In this episode, we sit down with Mike Werner, the longtime Mayor of Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Mike shares his fascinating journey from first visiting Gatlinburg in 1976 to becoming its mayor and a pillar of the community. Mike's story begins with an impulse property purchase in Walden's Creek, which led to him relocating his family to Gatlinburg in 1980 without a job or a home. He recounts building his first house from poplar logs and the community support he received, setting the tone for his deep connection to Gatlinburg. We explore Mike's professional path, from working in land surveying and construction to selling condominiums and eventually running the Highlands condominiums. Mike provides insights into Gatlinburg's unique character, describing a town with less than 4,000 residents that hosts up to 60,000 nightly visitors. A significant portion of the conversation focuses on the 2016 wildfires that ravaged Gatlinburg. Mike shares his experiences as mayor during this crisis, including the decision to evacuate and his role in leading the community's response. He introduces the "Mountain Tough" slogan that became a symbol of the town's resilience. Mike also pays tribute to influential community members like Bud Ogle, Jim Gerding, and Xeno Wall, emphasizing the importance of stewardship and genuine hospitality in Gatlinburg's success. He discusses ongoing initiatives to improve the downtown area, maintain the town's character through code enforcement, and plan for the future. Throughout the episode, Mike's love for Gatlinburg and its people shines through. He shares anecdotes about international visitors, community projects like Rocky Top Sports World, and his vision for preserving Gatlinburg's unique charm while adapting to future needs. The conversation concludes with reflections on Gatlinburg's enduring appeal and the community's spirit of hospitality and resilience. Listeners will come away with a deep appreciation for this mountain town and the dedicated leadership that has helped shape its character over the years.

[0:05] Speaker A (Tom Goodwin): Well, I'm excited today to have Mike Werner, the mayor of Gatlinburg, who's also been a longtime friend. You were at our wedding 32 years ago, so we go way back. And you have contributed so much to this community. We're so excited to have you today. [0:20] Speaker B (Mike Werner): Well, thank you, Tom. It's good to be here. And it's a real honor to be the mayor of Gatlinburg. As my wife, who you know quite well when people go, oh, you're the mayor, she goes, it's not a big deal. [0:30] Speaker A: Cindy and my wife went to high school together, so grew up here in Gatlinburg. And so it's been fun to see how God has orchestrated your life. [0:39] Speaker B: Absolutely. [0:40] Speaker A: And it's probably a surprise to you that you became the mayor of Gatlinburg. [0:43] Speaker B: Well, I had a good friend for years. He used to come and visit our house, and he's got a little ministry down in Greenback, Tennessee. And when he would leave, and this is before I ever dreamed of running for any political office, he would always turn around, say goodbye to the mayor of Gatlinburg. And I go, there's no way that it was providential. [1:07] Speaker A: Providential. And that's great. And I think we want to hear a little bit more about that story. But before you became the mayor, you discovered Gatlinburg. So tell us about that, how you came to settle in Gatlinburg. [1:18] Speaker B: Well, the first time I came to Gatlinburg, I was involved with the youth ministry in Illinois, in Morton, Illinois. It was called the Jesus Barn. And the gentleman that was like the head of the ministry, he was buying property out in Walden's Creek, and He was buying 36 acres. And he came to me, we became good friends, and he said, I just can't afford the second half. And I said, well, I'll buy it. And he said, well, have you ever been to Tennessee? And I said, no, but I'll just buy it, sight unseen. And he said, well, at least come to Tennessee and see where it's at and see what it's like. So this was in 1976. Came down to Tennessee, came to Gatlinburg. First time ever to Gatlinburg. Probably the first time I've ever been in Tennessee and walked the streets and could smell the fireplaces burning, could smell the caramel corn and all of the fall weather and the colors were all changing, and just totally fell in love with the area. I mean, it wasn't even a question if it was the right thing to do. Or not. I knew it was. And then we went out and looked at the property. It was gorgeous, you know, just fabulous property. And it's one of those things, I wish I still had it today, but I don't. But it was just a great experience coming to Gatlinburg. [2:33] Speaker A: So that was in 1976. And then when did you end up moving here? [2:37] Speaker B: Moved here in 1980 and had. I was married, had four kids and moved down here and didn't have a home, didn't have a job, just packed up and I had a four wheel drive truck and a horse trailer with everything we owned packed in it and moved down here. And that's how