Butler man starts petition in opposition of resort
Published 3:56 pm Monday, March 25, 2019
Over the weekend, news came out that Daniel Goodhall, who moved to Carter County from Rosedale, California 2 1/2 years ago, has plans of developing a 130+-plus acre resort in the Butler community.
The news caught a lot of attention with some showing support for the resort. Some individuals from Butler, however, are opposed to the resort being developed in their community.
One of those individuals is college student Jose Velazquez who grew up in Butler. Yesterday, Velazquez started a Change.org petition titled “Keeping Butler how it should be” in hopes bringing light to those who are against the possible new resort.
As of 3:22 p.m. Monday, the petition had garnered more than 200 signatures. Velazquez hopes to present his petition during today’s Carter County Planning Commission Meeting at 3 p.m., the same meeting that Goodhall hopes to unveil the plans for his resort.
“I just want to keep Butler the way it is,” said Velazquez. “I want to keep all of the natural beauty that is there. I want it to be there for future generations to enjoy. I would like to see the area stay the way it is without all of the heavy traffic the resort would bring in.”
Goodhall estimated that the resort, once all construction phases were completed, could bring in 500+ jobs to the area. Velazquez said he is skeptical about who would be getting those jobs.
“Yeah, it would bring in jobs, but who would actually be getting those jobs,” said Velazquez. “Would it be somebody out of state coming in. Would they be hiring people out of state and only people out of state? Would people from around this area be actually getting these jobs?”
With 200-plus people signing Velazquez’s petition, he said that he was surprised by the quick response.
“It jumped up there in just a short amount of time,” said Velazquez. “It surprises me with how many people are on board with this petition. I figure most people would want something like a resort, but a lot of them don’t, and I am glad to have them backing me.”
The resort is expected to be completed in three phases with the first phase, a 22-room inn and restaurant, having a projected completion date in late spring or summer of 2020.
In an article in the Elizabethton Star, Goodhall said he sees the resort having a major economic impact in Carter County bringing in “tens of millions of revenue over time” and “millions of dollars in tax revenue.”
