Prices range from $3 million to $6 million. "This has kind of become my church," says Wilson. You have permission to edit this article. In 1984, he founded American Rug Craftsmen, Inc., which became the nation's largest producer of decorative floor mats. [5] Since then, Thornton and Bradshaw say more than 250 lots have already been sold. DISORDERLY CONDUCT more, Two teenagers were arrested in a "KIA Boys" auto theft attempt. He figured that the property's real value was around $100 million, maybe more, because land in this tiny area, only 50 miles long and about 15 miles wide, is at a premium. Cleveland's Allan Jones Buys Thornton Ranch At Jackson Hole Not in terms of acreage. All rights reserved. , , . . Contact Dave Flessner at dflessner@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6340. They do not actually innovate anymore because they spend their resources maintaining a monopoly and not creating a better product. After selling his business, he bought a second home in the Teton Pines development in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Thorntons prolific entrepreneurial leadership earned him induction into UT Chattanoogas Entrepreneurial Hall of Fame. Plus, she says, there's lots to do. Copyright 2023, Chattanooga Times Free Press, Inc. Each is 35 to 50 acres. [2] He is also executive chairman of Barrick Gold Corporation [3] [4] and non-executive chairman of PineBridge Investments. In 2009 W. Allan Jones Jr. of Cleveland, Tennesseefor whom the Allan Jones Aquatic Center is namedpurchased the Crescent H Ranch. "I thought 'This can be home.'". "I can't take credit for this, but someone once said that when you acquire land you are buying its past and are responsible for its future. His death was announced Wednesday on the Facebook page of Thunder's Tavern, the Pascagoula night spot and live music venue he had owned since 1977. Can you donate $3 right now to help Daily Kos keep fighting? Together, the two communities are projected to bring more than $2 billion of housing investment in the biggest new residential development ever in Southeast Tennessee. Among them: Thornton was also known for his support of local musicians and many have fond memories of days playing at Thunders, including both Fowler and Rob Blackman, a Pascagoula native and now an Ocean Springs alderman. Mountaintop development Jasper Highlands lifts Marion County's economy And it wasnt just individuals Thornton helped. $15.5M judgment awarded against Maryville developer | News Thunder Thornton, Thunder Enterprises: Profile and Biography - Bloomberg Markets Bloomberg Connecting decision makers to a dynamic network of information, people and ideas, Bloomberg quickly and. "With such a great inventory of lots, we think we can offer a great value for homebuyers, especially those who buy into the development early on," Bradshaw said. Fly fishing here is a religion, bringing in hundreds of thousands of dollars in revenue each year for Teton County and other surrounding communities. John 'Thunder' Thornton wins $15.4M judgment against Mike Ross Within the gated community, swimming pools, tennis or pickleball courts and sidewalks, among other amenities, should help create a sense of community, even with home lots more spread out compared with most residential developments. "I can live anywhere in the world I want to live. Ideal Living partners with RetireTN, a state program designed to attract new retirees to senior communities across the Volunteer State. He earned the bachelors degree in business management from Tennessee Wesleyan College in 1975. From my perspective in the mayors office, weve lost an important, iconic citizen.. $1 Billion Fly-in Resort and Residential Community Planned in Bledsoe Similar to the Harps, Juanita Jezek knew she had found her new home the moment she walked through the front door. American Rug Craftsmen was a supplier to Wal-Mart, and under John's leadership, was . Neither these AP materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and noncommercial use. Everybody's come from somewhere else. Thunder Enterprises, which is based in Kimball and continues to work on adding more sites at Jasper Highlands, should begin selling some sites for future homes at River Gorge Ranch later this month. Rest in peace., RIP Thunder, you were there for many of us through the decades.. "The aging of baby boomers means that within just a couple decades, older people are projected to outnumber children for the first time in U.S. history," says Jonathan Vespa, a demographer with the U.S. Census Bureau. "There's