we got here. And then finally a couple people helped me financially. We purchased the logs from North Carolina. They were poplar logs. And we did the hand hewing. And first thing I ever built, my life. And I went around to the neighborhood and introduced myself to all the people that lived in that loop. And I said, now if you need any help with anything, here's my phone number. Please call me. And they called me. I bailed. Hey. I cleaned out a barn. I worked in the gardens, you know, split wood, you name it. Did all that stuff, but made great friends. And then when I was ready to finish out the house, they all showed up like a barn raising. Did the plumbing, the electrical, the finished work, which I was no carpenter, but it was. And then we heated the whole cabin with one wood stove in the middle of it, and that was it. [3:48] Speaker A: Wow. [3:49] Speaker B: Yeah. [3:49] Speaker A: So 1980. So 44 years ago. [3:52] Speaker B: Yeah. [3:53] Speaker A: Wow. What was Gatlinburg like then in 1980? [3:56] Speaker B: You know, it was. You'd hear all the stories about Gatlinburg, how it was a different place, and, you know, to me, it's changed somewhat. You know, it's had some growth, but it's always been limited growth because of the topography and, you know, just. We're sort of landlocked, so it's not that big of a change. But the people are the same. They were always fabulous, you know, just wonderful people. [4:23] Speaker A: And how many people live in Gatlinburg? [4:26] Speaker B: Right now we've got about less than 4,000 people, but we'll sleep 60,000 a night. So that's the challenge. How do you take care of an infrastructure for that many people that are going to be your guests? But residential, you're less than 4,000. So you've got to take care of the residents and you've got to take care of the tourists, both. So it's a. It's a challenge Definitely a challenge. [4:48] Speaker A: So you bailed hay, you worked at garden work, you shoveled snow, you mowed lawns. [4:54] Speaker B: I had one guy, because he knew I was heating with wood. He says, son, he said, you can have that tree. I said, really? And he said, yeah. And it was covered with poison ivy. I didn't have a clue. And I'm slinging it all over with a chainsaw and wrestling. [5:06] Speaker A: You thought he was doing you a favor. [5:08] Speaker B: Yeah. And he didn't want to mess with it. I've learned a lot living here. [5:12] Speaker A: So coming from Illinois. I'm from Illinois as well. Chicago suburbs. [5:16] Speaker B: Oh, wow. [5:17] Speaker A: And my suburb, Gray's Lake. [5:19] Speaker B: Okay. [5:19] Speaker A: So far north. [5:21] Speaker B: Yeah. [5:21] Speaker A: My mother still lives in the same house I grew up in. And my first time down here was visiting my then girlfriend and who I met in the summer. And she said, she's from Gatlinburg. I said, never been there. And so that was the summer of 1991. Wow. So 11 years after you moved here. [5:39] Speaker B: Wow. [5:40] Speaker A: So. But yeah, there's some. Something very endearing about this community. [5:44] Speaker B: It's got a mystique to it, and I think that's one thing that draws people back every year. It's just. It's a feel that I've never felt anywhere else. And it's one of those things, if you do vacation somewhere, you can't wait to get back here. This is like a home that you just never want to leave. [6:00] Speaker A: People say that all the time, that Gatlinburg is my second home. [6:04] Speaker B: Yeah. [6:04] Speaker A: And they booked the same hotel, they booked the same cabin. They stay at the same restaurants and hike the same paths. And I think you described it well. There's certain mystique about that. There's a bit of a blanket over this community. There's something that's indescribable. [6:21] Speaker B: Yeah. It's something you don't find anywhere else. And I'll reshare that story I told you earlier. When I was in Africa this summer, this gentleman sitting next to me on the plane, he was a crop duster, and he was from South Africa, and he'd been working in the States. And he said his wife came and visited, and they did the tourist thing. They traveled around our country. He said, well, here, let me show you the coolest town we were in. He pulls out his phone, he starts flipping through pictures, and they were of Gatlinburg. And I was like, oh, wow. [6:51] Speaker A: And you said, and I'm the mayor of Gatlinburg. [6:53] Speaker B: I never told him that. That would be more exciting if he found out some other way. Like, you know, live through the podcast, maybe? [7:00] Speaker A: Maybe. So that would. That would be awesome. Well, that is fascinating because it is the very small village, the charm of it, the mystique that really the influence of it supersedes its capacity. It's like 4,000 people hosting. 