Developers present 560‑acre Kingston Springs resort concept at Cheatham County workshop; commissioners ask for community outreach

Developers seeking to build a resort at a site near Kingston Springs described the project to the Cheatham County Commission on July 14, presenting a master plan for a 560‑acre agritourism property currently operating in part as Bells Reserve.

Presenters Bill McKnight and Michael Hayes, representing CB Ragland Company (project partner SV Capital was also named), said the plan centers on clustering development in a large field to preserve tree canopy and to keep new structures set back from the Harpeth River. McKnight said the team pulled buildings back from the water to preserve privacy and stated they intend to “follow a dark skies protocol,” placing buildings and lighting so river users and neighbors would not see them. He said the project would not create a traditional hotel tower; instead the concept calls for roughly 80 small cottages averaging about 845 square feet, and 40 branded residences, plus two small restaurants (roughly 55 and 65 seats) and a farmstead component for on‑site produce and farm‑to‑table dining.

Why it matters: developers estimated the project could represent about $250 million in capital investment and generate roughly $6 million per year in direct tax revenue (a combination of property tax, sales tax and hotel‑motel tax) if built as proposed. The team also emphasized economic development and local hiring, saying on‑site operations could provide career pathways for residents and that the resort would aim to source food and services from Cheatham County producers.

Project design and constraints: the team described a site plan that preserves more than a mile of river frontage and clusters lodging away from the river, with buildings set back roughly 300 feet from riverbanks. The master plan includes hiking and mountain‑biking trails, river access points, a farmstead area for produce and hen houses, and activity areas that would be intentionally limited on the river‑adjacent portions of the site because of river flooding variability. McKnight noted they had performed title research, aerial mapping, soils/geotechnical studies and initial site surveys to inform siting decisions.

Community engagement and approvals: developers said they are not asking the commission for approvals at the workshop and that their immediate plan is door‑to‑door outreach to neighbors and property owners along the relevant roads; McKnight said the team would meet with every household between Highway 70 and the county line on Cedar Hill Road as part of summer outreach. Commissioners and attendees raised questions about roads, water, sewer and utilities; the presenters said power upgrades would require new line stringing along existing poles and that those engineering tasks are in progress.

Public response and next steps: some attendees said they support economic development while others raised concerns about scale, river impacts and traffic. The developers invited the commission and neighbors to visit the existing Bells Reserve property and said they will return with more detailed engineering, utility and traffic information as they complete studies and community outreach. No action or vote was taken by the commission during the workshop.