Editor:

We would like to take a moment to express our sincere gratitude to those who made the recent Gubernatorial Forum on Tourism possible. The event, which was hosted jointly by the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce and Gatlinburg Chamber of Commerce Foundation, showcased the top six gubernatorial candidates in a forum focused on the tourism industry.

However, the event could not have been possible without the assistance of several key businesses and individuals. Thank you to Dollywood and their wonderfully accommodating staff for graciously hosting the event, with a special thank you to Pete Owens for working closely with us to make the event happen. Showstreet Palace Theatre was an ideal place to hold the forum, making it easy for local media to cover the event and broadcast live.

We would also like to extend a special thank you to Hallerin Hilton Hill for moderating the forum and also to the volunteers and staff of our two Chambers who worked to coordinate the event.

Finally, thank you to our members who voiced their concerns to help shape the evening’s questions and then attended the forum to meet the candidates for governor of Tennessee face to face. We believe it is essential that our businesses stay in contact with their elected officials and maintain an open dialogue about what is good for business both in Sevier County and in Tennessee.

We plan to continue hosting events such as this one and welcome all businesses, regardless of the city they are in, to attend.

Brenda B. McCroskey

Sevierville Chamber

Vicki Simms

Gatlinburg Chamber