60,000. [7:15] Speaker B: Yeah. [7:16] Speaker A: A small little village having such an impact throughout the world and throughout our country with all these repeat guests, which is exciting. So your journey as from baling Hay to becoming mayor. Walk us through that about your professional journey here in Gatlinburg. Okay. [7:32] Speaker B: We started out, I worked with all the neighbors, and then I got one job. My first job that I had when I was in this area in Walden's Creek, outside of Pigeon Forge, was with George Dunn, who was a land surveyor. And I look back the years later, things that we surveyed that have become, you know, a real thing. And then after that, I went to work for W.C. gunner, who was friends with my wife's. Now my wife Cindy, with her dad. They came here and built the bypass work for Omen Construction. And after I worked with wsc, then I moved up. I was working out in Shagbark. And the secretary for that family, her husband was the attorney for the developers of the Highlands. And so one of them, the attorney came out and he waved me over. I was on a bulldozer. And he came over and said, come over here, I want to ask you something. He said, do you want to try to sell condominiums? And I said, well, I can't even spell it. I don't think I should sell them. So he said, well, at least come and meet with these guys. So I came and met with these two developers, and they asked me all sorts of questions. I didn't have a clue what they were talking about. And at the end of the interview, they said, well, go wait out there in that room and we'll be with you in a minute. So I sat out there, very confident that they weren't going to hire me. And they came out and, well, Ray Parker, this one developer, he came out and he said, I don't know why I'm doing this, but we're going to hire you, and I'm going, oh, no. So then I started at the Highlands, and I would be there every day. Never sold anything before in my life. And I would just talk to all these different people. I probably talked more of them out of buying than buying. And then eventually I started listening to these sales tapes and reading these sales books, and I thought, well, I'll just Try some of these tactics. And they worked. And I was like, lo and behold. Yeah, I was shocked. And so my first year I sold and these were one bedrooms and two bedrooms, smaller units. And they were selling in the like high 50s and the low hundreds. And I sold over $2 million the first year. [9:46] Speaker A: Wow. [9:46] Speaker B: And then they said, well, the people I sold to, they said, are you going to stay here and do the, you know, property management, the rental? And I said, well, I don't know anything about that. I know less about that than I did sales. But we did it and, you know, just had a lot of success with it. 32 years we were there. We lost our business and our home both in the fires of 16. But it was a great run. Yeah. [10:11] Speaker A: I do remember my wife and I coming over to visit y'all at the Highlands condominiums and the front desk there. And we had our office down on Ski Mountain road with Mountain Laurel chalets. And interesting thing was we never really saw you as competition and you didn't see us as competition because we're all here to serve the same purpose. [10:28] Speaker B: Well, Mountain Laurel was always like our idol. You know, we wanted to do things the way they did it because they always took such good care of their guests. And that meant a lot to us and it helped us with our repeat customers. Always making sure everybody was happy. Sometimes people come in and say, we're really disappointed. And I go, why? You know, we've been here trying to take care of any need you'd have. Well, we didn't see a bear. Oh, now there's more bears than we know what to do with. [10:55] Speaker A: And they, they say, when does the smoke come on the mountains? Where does the smoke machine start? So we can see. [11:00] Speaker B: Cue the smoke machine. [11:01] Speaker A: Cue the smoke machine. Yes. Well, there are plenty of bears. [11:04] Speaker B: Oh, God. [11:05] Speaker A: In Gatlinburg right now. So you've landed at the Highlands condominiums and you had some other business interests. We did. [11:12] Speaker B: We were in the attraction business for several years. And that was, that was better than the lodging business because you would take their money, they would do the attraction, you wouldn't see them the next morning, they'd be gone. [11:23] Speaker A: But you just hope they had Fun in those 15 minutes they were with you. [11:27] Speaker B: Yeah. And probably the biggest challenge that I was faced. Faced with when I was have been the mayor is the 2016 fires. [11:37] Speaker A: Yes. [11:38] Speaker B: And you know, there it was a drought, 120 day drought. I think it was trying to remember back, that's been eight years ago. And you know, you would look at our home was overlooking the city. We had a beautiful home. Beautiful home up on top of Greystone Heights. [11:54] Speaker A: Yes. [11:55] Speaker B: And what was interesting, the first time I came to Gatlinburg, the couple that brought us here, they said, you've got to see this view. And they drove us up to that location. Eventually, we owned that house, Greystone Heights. And it was a gorgeous view of the mountains, motlacant and the Gatlinburg below. But there were fires everywhere. You know, in the park. In 2016, there