This morning, property developer Thunder Enterprises broke ground alongside Governor Bill Lee on a new project in Marion County.

“What’s happening here is a really important thing in our state,” said Governor Lee.

The project, which overlooks the Tennessee River, is called River Gorge Ranch.

“The planning commission just approved 398 lots in this first phase, so they’ve got the green light to start selling lots and stuff up here, to bring more residents to Marion County,” said Marion County Mayor David Jackson.

This is Thunder Enterprises’s second project in Marion County, the first being a community called Jasper Highlands.

“We’re so excited. It’s had such a great economic impact, with our success with the development right behind me, with Jasper highlands contributing over a million dollars a year in property taxes, have billed out a 700 million dollar economic impact,” said Dane Bradshaw, Jasper Highlands President.

Governor Lee spoke of the property development as an investment in rural Tennessee.

“The investment in this beautiful, rural community is life changing for the community, and it will positively impact everyone who lives in this community, and it will impact everyone who lives in this state,” said Governor Lee.

According to the River Gorge Ranch website, entry-level homes start at $550,000.

“We got bigger views, we got bigger, more developed trees than another development about ten miles west, but what we don’t have bigger is bigger prices,” said John Thornton, CEO of Thunder Enterprises.

River Gorge Ranch is located on Aetna Mountain in Guild, Tennessee.