Hollowell's Plan Included Parton Reality Show, Museum, Winery | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Publisher's note: The author of this post is Don Carrington, who is executive editor for the Carolina Journal, John Hood Publisher.

Marketing plan also used Gov. Perdue in promotional materials

    RALEIGH — Dare County developer Ray Hollowell told Carolina Journal that he and developer Rick Watson signed a promotion agreement in March 2008 with Dolly Parton's sister, Cassie Parton King, and Cassie's husband, Scott King, to push development at South Mountain in Burke County. (See related story.) The marketing plan was developed in 2009 not long after Gov. Bev Perdue took office.

    "The Parton family relationship, headed up by Cassie Parton and her husband Scott, is quite meaningful in the fact that no international iconic name has this significance in terms of promoting a North Carolina Mountain Community. This starts with the little known fact that both sides of the Parton Family (Owens – the Mom) are originally from North Carolina and later migrated to Tennessee," the marketing document says.


    "At the appropriate time, with the final blessing of the Partons, we plan to make this an issue, or shall we say 'news item.' Mr. Rick Watson, partner and I have discussed with the Partons the idea of creating the same type of give and take with Tennessee that North Carolina and Ohio have over the Wright Brothers. At this point it's a thumbs up.

    "We believe because of our political ties we can engage the Governor's Office. Governor Perdue loves the Partons.

    "The idea of promoting or announcing our development has already been discussed with [then-Lt. Gov.] Perdue two years ago. ... She pledged her support of this unnamed North Carolina Mountain Project of 2,500 acres involving the Partons whenever it was appropriate to divulge the location and the players."

    The plan went on to explain more about the project. It included the production of a "Parton Family Reality Show," to be filmed at a newly constructed log cabin. There also would be a "Parton Family Recording Studio" on site, along with a "Parton Family Museum." "The Partons, Cassie, Rebecca, Richie, Randy, and Dolly literally have tractor-trailer loads of memorabilia for use at the Museum."

    "A major Parton family home designed by Cassie Parton for the production and in-house family music events, is currently planned and financed."

    "The remaining significant component of the South Mountain Preserve Business Model is the commercial development outside the gate. We are going to develop a miniature version of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, and Branson, Missouri. This will begin after we sell the first 150 pre-development sales program home sites. We've talked to the powers that be at the highest levels of government and we have their support."

    In February 2008, Amy and Brian Gordon of Emerson, N.J., bought a lot from Virginia Highland Properties. The excise tax of $220 indicates the Gordons paid $110,000 for the lot. The Gordons signed a deed of trust to Virginia Highland Properties for a loan of $105,000. Amy Gordon told CJ that her father lived in Avon, N.C., and his wife had worked for Hollowell. "We have never seen the property. A huge selling point was the involvement of Dolly Parton's family," she said.

    She said Hollowell made a special deal with the first 10 purchasers to buy the property back at a certain percentage in two years. He did not honor that agreement. "We ended up paying a total of $10,000 to $15,000 for the property, but he didn't require any more payments," she said. Hollowell has not recorded any document indicating the deed of trust has been satisfied.


    The marketing plan also stated that N.C. State University would play a major role in developing vineyards and a winery. According to the plan, "N.C. State University, the State University, provides an extremely important and incredible strategic relationship there are many facets of this relationship that will benefit the marketing of The South Mountain Preserve and the site itself. Approximately a year ago the university established a team comprised of its finest academic talent in the areas of viticulture from the College of Horticulture, College of Agronomy, and the College of Food Sciences. This will provide us with the best vineyard and wine making program in the state."

    "The university is excited about this relationship all the way up to the Chancellor's Office. Rebecca Parton is the family member assigned to the viticulture relationship on behalf of the Parton family. The family as a whole is truly ecstatic about these possibilities considering the credibility of the parties involved. N.C. State University professors and staff members have visited The South Mountain Preserve numerous times and have been all over the mountain and the surrounding properties evaluating the most likely locations for success in having productive vineyards."

    "Like many high profile vineyards today, we plan to make Parton Family Vineyards at The South Mountain Preserve a destination."

    In January 2009, Hollowell deeded two lots from South Mountain Real Estate to the N.C. State University Student Aid Association (aka the Wolfpack Club). The organization provides private support for athletic scholarships and facilities at N.C. State. The current tax values of the lots are $3,858 and $3,680.

    Also that month, Hollowell deeded 12 lots to the North Carolina Agricultural Foundation, a public charity at N.C. State that supports agricultural research extension and teaching activities in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. The current average tax value of those lots is $3,557.