were small fires here, small fires there. But then that morning of November 28th, Monday morning, our house, it expanded quite a bit. It was like the last house that Hubert Babb and he did Clingman's Dome. He was like a notorious architect from around here. My dad got sick, and we built an addition. I moved him in. And then I had four older kids, and Cindy and I started having kids. So we ended up with seven kids. So the house grew and grew and grew. And our bedroom was down a long hallway. And I always get up in the morning and make coffee, and I would go out, and I came back, and I told my wife, I said, you know, for the first time, you can taste the smoke in the house. I said, this is not good. And I was looking at my pictures on my phone the other night, and I saw one. It looks like a dense fog of smoke. So I looked out and I said, this isn't good. And my daughter, Tess, she was working at the convention center. She had a little girl, and her. She was having breathing problems. So I said, why don't you go over to Maryville and stay with your sister over there, and we're going to go to Asheville and just get out of this area. So I called a friend of mine in Asheville. He said, well, don't come here. It's smoky here, too. So I said, okay. So we went to Knoxville, and we went Christmas shopping, and then we were out for dinner, and my phone started ringing, and people were just panicking, just going, you know, the fire's coming into town. And, you know, I had no idea that Gatlinburg was going to, you know, catch on fire because of all the fires that had been around and all the smoke. But the next morning, drove in and went to the command center, which was out at the community center. And. Yeah, and Rocky Top was like the big shelter that we had. I don't know what we would have done without it, but it was just sort of, like, so surreal, you know, that that would happen to our town. And, but I was sort of the person that they called on, you know, to sort of rally the troops and let everybody know it was going to be okay. And when we're in crisis, we always. [14:29] Speaker A: Look to someone to take care of us. [14:31] Speaker B: Yeah. And that was, in a sense, it's. [14:34] Speaker A: A role of a shepherd. [14:35] Speaker B: Yeah. [14:36] Speaker A: You know, a caretaker. [14:37] Speaker B: Yeah. [14:37] Speaker A: And that was a unique position that you. A mantle you received as mayor is to shepherd the community through tragedy, an unknown tragedy. That Tuesday morning, we had no idea that the measure of loss of life or of property. And I do remember that Monday afternoon we were putting up Christmas decorations in some of our vacation homes. And I thought, this smoke is so dense. And it was just like flakes of ember coming out of the sky. It was like, it's just smoky. Oh, yeah, nothing's going to catch on fire. But I left the office at 3 that afternoon. I said, let's turn the sprinkler on the front lawn just in the event. And who knew? [15:24] Speaker B: Yeah. [15:25] Speaker A: You know, that the fires would come through about three hours after that. [15:28] Speaker B: Oh, it was, it was unbelievable. And all of the fires basically were top burned downs because of the flying debris, because I didn't think our house would ever burn. It was concrete and steel and, you know, spandex floors and it was like a fortress. [15:43] Speaker A: So you lost your house. So many. I mean, there's 14 lives that were lost. Greatest loss of all. We've lose property, we lost business, we lost opportunity. But I also think we gained so much. And I attribute a lot of that to you taking on the mantle of a shepherd and a caretaker of the community and being a spokesperson for that. What was that experience like? [16:10] Speaker B: Well, it was, you know, we drove back from Knoxville early that morning and I knew the police in Pigeon Forge. I waved at them and they flagged me through. And we went out to the command center. And I've never seen so many fire trucks. And the National Guard was there with the helicopters and a lot of their vehicles. And it was just, like I said, surreal. It was just, I can't believe this is happening. And so went into the command center and there was a couple people saying, well, you're going to be speaking for, you know, the city and what happened. And here's some talking points and stuff, and I'm looking at it. Talk about getting nervous. I was just like shaking. And so we had like press releases like twice a day for about a week, and people from all over the country that so many people love Gatlinburg and have a connection With Gatlinburg were so interested in what happened, and they wanted to know all the details. So I'll never forget the first press conference. We walked out and they had a podium there, and I looked around. There was probably 50 news reporters with cameras. And, you know, I was there. [17:25] Speaker A: I remember that. [17:26] Speaker B: And I'm just going, oh, Lord, what do I say? And he said, I remember just hearing this voice. I just listen to me and you'll be fine. And I just told everybody, we're going to