ATLANTA (July 12, 2022) – Forrest Street Partners (FSP) will invest $16 million to develop Winding Waters, the largest luxury RV resort within the metro Atlanta area, featuring 252 sites and a host of activities and first-class amenities. The company has broken ground on a 56-acre parcel of land off Joe Frank Harris Parkway, just west of I-75 in Emerson, Georgia. This is the firm’s first ground-up RV project, and it will become one of the largest RV parks in metro Atlanta.
Forrest Street began investing in RV parks in 2017 ahead of the current national trend, looking outside of the mainstream for new opportunities. The company’s first ground-up investment in Winding Waters comes as American interest in recreational vehicle travel has blossomed, with the sector experiencing significant growth and Atlanta a prime destination for RV tourists. According to the RV Industry Association, 2022 will be another strong year for the RV industry with close to 600,000 shipments of vehicles slated for the U.S. to supply heightened demand.
“Winding Waters provides overnight and weekly accommodation options that are missing in metro Atlanta,” said FSP partner Reece Stead. “Whether you’re visiting one of the many Cartersville museums or attractions, enjoying a weekend on Lake Allatoona, have children playing in a tournament at LakePoint Sports, traveling to Atlanta for a Braves game, or just need to stop for a night or two on your way to Florida or Tennessee, the park offers a resort environment that simply doesn’t exist with any of the other forms of lodging in the area.”
Situated along the Etowah River, just four miles from Red Top Mountain State Park at Lake Allatoona, Winding Waters is designed to appeal to a wide range of travelers with resort-style amenities that travelers expect to find in a luxury RV park. Features will include a beach entry pool with waterslide and lazy river, clubhouse, bocce and pickleball courts, picnic and fire pit areas, a playground and dog park, and water activities like paddleboarding, kayaking, and fishing. In addition to the RV sites, the resort will feature cabins, vintage airstreams and glamping tents.
“We chose this site because it offers a beautiful backdrop for riverfront RV and cabin accommodations within easy and quick access to one of the most traveled interstates in the country,” said Stead. “We look forward to bringing our vision for a luxury RV resort to life and giving visitors a one-of-a-kind experience.”
“After partnering with Forrest Street Partners on several other RV park projects, I have come to trust their vision, which attracted me to team with them again. We began collaborating on the site design for Winding Waters in 2021,” said Doug Davidson, CEO of New South Construction and a key partner in the project. “I am confident this exciting development responds to the growing trend of the RV lifestyle and Atlanta’s continued draw as a tourism hotspot.”
“We are excited to support Forrest Street in their development of a new traveler destination within the City of Emerson,” said Kevin McBurnett, City Manager for the City of Emerson. “We have long welcomed travelers to enjoy the amenities we have to offer and believe this new luxury RV resort will enhance our reach and provide needed lodging for people visiting the metro Atlanta area.”
Winding Waters is slated for delivery in early 2023.