Redneck Resort Mud Park prepares to open in Sweetwater

By ERICA ESTEP
6 News Reporter

SWEETWATER (WATE) - They're hoping to turn mud holes into money-pits at the Redneck Resort Mud Park in Sweetwater, where they don't buy into the stereotypes.

"I'm proud to be a red neck," said co-owner Adam Nicklos. "It's the hard working, blue collar America. It's the people that fight our wars."

Monroe County native Adam Robinson added, "Red neck is just a good ole' country boy."

Dozens showed up for a test run Monday, as the new adventure park gets the finishing touches before its June 29 opening.

Nicklos says the idea has been well received in Monroe County. "We thought, let's not just have an off-road park," he explained. "Let's have this social gathering place, this party, where we have bands, and camping, and vendors, and swimming holes, and slip n' slides, just a real big fun off-road event."

"This is what Monroe County's been needing," said Robinson. "Rednecks love this kind of stuff. It's perfect for us."

Nicklos said the idea was hatched when his friend, and business partner, Jeff Darraugh, was looking for something to do with the 200 acres of prime real estate he owned just off Interstate 75's exit 60 in Sweetwater.

"I brought it up from Florida where we have a lot of mud parks, and this was a great opportunity to have one in East Tennessee," Nicklos explained.

Even newly-crowned Miss Tennessee USA, Ashley Ingram, couldn't resist the mud on Monday. "It is good, clean fun, with mud involved," she laughed. "It's awesome. I actually didn't know how I was going to feel about it, but everybody is having so much fun."

But it's not all fun and games at the park. You must sign a waiver, follow the rules and play it safe.

"The two biggest rules are no guns and no glass," said Nicklos. "We have 12 security personnel that are going to be here, 24/7. We have uniformed police officers coming from McMinn County."

They've even created a landing zone for emergency medical helicopters. "We're in an environment where we're riding off-road vehicles. It's un-level terrain, and there's a possibility that somebody can be injured," Nicklos said.

"This is a lot safer than hitting the woods," added Robinson, who's also a Madisonville fire fighter. "This is wide open. You can see everything. In the woods, you don't know what's around the next turn, and that actually gets a lot of people."

The Redneck Resort Mud Park opens Friday, June 29. It costs $30 for a weekend pass, which includes primitive camping.

The owners hope to use the 200-acre park to host other community events throughout the year.