be okay. And we were, you know, that's what happened. But talk about being, you know, scared and not feeling prepared for the job. But it all worked out. [17:51] Speaker A: It did work out. There was a slogan that came from that. Mountain tough. [17:54] Speaker B: Mountain tough, yeah. [17:55] Speaker A: And that really evolved, and people really. T shirts were made and hashtag, mountain tough. And funds were raised, distributed, and it really reflects a lot about the mystique of the community as well. [18:09] Speaker B: Oh, for sure. And, you know, Food City is such a great partner in Gatlinburg. And Dolly Parton, they flew me to Nashville and Dolly's jet, and I was, like, still just reeling. And, you know, we were there, and there was, like, these. All these performers were coming in and in this green room in the back doing their sets for that night. So it was pre recorded, and I'm the only person in there, and I saw, you know, just tremendous stars. You know, they come in. I don't know if I should sit there and be quiet or clap or whatever, but it was quite an event. And then when we came back to Gatlinburg, we were flying in, and they said, well, if we see the lights on the Runway, then we can land. If not, we're gonna have to go to Knoxville. And I'm going. So they saw the lights the last minute we landed, but that was a. [19:02] Speaker A: Good feeling, I'm sure. [19:03] Speaker B: Yeah, it was great. But it was, you know, just such a surreal and ongoing emotional experience, and. [19:14] Speaker A: No one can prepare for that. But I do think some of the preparation comes by the relationships the community you have experienced here. The camaraderie, the barn building spirit. [19:28] Speaker B: Oh, yeah. You know, and I was telling you about Food City. So they raised $750,000 in 10 days for the people that lost their homes, and they were prepared to give it all to Dolly, My people fund. So I knew the owner of Food City, and I called him up and I said, is there any way that you can give part of that money to the people of Gatlinburg that lost their jobs? Because where they Worked, you know, their businesses burn. So we talked back and forth a few times and we had a presentation of the checks out of the Food City parking lot. I'll never forget. He opened up his coat and he showed me. They gave 500,000 to the employees of Gatlinburg that lost their jobs. So we've never shopped anywhere but Food Cities is. [20:19] Speaker A: Yeah, we're grateful for businesses that give back to the community. And I don't think there's many places in America where there's such a strong allegiance to the community and a give back spirit and a can do and let's all come together. And I do think Mountain Tuft just really epitomizes that. [20:39] Speaker B: Yeah. [20:40] Speaker A: And it was. [20:40] Speaker B: It talked about the character of this area. You know, the. I remember when I was working up in Shagbark and I'd work with some of the old timers that have been around here forever. Natives, you know, been here for generations, sort of like Suzy Gringo's family. And it was just such a strong personality of the people, you know, it was just. And they were so kind and so real. And I remember after the fires, we were. Thousands of people literally reached out to us by emails, by letters, by, you know, just some sort of communication. And it was. They all just loved Gatlinburg. They all just really had a fondness of this area. And I always said I had an opportunity to speak at different places, that the one thing that really brought the most healing was the people. And it was no cliche. It was just the way they were so genuine, so real, so loving, so just strong Christian people. [22:15] Speaker A: And we've lost a generation recently of real matriarchs and patriarchs of this community. And that's one of the reasons for this podcast, because we want to capture these stories. But as you think of some people that are no longer with us that invested so much into Gatlinburg, who comes to mind to you and maybe a story or characteristic of them that really has impacted your life? [22:35] Speaker B: Well, I became real good friends with Bud Ogle. And Bud was like a native of Gatlinburg. He knew, introduced me to so many different people. He was like, one person. I really think of that he's not with us anymore. He had a lot of wisdom, politically speaking. He introduced me to a lot of people. He was a good mentor. One person that I think about a lot, and he's still alive. And I mentioned to you we need to go down and catch him in a podcast is Jim Gerding. [23:06] Speaker A: Jim Gerding with the Pancake Pantry. That would be a great conversation. [23:10] Speaker B: Oh, he just. He has so many great stories. And Xena Wall. I wish I would have known Xena Wall. I met him one time, but not to sit down and really get to know him. He was a person that really just, you know, was an ambassador. He really promoted Gatlinburg in a huge way. [23:29] Speaker A: So we think of Bud Ogle and Jim Gerding and things that stood out to me is that they weren't. It was not underneath them