about 200 acres of land represented in seven tracts that have already been mapped out," he says. She has returned to UT Knoxvilles Clarence Brown Theater to star in Steel Magnolias (1990), Our Countrys Good (1994), The Rainmaker (2001), A Streetcar Named Desire (2009) and Sweeney Todd (2012). Thunder Enterprises, which acquired nearly 7,400 acres of Aetna Mountain near the former Hales Bar Dam through a series of property purchases last year, is building a 1.6-mile road to the top of Aetna Mountain to open up the ridgetop property for what developers expect will ultimately bring more than $1.5 billion of homes and mountaintop amenities to eastern Marion County. As was posted on his Facebook page before Chattanooga Cares, I am a gay man who buried an entire phone directory to AIDS. The Marion County Planning Commission recently approved rezoning for 390 residential lots in the first phase of the new River Gorge Ranch. Is Sermon Topic At Middle Valley Church Of God On Sunday, Holston United Methodists Finalize Departure Of 264 Congregations, Including Several Locally. But this is the greatest state in the country.". In 2017, the Harps decided Tennessee was the place to be, and began building their "forever home" in Jasper Highlands -- a high-end mountaintop retirement community in Kimball overlooking the Tennessee River and Nickajack Lake. In 1950, Holt began his 20-year UT career, first as executive assistant to the president, then as vice president from 1953 to 1959, and finally as president until 1970 when he retired. A graduate of Tennessee Wesleyan, Mr. Thornton was president of American Rug Craftsmen, Inc., and he has been involved in numerous land development ventures in Wyoming and Tennessee. He began his business career selling knockoffs of oriental carpets. All of this leads us back to land developer John Thunder Thornton: Unable to gain high-speed broadband at what he deemed an affordable price from AT&T or Charter Communications and limited from service extensions from EPB's ultra-fast Internet in Chattanooga, Thornton created his own Internet service provider last year. Thunder's Liquor - a Legend Continues | Our Mississippi Home The settlement is contingent on the sale of the Marion . AT&T launched their corporate hyena squad. These modern living quarters have created a new business model for the senior experience. However this isn't This case. the 2,600-acre Black Creek Mountain development atop the Raccoon Mountain ridge west of downtown Chattanooga. "Independent living wasn't 'a thing' when we were growing up," says Fincher, a baby boomer herself. John L. Thornton - Wikipedia They say May of 2020 is when the market "broke loose. Lot sales for River Gorge Ranch began in May 2022. Jim Sasser Lots at both locations range from $135,000 to $600,00 for about 1.5 acres. In his earlier years, he had served as the minister of music at his church, which always brought him joy. Manning, Thornton would say in the telling, enlisted the freshmans help in signing some of the thousands of autographs Manning would receive in those days. John Thornton (American politician) (1846-1917), American Louisiana politician and senator Fictional characters John Thornton, a leading character in Jack London's novel The Call of the Wild John Thornton (North and South), a leading character in Elizabeth Gaskell's novel North and South Other Although there are several multimillion-dollar homes on the brow built or planned at Jasper Highlands, the average 2,000-square-foot home at Jasper Highlands is priced at about $650,000. Developer John "Thunder" Thornton said his Jasper Highlands community is selling out much faster than expected, and he has acquired another 7,400 acres of mountaintop land in Marion County. "We were sold immediately," says Julie. Senator. Yet, Thorntons alma mater is Tennessee Wesleyan College, which named him its most distinguished alumnus in 1994. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Join Facebook to connect with John Thunder Thornton and others you may know. Black Creek Mountain development atop the Raccoon Mountain ridge west of downtown Chattanooga. ", Restaurant-style dining; outdoor dining and fire table; housekeeping and maintenance; activity and wellness programming; transportation services; exercise room; salon; movie theater; putting green; pickle ball court; billiards; dog park; outdoor dining and fire table; herb garden, * Price range: Studio to 2BR / $2,810 to $4,800 monthly, Restaurant-style dining; outdoor dining and fire table; housekeeping and maintenance; activity and wellness programming; transportation and valet parking; movie theater; computer center; salon; in-house pharmacy; library; no fee for pets; 24-hour fitness center, * Price range: Studio to 3BR / $3,518 to $5,769 monthly, Restaurant-style dining; outdoor dining; housekeeping and maintenance; activity and wellness programming; transportation services and garage parking; fitness center; laundry services; billiards room; heated saltwater pool and hot tub; putting green and bocce ball court, * Price range: Studio to 2BR / $2,900 to $5,300 monthly, Restaurant-style dining; outdoor dining with fire table; housekeeping and maintenance; social activities and wellness programming; transportation services; salon; washer/dryer in all rooms; induction heat stoves; wheelchair accessible showers, * Price range: $1,495 (studio w/o services); Studio to 2BR / $1,995 to $3,595 monthly, * Chattanooga investment advisor says women face four main financial challenges as they look toward retirement. Holt is credited with establishing the faculty retirement system and improving fundraising with the UT Development Council. 865-974-5179
Dane Bradshaw, president of Jasper Highlands, said, Weve continued to see record-breaking sales in 2021 as we did last year. Companies tied to Chattanooga developer John "Thunder" Thornton have agreed to pay $50,000 to settle a state of Tennessee complaint alleging legal violations over the Jasper Highlands water. John C. Thornton's House in Chattanooga, TN (Bing Maps) And yet upon inspection, they do not have a diploma from the University of Tennessee. Thunder Enterprises plans to start the new development in January. Browse and discover the Volunteer tradition. A bankruptcy trustee was to sell it to satisfy $30 million in claims. , . The Times Free Press toured the undeveloped property on Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2021. Ultimately, the development is expected to top $750 million in investment, with most homes ranging from $400,000 to $2 million in value. "People have a preconceived notion of what a retirement community is going to be. I remember catching something on TV a couple years back highlighting John "Thunder" Thornton's massive 25,000 SF home. I've got several judgments against me, and rather than fight it I just agreed to give him the judgment, Ross said. A 2003 visit to El Paso with his young son inspired his 2006 post-apocalyptic novel The Road. Thornton is sitting on the mother lode. 1 amenity people say they want are places for walking and hiking, so we'll be developing sidewalks along most of the lots." Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. "That's why I think Jasper Highlands was so successful, and we hope Aetna Mountain will be as well.". He left an indelible mark as a legendary University of Tennessee president who transformed the university by turning it into a statewide system of higher education. Every day, more than 10,000 Americans turn 65 years old, helping to swell the number of seniors in America to new record highs. The area is also about 10 minutes closer to Chattanooga, while still being in nature and near the Tennessee River. UT Tower 1248C
Age at Arrest: 25 years old
Chattanooga developer John 'Thunder' Thornton's companies to pay He smiles. - After investing nearly $55 million building roads, utilities, parks and even a fire hall, developer John "Thunder" Thornton's decade-long dream of building one of Tennessee's biggest mountaintop communities is taking shape and growing along the Cumberland Plateau. John "Thunder" Thornton was born and grew up in Maryville, Tennessee. Many are still working -- some remotely, and some still going to offices. The company continually posted $100 million in annual sales and was twice chosen from a supplier pool of eight thousand as Walmarts Vendor of the Year, as well as J. C. Penneys Supplier of the Year. But once they walk through the front door, they begin to feel more accepting of the idea. A high-profile Chattanooga developer has won a multi-million-dollar judgment against Rarity Communities developer Mike Ross, but whether he collects it is another question. Unfortunately, Comcast isnt the only telecom with monopoly greeds needs and soAT&T launched their corporate hyena squadand threw around some big moneyat and into Chattanooga. His first novel, The Orchard Keeper, published in 1965, won the William Faulkner Award. The private developer spent more than $400,000 to build his own fiber network and link it with a power cooperative in Stevenson, Ala., where fast broadband is available. Millionaires