Roane County Retail Development

County's Retail Market Snapshot | Detailed Demographics

Why Roane County?

Roane County is aggressively recruiting retail. In a community survey conducted in late 2009, roughly half of respondents said more than anything they wanted more retail and restaurants in their county and millions of dollars of Roane County money is being spent outside the county in several retail sectors.

Roane County is a prime area for retail development and here are a few reasons why:

• The Roane County area* is the sixth largest micropolitan in Tennessee, and one of the fastest growing the state.
• A new full-service hospital has been announced in the center of Roane County at the county's retail hub, immediately adjacent to Interstate 40.
• I-40 runs 25 miles through Roane County; has nine interchanges, and joins I-75 less than five minutes from the county's border.
• Roane County has approximately:
  • 45,000 vehicles per day,
  • 500 hotel rooms,
  • 30 restaurants and
  • 20 convenience stores.
• Acreage available to develop big box or smaller retail locations.
• Roane County is located between the Knoxville MSA to the east and Crossville area to the west.

Roof Tops

Roane County is growing quickly as the Knoxville area spreads to the west. Much of that growth is in the semi-retired baby boomer market. This population is responding to the low cost of living (88 on the ACCRA scale) and the boom of higher-end residential development being developed in Roane County. Many of these developments front the scenic Watts Bar Lake. They include:

• Rarity Ridge, a sprawling 1,400-acre development with 2,800 residential units, priced from $130,000 to $500,000;
• Ladd Landing, a 800-acre waterfront development for 600 corporate and community condominiums (starting at $175,000) along with 400 residential units (starting at $300,000);
• Grande Vista Bay, a multi-million-dollar gated community with 500-plus, high-end residential units along 10 miles of lakefront, accessed off Exit 350 from Pine Ridge Road to U.S. 70; and
• A  new $500 million premiere golf course/luxury residential development with some 1,700 residential units on the Roane/Loudon County line.

For Retail Development Efforts or for more information on retail opportunities within Roane County contact Darrell Williams at The Roane Alliance at 865-376-2093.

*A micropolitan statistical area is a cluster with a population between 10,000 & 50,000; a  Metropolitan Statistical Area is over 50,000]