to do the simplest of tasks that they called their employees to do. They were in the trenches, they were on the front lines, and they were serving the guests of Gatlinburg. They really modeled hospitality to all of us. And I think hospitality is more than just the attraction, but it's the heart and the people and the relationships that come behind that. [23:57] Speaker B: You know, you think of people like Robert Montgomery's dad, you know, Ed Montgomery, and some of those people, you know, years ago, and somebody said this to me, and I thought it was really super cool. You know, back then, if they wanted a golf course, they made a golf course. They got a. They wanted an airport, they got an airport. You know, they wanted whatever it was. [24:18] Speaker A: Life was full of opportunities and a will to do it, to get it done. [24:23] Speaker B: Yeah. [24:23] Speaker A: Tenacity. To say, we're going to make it happen. [24:25] Speaker B: Yeah. And, you know, that's. I look at, you know, how can we make the product better? How can we do things, you know, in this area to maintain what we have, but make it nicer, better? Always think about like you do with your properties. How do you make it better? How do you make it so people are going to be happy and want to come back? And, you know, that's the thing with Gatlinburg. It's such a jewel. You just have to protect it. [24:51] Speaker A: You're a steward of the community and the experience of millions of visitors that come in, there's a. There's a burden with that. [24:59] Speaker B: Yeah. [24:59] Speaker A: And we're always thinking, sometimes, you know, we probably sit back and try to enjoy the day, but we're always looking at something else that could be improved. Right. [25:07] Speaker B: Yeah. [25:07] Speaker A: So as you think, 10 years from now, what is your hope for Gatlinburg 10 years from now? [25:13] Speaker B: Well, I think you have to look at a 5, 10, 15 year plan you just can't look at today because things have evolved and changed. Thankfully, Gatlinburg hasn't changed that much. You know, people want to come here, they want that mountain village feel, they want that hospitality. You know, it's in 10 years from now. I just hope that we will get some of the things that we've been talking about for the last 20 years corrected. You know, I think with the aesthetics of our downtown community is so important. I think that the colors and cleanliness and if something is dilapidated needs to be removed. You know, that's what we're trying to work on now with the code enforcement and things like that. You don't want to lose. You don't want to kill the goose to lay the golden egg. You want to, you know, keep it. [26:07] Speaker A: And you want to engender people or to inspire them to join into improvement. Yeah, and there's lots of opportunities here in Gatlinburg to improve things for sure. But there are some amazing things that have happened over the last 10 years in the community. [26:25] Speaker B: Rocky Top Sports World's a great example. We just had the 10 year anniversary of it and I've known all the GMs that we've had there. I think right now we've got the best GM we've ever had. No offense to the other ones, they were all good. Yesterday it was a staff retreat. And what we did, we went to one of the miniature golf courses here and played golf. And the main goal for all the players was to beat the mayor's golf. My score. And I said, that's not gonna be hard. That's not gonna be difficult. And then we had them all out to our house for lunch and it was just so cool, you know. And Rocky, that was Sports World. That was one of those things that when you first heard about it, you knew, that's something we've got to do. They were first going to put it out on 416. It was all things to all people. It was going to be like this $80 million venture with everything. And then the 08 and 09 hit with the housing crisis and that sort of put that away. And then we were in Murfreesboro with the Tennessee Municipal League convention. And I said to the group we were sitting with, I said, you know, well, if we can't do it there, let's just do it ourselves. Let's do it in Gatlinburg. And they all said, well, where are you going to put it? And I said, well, out in Pittman center, they've got those beautiful fields. I said, that would be great. So we ran it up the flagpole out there. They were like, no, no way. So then it was like a couple other people, Jack Parton, Greg Patterson, they came up with the concept, have it right contiguous to the high school to be able to use the parking and use the fields and the park, Mills park and all that. So we had the meeting up at our house, the one that burned, and it was like, had all the people there that were the decision makers and pitch this thing to them. And everybody said, yeah, let's do it. And that's how it happened. That's how it started. [28:26] Speaker A: And it has such reciprocal benefits with the school. [28:30] Speaker B: Oh, yeah. [28:30] Speaker A: For parking, but for the fields and the access. And I tell you, playing soccer or seeing a football game out