Lodge at Buckberry Creek to be rebuilt, expanded three years on from Gatlinburg wildfires

GATLINBURG, Tenn. (WATE) – One of Gatlinburg’s premier resorts destroyed by the wildfires three years to the day on Thursday is set to be rebuilt this spring.

This is an architectural rendering of the new Lodge at Buckberry Creek which is scheduled to start construction in the spring.

The owner of the property Buddy McLean told WATE reporter Don Dare he signed the papers to rebuild the lodge with a nationally-known architect on Monday.
On the property, six buildings were lost in 2016 when fire swept through the four-star resort.

“This is the layout we are going to do,” owner Buddy Mclean said, “It does increase Buckberry about 2 and a half times the size that it was before, which is going to be nice.”

“We will add a swimming pool we will have two and three-bedroom suites and they will all have fireplaces and hot soaking tubs,” owner Jeannie Johnson said. “All the accommodations that we have had in the past.”

The first phase of the new Buckberry Lodge is expected to be open within a year.