountain Observation Wheel Investors, LLC, is listed alongside LeConte Village as an affiliate and likely holds the observation wheel asset separately for liability or financing reasons.
Holding commercial property through an LLC is standard practice in Tennessee. State law provides that the debts and liabilities of an LLC belong solely to the company, not to the individual members, managers, or officers behind it.4Justia Law. Tennessee Code 48-249-114 – Personal Liability Tennessee goes a step further than many states: the failure to observe typical corporate formalities is not grounds for piercing that protection and reaching the members personally. For a property with this value and foot traffic, that liability shield is the main reason ownership sits in an LLC rather than in the developers’ individual names.
How Campbell and McManus Acquired the Property
The site did not start as The Island. The original project, Belle Island Village, was announced in late 2003 as a $60 million retail and entertainment development on a 21-acre island in the Little Pigeon River.5Knoxville News Sentinel. Auctions Quiet at Belle Island Village Plans included a Hollywood museum, a NASCAR-themed attraction, 120 upscale hotel suites, and two-story shops, with an opening targeted for spring 2005.
None of that happened on schedule. The family LLC behind the project, BIV Retail LLC, filed for bankruptcy protection in March 2009 owing more than $51 million to Regions Bank and other lenders.6Knoxville News Sentinel. Regions Plans to Foreclose on Venue A mezzanine lender had opened an investigation into how project funds were spent, and the primary members had departed. A federal judge dismissed the bankruptcy case in May 2009 after BIV Retail failed to file required documents, clearing the way for foreclosure.
At the August 31, 2009 auction, Regions Bank took the retail portion with a $23.9 million credit bid and received no competing offers. FirstBank took the hospitality portion with a $5.76 million credit bid, also unopposed.5Knoxville News Sentinel. Auctions Quiet at Belle Island Village The project was estimated to be 75 to 80 percent complete at the time. Campbell and McManus subsequently acquired the distressed property, reimagined it as The Island in Pigeon Forge, and opened the first phase on June 21, 2013.2WBIR. The Island in Pigeon Forge Set to Open June 21
Who Else Is Involved in the Site
Safe Harbor Development is the firm that manages physical construction and expansion at the complex. Its portfolio lists The Island as a flagship project, covering the initial build-out after acquisition and later additions such as new rides and venue spaces.7Safe Harbor Development. Safe Harbor Development Safe Harbor handles engineering contracts, structural planning, and coordination with the subcontractors needed on a site that combines retail buildings, mechanical rides, and large water features.
The City of Pigeon Forge is not an owner, but it participated through a public-private partnership that included a $5 million city investment in infrastructure and public improvements around the site.8CIS Tennessee. The Success of Public-Private Partnerships in Pigeon Forge Municipal support of that kind is common for tourism anchors of this scale, where surrounding roads, utilities, and drainage need upgrading to handle the traffic a major attraction generates. Ownership of the complex itself, however, stays with LeConte Village, LLC and the Campbell–McManus partnership behind it.