there, the views are unbelievable. Your friends in Africa probably are taking pictures like, this is where these kids go to high school. This is amazing. [28:44] Speaker B: You know, we were so blessed. And you look at the facilities we have. It's incredible compared to, you know, some of the other schools that just don't have that. But we're very fortunate. When we first did Rocky Top Sports World, we went to Louisville to this big convention, and we wrapped all the buses with Rocky Top Sports World. So we went out to Churchill Downs, and the city of Louisville had put on this fabulous party, and they had the red carpet, the brass band, you know, all sorts of food and everything. And people thought we sponsored that party. So I'm going around telling everybody, slapping them on the back, saying, get plenty to eat, get plenty to drink. Have a big time. And we've had a lot of fun with it. And it's just. It's turned out so well. And, you know, I've learned, too. I was in the attraction business for years and with a dear friend, Robert Montgomery. And it was sort of like when you open the doors, if it's not busy, you're in trouble because it's. If it's not going to be successful, right off the bat, it's not going to be successful. So we had some great runs. We had Czar, which was the ninth circle in the world, and sort of like where you see Anakeesta people, they were wrapped around the, you know, down on the parkway, standing in line. So it was pretty amazing. [30:05] Speaker A: That's exciting. As mayor, you have been given the opportunity to be a spokesperson to the outside community and to the tourists and to the world. But probably, and most importantly, you serve the people of Gatlinburg. [30:19] Speaker B: Well, it's an honor, and it's exciting, and I really enjoy doing it. We've got great people here. [30:26] Speaker A: You know, as you think of serving the people of Gatlinburg and so many. My wife tells people she grew up in Gatlinburg. They're like, I didn't know anyone lived in Gatlinburg. But you said there's. There's schools, there's government facilities and services for the people of Gatlinburg and taking care of them. What do you enjoy most about that role as it relates to city governance and management and really preserving Gatlinburg? [30:53] Speaker B: I think it's having that mindset that you want to protect what we have, try to make it better and take care of your employees and try to bring in quality businesses that will really reflect what Gatlinburg is all about. So, you know, you see some people, they think, well, they're going to come into Gatlinburg and do anything and just become, you know, very rich. And it's a lot harder than that. It takes a lot of work. It takes a lot of fortitude and staying power. But I love being a part of Gatlinburg. I get to run the meetings. I get to greet a lot of conventions that come out in, which is probably my most fun thing to do. [31:31] Speaker A: A lot of ribbon cuttings. [31:33] Speaker B: Yeah, ribbon cuttings. But, you know, when people come in at conventions, I just tell them, thank you for being here. We really appreciate you choosing our city. You can go anywhere you want, but, you know, they come here. [31:44] Speaker A: What are some of your favorite groups that do come here? [31:47] Speaker B: Well, the police, and we get the paramedics. I had somebody tell me a story the other day. One of our local citizens, his heart rate got up really high. And the paramedics had only seen this one other time, and the person didn't live, but they knew what to do. They jumped right on it, and they took care of him. And now he was in the hospital. Now he's home. And that just happened a couple days ago. And he's doing great. [32:14] Speaker A: That's great. That is great. As you think of the. We mentioned the word stewardship or mantle of leadership, with that comes criticism and difficulty. There's always two sides to the story, and there's always people that might have a different angle or different perspective, and it's in politics or in any sort of leadership position, you need to know how to navigate that? Where do you come up with a fortitude to be so positive and knowing that there's, you know, I'm not everyone's best friend, because decisions that we make aren't going to please everyone. But how. How does that land on you as a leader and as a husband, as a father? [32:59] Speaker B: You know, you know, you're not going to make everybody happy with every decision, but you're going to pray about it. You're going to really spend time thinking about it. You're going to get other people's opinions, which I always do. And then you try to make the best decision possible. But, you know, you can make five different decisions, and maybe one of them is going to be right. So you really depend on, you know, input from other people, common sense, what's best for the future of Gatlinburg? [33:27] Speaker A: And I believe that it comes from a heart of wanting what's best. [33:32] Speaker B: Oh, because it helps everybody. It helps, you know, look at everybody that depends on their job, you know, being