A new luxury resort is getting ready to open next year in the Great Smoky Mountains.
The 'Blackberry Mountain' resort is about 25 miles south of Knoxville in Walland on Chillhowee Mountain. It features spa treatments, hiking, mountain biking and other outdoor activities.
The resort is set to open Feb. 15, 2019.
The resort is an expansion of Blackberry Farm -- about 20 minutes away from the main property.
The land it sits on had been bought nearly a decade ago. The owners had to obtain county approval to rezone it for commercial use.
Dozens of people in Blount County that lived and commute in that area voiced their disapproval of the idea, saying the resort would only add to traffic problems and conservation issues.
Blackberry Farm's director Matt Smith said he recognized those concerns, saying they wish for the resort to add to the community and they intend on being a 'good neighbor.'
"Blackberry is a place that does care about this land and this community," marketing director Sarah Elder-Chabot said. "We want to provide a business and be a neighbor in the best way possible."