have been buying the rest as aging ranchers or their children give up incredible parcels of what once was the Old West. However, the lots should be gone by the end of the year or early next year. Although Florida regained its title in 2022 as the top destination for retirees, the Chattanooga area continues to draw more residents to senior living communities, ranging from gated, mountaintop developments like Jasper Highlands or a growing number of independent and assisted-living senior housing complexes. The location and expanse of the development helped produce its new name - River Gorge Ranch. ", "With the COVID lockdown, there was already an appreciation for rural, spacious living -- but that appreciation went through the roof," says Bradshaw. Eventually he. "It's a beautiful piece of property with 23 miles on the brow, with three-fourths of the brow lots looking down on the Tennessee River Gorge. A recent study by University of Tennessee at Chattanooga economist Bento Lobo estimates Jasper Highlands will bring nearly $700 million of new investment into Marion County by the time the property buyers build homes on their lots over the next decade. feels that squeezing out resources is best done for a profit and with no regard towards the betterment of humanity. I played there myself from the late 90s until about the mid-2000s.. Hes calling the place Gig Mountain. Thornton tried to support the initiative to expand the municipal created broadband. He was like that with everyone -- hed do anything to help anybody in any way he could, as long as it was on the level.. "The No. PASCAGOULA, Mississippi -- John Thunder Thornton, a virtual legend in Pascagoula for both his football exploits and ownership of an iconic business, has died at the age of 68. Its been 32 years since Knoxville-born Diana Dale Dickey was a UT Knoxville student. John 'Thunder' Thornton, Developer https://volopedia.lib.utk.edu/entries/john-thornton/, Pendergrass Agriculture & Veterinary Medicine Library, Torch Night: Symbolically Passing the Torch, Open Library of Humanities Partnership Supports Open Sharing of Research, Maggie Longmire sings original ballads of Tennessee coal country, The Monica Abbott Story: Softball legend to sign books, April 21 & 23, Cartoonist Charlie Daniel inducted into East Tennessee Writers Hall of Fame, Middle School and High School Students Will Display Their Data Artistry, Henry Luce Foundation Grant to Fund Programs Highlighting Beauford Delaney Papers. The legend of Thunder's started with John "Thunder" Thornton, who opened Thunder's Tavern in 1977. He also fought to include African Americans in state delegations to NEA conventions and later persuaded UT trustees to integrate undergraduate education, admitting the first African American students in 1961. The following information is provided for citations. Andy Holt Just off of the Interstate 24 Haletown exit, Exit 161, River Gorge Ranch will be about a 20-minute drive to Chattanooga and will offer a similar appeal to what has drawn retirees and other homebuyers from 48 states and eight different countries to Jasper Highlands, according to Dane Bradshaw, president of Thunder Enterprises. Funeral services are set for Sunday at OBryant-OKeefe Funeral Home in Pascagoula. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. "Try to find 7,500 acres within 20 minutes of a metropolitan city anywhere, but to find this scenic site next to such a great city like Chattanooga is about impossible," he said. Everlan of Hixson is one of several resort-style living options for seniors in the Chattanooga area. "We loved it.". John Thornton, the owner of Thunder Enterprises, said he expects Aetna Mountain to double the amount of the investment in Jasper Highlands, a similar mountaintop gated community that Thornton developed over the past decade just 9 miles further west along Interstate 24. With 40 homes already built or nearly finished and a dozen more homes starting to be built, developer John "Thunder" Thornton said he also is planning some more amenities to the top of the Cumberland Plateau in the next year to bring modern conveniences and recreation closer to those living in the gated community. Aetna Mountain's River Gorge Ranch to grow into Tennessee's biggest Every place his eye falls he owns. A claim for punitive damages in the case was dismissed. Despite his intimidating size and sometimes gruff demeanor, however, Thornton is remembered for being of generous spirit, always willing to help. He's glad that the judgment was entered. John "Thunder" Thornton was one of those people. At the time they began building, there were fewer than 40 homes atop Jasper Mountain. "There's just so much to do in the community," Julie says of the mountaintop village. In this part of the country, where old cowboy traditions mix with toney tourists, if you own the scenery, you rule.When history gets around to sorting through what Thornton has accomplished in the past 10 months in this land of mighty mountain tops and broad vistas, it might go something like this: A 43-year-old east Tennessean who grew up in Maryville and made a fortune in textiles in Chattanooga and in north Georgia, purchased 1,300 acres in Jackson Hole, Wyo. Here are 5 tips to get started. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Almost instantly, they can see how community living offers support and relief. John "Thunder" Thornton is a Chattanooga developer who needed broadband, high-speed internet access to his residential development in the Jasper Mountain area of Marion County. Mr. Thornton opened the liquor store across the street from the Tavern in 1985. Sasser was trapped inside the besieged embassy for four days. "Neighbors come by to say hello, or go to dinner," she says. . Master bluffer - Forbes John "Thunder" Thornton sits in his pickup truck, high on a Wyoming summit, and looks out over the shimmering scenery. Unlike Jasper Highlands, where the developers had to build their own high-speed internet service, EPB serves Aetna Mountain with its Gig internet and power connections. Thornton says he will sell a few more and put two or three aside for himself. Photography by Olivia Ross / John "Thunder" Thornton and Dane Bradshaw tour the River Gorge property. Stay persistent.. , . The Crescent H Ranch had belonged to Riverview Meadows, owned by Don Albrecht, a California developer. Fincher says her oldest tenant right now is 98 years old; and she has about eight residents who are in their 50s, the youngest of whom is 54 years old. But the thing she likes best is the sense of community. They lost all of their lawsuits because all of their lawsuits were lies based in bigger lies, on top of a corporate lawyer sitting onPinocchiosnose. Daily Kos moves in solidarity with the Black community. Thornton, along with company president Dane Bradshaw, first began work on Jasper Highlands more than decade ago in 2012. Buyers are eager to find a dream home in scenic Tennessee, and were able to offer them a great extension of the community weve created at Jasper Highlands., A man told police that a woman was seen by a neighbor on the back porch of his property. Thornton says if he is successful with the donation, it will mean a significant tax deduction for his operation, but that is only a minor role in this drama. Under Holt, enrollment tripled; faculty and staff doubled; eight new buildings were added to the Knoxville campus; funding increased 400 percent; the Martin campus added graduate programs; the Space Institute was established in Tullahoma; the formerly private University of Chattanooga became part of the new UT System; and a distinguished science program was initiated in cooperation with Oak Ridge National Laboratory. If someone got in a fight in his bar, hed be the first one there. Before Everlan, Jezek lived in an apartment on Chattanooga's Northshore, but the situation wasn't quite right, she recalls. "Now, the trend over the years has become this nature-oriented community. "It's really been fun since we bought this property to be walking the land and finding lakes and ponds that we never knew were there that just the hunting club knew about," Thornton said. Thunder Enterprises acquires 7,400 acres for another mountaintop Outside the mountaintop gate, developers hope to begin construction by this summer of a restaurant for their new development, which will be open to both residents and visitors. But Thornton said Aetna Mountain will offer the open spaces of a ranch with views of the Tennessee River gorge and other mountains all around it. Thornton and Guerry join three other previously named UC Foundation life trustees: Max Bahner, Joseph Decosimo and John Guerry, who is Zan's uncle. And the myriad activities and new friends at Everlan have helped provide a new sense of connection. John "Thunder" Thornton, a close friend of Wolford's, described him as "one of the toughest, greatest, fair, sweetest guys I've ever met." "I don't think ever in my life if I've been more honored to talk about one of the greatest guys and one of my best friends on the face of this earth," Thornton said at the groundbreaking