able to take care of their families. I mean, it's. It's a. It's a great situation in Gatlinburg. You know, we are different than our friendly competitors in the county, but they've got all this real estate. We're really confined to, like, a small amount of real estate compared to the other. The other cities. [33:59] Speaker A: I do love that you even said friendly competitors because there are other attractions there. There's areas, there's other places where people can live. But there really is a sense of camaraderie and wanting everyone to win. [34:11] Speaker B: Absolutely. And, you know, our guests, I always say our guests don't know. They've got to stop at the Gatlinburg city line. They can't go any farther. They'll go and enj. Everything else that's available in the county we had when we were in. I went to Africa this summer and it was a great experience. We helped. They had had a long drought over there in Zimbabwe, so we worked with a well drilling company. They had four wells drilled. And we built the stands for the solar panels and for the 5,000 liter tanks. And then we dropped the submergeable pumps down into the wells. And then when the solar power ran the pumps, the people, they started dancing and singing. It was just an incredible experience. But, you know, one of the gentlemen that was over there with us that was with the well company, he recently visited Gatlinburg, and so I was fortunate to get him an attraction pass. And he said he and his wife, they had two Little girls. He said they were running from attraction to attraction, just trying to take it all in. And I said, well, that's the coolest thing about Gatlinburg or this whole area. You can't do it all a few days or even in a few weeks, you know, you've got to keep coming back to experience it all. And being, you know, the gateway to the Smoky Mountain national park is incredible. It's just the most visited national park in the country, and we're right there as a gateway community. So that speaks volumes of how people look at this area and how they know that people here used to live in the park. And it was just a group effort of a lot of people that made the park happen. So that's always been a real. [35:52] Speaker A: Yeah, it's the crown jewel as we're looking out at Mount LeConte right now. Yeah, from this view, it's just majestic. And it reminds you of the mystique and the special presence that's here in this community. And that comes through people like you, Mike. So I just want to thank you for your service. Thank you for your commitment, your sacrifice, your leadership, and your influence in this community. It'll be long lasting. [36:20] Speaker B: Well, you're gonna get me tore up here in a minute, but it's probably the coolest place in the world to live. Like I said, if we leave here, I can't wait to get back. And there's so many just wonderful, genuine people that you see all the time. You see them at the grocery store, you see them at the post office, you see them at church. You know, they're just the salt of the earth. You can't beat it, and you're one of them. Well, thank you, and thanks for doing this podcast. I think it's really cool that people get another opportunity to listen and hear about this area. If they've never been to Gatlinburg, they need to come and experience it. We were. Here's another story. We were in a 1A or no, what is it? It's up in the panhandle. [37:07] Speaker A: 30A. 30A. [37:08] Speaker B: We were in 30A. This has been a few years ago, and we'd never been there before. But some people told us how nice it was, and it was very nice. We're down there and we're out for dinner in this waitress. She's taking care of us. And I asked her, I said, where are you from? She said, well, I'm from upstate New York. And I said, oh, I love upstate New York. I said, that's so pretty and nice. And she said, but you know where my favorite place in the world is? And I said, where'd you go? Gatlinburg, Tennessee. And I said, really? You know, you run into that all the time. The people call this their second home, as you said, and they don't want to miss out on an opportunity to come back. So we love to welcome, you know, people from all over the world. We're. I'm meeting Friday morning with a group of mayors from Poland, and they're coming here just, I think, to experience what this area is like. And it's. I'm looking forward to it because, you know, our only industry here, which you know better than anybody else, is just tourism. And you've got to show people that you're glad they're here, give them good service, all the things that we want to experience when we go somewhere. So. [38:19] Speaker A: And with you, Mike, it comes from a deep well. You have been doing that throughout your life. You and Cindy both love this community, love the people, and we're so grateful to capture this story. We look forward to capturing a lot more stories. [38:32] Speaker B: Awesome. [38:32] Speaker A: On this podcast. But thanks for joining us today. It's a treat and a pleasure to have you as a friend and as our mayor. [38:38] Speaker B: Same here. Thank you, Tom.