The National Park Service announced that it has entered into an agreement with the State of Tennessee that will allow Great Smoky Mountains National Park to temporarily reopen on Wednesday, October 16, after being closed for 15 days due to the partial government shutdown. The park will begin opening facilities at 8 a.m.
The agreement funds the park for a period of 5 days, running from October 16 through October 21 at the donated amount of $300,500.
The state of Tennessee, working in partnership with Blount and Sevier counties, is donating funds to the National Park Service for the sole purpose of enabling National Park Service employees to reopen and manage Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam has also been working with North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory to reopen the park which lies in both states. The state of North Carolina has expressed interest in providing financial support for the reopening.
