A New Lease on Life for Tennessee’s RT Lodge
New Owners Take Over Leadership of Historic Lodge; Announce Revitalization Program
Maryville, TN (December 2021) – A desire to preserve and revitalize Maryville’s historic RT Lodge has led a local partnership of Knoxville hospitality owners to take over management of the 57-room lodge, which resides in the woods of Tennessee’s Maryville College campus.
Beth Mc Cabe Holman, founder of the McCabe Company and partners Annie and David Colquitt, owners of The Swag, a North Carolina resort, plan to breathe new life into the lodge through a series of upcoming renovations.
“It’s a privilege for us to oversee this state-treasure and bring it to its full potential,” said McCabe-Holman. As the owner of a high-end event rental company, McCabe Holman frequently visited RT Lodge, regarded as one of Tennessee’s premier wedding destination venues. “The Lodge had so much to offer and just needed a little love on all levels,” said Holman “Having worked in special events at Blackberry Farm for ten years, I was inspired by all the changes that I saw there, and I could envision the lodge’s greater promise, especially one where guests came for a vacation experience.”
The new ownership team, working in close partnership with Maryville College, will embark upon a revitalization program in 2022 and 2023. Upcoming renovations include expansion of the bar to include more indoor and outdoor seating, conversion of ten guest rooms into six suites, addition of an outdoor pool and cabana and enlargement of all bathrooms.
Nashville- based interior designer Stephanie Sabbe, along with Knoxville-based Johnson Architecture and Denark Construction, will sensitively adapt and update this nationally registered property to enhance the overall guest experience. Featuring a classic revival architectural style, the wooden structure, painted white with green shutters, conveys a British Country House interior style, a nod to Maryville College’s Scottish roots, along with Appalachian design influences.
Sabbe, who appreciates historic interiors, intends to maintain the lodge’s classic trademarks, from the Tartan rugs to the hickory log furnishings, while adding her own creative twist on this classic theme. “I love the feel of the lodge,” said Sabbe. “It has a great British design sensibility, that seemingly effortless combination of old and new, that creates a feeling of home. I look forward to bringing this same special charm to the Lodge’s new and revitalized spaces.”
About RT Lodge
RT Lodge, consisting of a landmarked historic home and two guest houses accommodating 57 rooms, is set on the woodsy college campus of Maryville College in Eastern Tennessee. Donated to the college by Mrs. Susan Wiley Cooper Walker in 1952, guests can enjoy seven acres of meandering wooded walking paths, extensive gardens with a Koi Pond, evening s’mores at the fire pit, a destination restaurant open for dinner, private fly-fishing excursions, and distinctive meeting spaces for weddings and corporate retreats. RT Lodge is 20 minutes from Knoxville, 30 minutes from Great Smoky Mountains National Park and 10 minutes from McGhee Tyson Airport. For further information, please visit www.rtlodge.com or call 865-981-9800.
Media Contact: Rebecca Werner, rebecca@nullwernerpr.com, 917-370-5005
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Photo credit: Abigail Malone