ceremony. In an interview Tuesday, Ross said he couldn't afford an attorney, and said the jury deadlocked. "I think the draw of our county is the beauty of this area with the river and our mountains, combined with a very low property tax rate and cost of living," said Marion County Mayor David Jackson. John Thunder Thornton, a significant University of Tennessee donor, had sued Ross and a pair of business entities related to Ross over Rarity Club, a waterfront project in Marion County, TN. They discovered a show put on by Ideal Living Magazine, offering promotional materials for retirement communities throughout the country. The AP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing. The newly acquired site is nearly as big as the 8,900 acres Thunder Enterprises acquired or optioned to buy at Jasper Mountain in 2008. The location is about 10 minutes closer to Chattanooga than Jasper Highlands. Just a super good guy.. By 2030, all baby boomers will be older than age 65. Wilson moved back to Chattanooga from Tuscaloosa, Alabama after the birth of his first grandchild. There is no visible damage to the residence. He will leave the rest to nature. He lived for his business.. Consumer Advocate For State Attorney General's Office Files Complaint Thornton and Bradshaw say they were ready for the demand created during the pandemic. Thunder Enterprises Acquires 7,400 Acres for Another Mountaintop Andy Holt was born in 1904 in West Tennessee and came from a family of educators. An extremely popular dance and night club the Tavern had to be closed upon Mr. Thornton's death in 2019. John 'Thunder' Thornton wins $15.4M judgment against Mike Ross, Tennessee suspends sales tax on groceries for 3 months, UPDATE: Volkswagen Chattanooga employees, and driver identified, Woman abducted in Chattanooga and beaten for four days, Georgia medical marijuana stores open, ending long struggle, High school senior graduating two years early offered admission at more than 170 colleges and more than $9 million in scholarships, New details on two Hixson Elementary employees under investigation, One killed, two injured when vehicle hits pedestrians near Volkswagen plant, Chattanooga police make arrests in Saturday shooting/pursuit at Hamilton Place Mall, Coalmont Elementary closing at end of school year, Great week for restaurants in the Tennessee Valley, no restaurants fail inspections, Opening weekend for the Chattanooga Market, Chattanooga Radio Control Club hosts free flying event, East Ridge City Library Celebrates 50 years. All rights reserved. Born in Providence, Rhode Island, McCarthy moved with his family to Knoxville when he was 4. During that historic time, China continued opening to the West, though it wasnt without trouble. Residents say James 'Thunder' Thornton's company is using heavy-handed tactics in business disputes such as threat of arrest and court action. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Some changed the university forever. It's like owning diamond mines in South Africa. , , , , , , . . Thornton bought the ranch in a complicated and dazzling foreclosure sale for $52 million and 13 cents, $20 million higher than the appraised value. John "Thunder" Joseph Thornton - O'Bryant-O'Keefe PHOTO BY JACK PARKER FOR TORCHBEARER MAGAZINE I didn't commit any fraud.. Probably by this weekend. The lots in Jasper Highlands typically range from 1 to 5 acres in size and sell anywhere from $70,000 for interior lots up to more than $800,000 for some of the prime bluff-view lots near waterfalls. Some discovered their passions that would carry them to fame and fortune. the 8,900 acres Thunder Enterprises acquired or optioned to buy at Jasper Mountain in 2008. And You Thought They Were UT Alumni - Our Tennessee I was googling My name too see how many others there were in this country. Copyright 2023, Chattanooga Times Free Press, Inc. "Our costs are much less, but then I don't have to pay for 27 lobbyists in Nashville like AT&T does," Thornton quipped. He was just a very generous, very caring and good guy, Fowler added. The bulk of the Crescent H Ranch at Jackson, Wyoming, owned by Chattanoogan John "Thunder" Thornton was bought by a Cleveland, Tenn., man at an auction Tuesday. Jordan played newspaper editor Mr. Blackly in the 2011 movie The Help and most recently appeared in American Horror Story: Roanoke after having previously appeared in American Horror Story: Coven. "He was a big, burly guy who could be mean as a hornet, but for the most part, he was a gentle giant who loved people and loved to take care of folks.