(Story courtesy of WVLT News)
Sevier County, TN (WVLT) The Great Smoky Mountains National Park will continue to stay open throughout the federal government shutdown— for now.
Sevier County Representative Tyler Basler said in a news release Wednesday that the county had signed an agreement with the U.S. Department of the Interior and the National Park Service to keep the park funded through Sunday, Oct. 19.
It’s the latest update in a partnership among plenty of municipalities working to keep the park open, including:
- Sevier County
- Gatlinburg
- Sevierville
- Pigeon Forge
- Pittman Center
- Blount County
- Cocke County
- State of Tennessee
- Tennessee Department of Tourist Development
- State of North Carolina
- Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
The original agreement kept the park funded through seven-day increments and was signed on Oct. 3 of this year.
October marks an especially important month for Sevier County and the park, as fall colors peak at the end of the month in East Tennessee.
