The VERY fact that Pigeon Forge knew this property was for sale 2 years prior and never said a word is down right dirty!!! We all know it takes YEARS of planning to build new roads. Why a sudden change of direction? Why didn’t the city buy the house/land when up for sale? Why not imminent domain then? Just dirty in my opinion and I will never be visiting the area again.

Anyone who thinks they actually own their land in America is just silly.

Eminent domain is theft. Should be illegal.

They are so much more to this story that is talked about on this little news clip. Through the fault of the realtor, they did not know they were going to put the road through their property. They spent a ton of money, renovating the property. The mayor of pigeon Forge watch this all go down literally from his front porch. Years before these people bought this property that road was going through an abandoned campground next door. It was changed because a group of people bought the abandoned campground. One of those people was the mayor’s brother. Again, it is all a big mess. The mayor was called out during a council meeting. The mayor said he had no moral obligation to tell those people to stop renovating the house because a road was going through there. The mayor lived on a hill above these people!

The Mayor of Pigeon Forge has people blocked from commenting on his social media pages too! Also, the mayor owns adjacent property to the Race family.

That mayor is a gross specimen.

didnt the road get redesigned when the mayors family member decided to build a campground in the same area thats why this house got destroyed

I don’t understand what John Valliant thinks is funny about this deal. If it was his property I would be willing to bet that the road would be elsewhere. I also think if these people were local people it might have been different also. Just my two cents worth.

These people were deliberately lied to and misled, and this guy is smiling??? I hope this family sues and wins BIG time.

And he laughs.

I've been following this story and Pigeon Forge did NOT pay them a red cent because of the mis-characterization of the zoning-the Race home is zoned C-6, not residential as the appraisal indicated, a big discrepancy that allows the city to give them much less value on the house, but because the Races balked at that, they've received NADA. The road went through their house because one of the men on the council owns the camp ground next to the Race's home and the city took out a family's home instead of the camp ground, simple political chicanery and favoritism. The Races spent thousands and thousands renovating that house, other than the purchase price, plus the zoning in the city's appraisal being mis-characterized as residential when it is C-6, commercial, and would have netted the city a hefty sum over time as a business, but values the home as less than it is worth in C-6. But, oh, no, the city literally stole their house. They knew they would be taking that house and watched the family renovate it, said nothing to them. They were completely kept out of the loop so that it would be a surprise and they'd not have time to fight it properly. Eminent domain is government theft. Common good is a myth. What about the family's good? It's the worst thing ever sanctioned in our government. The fat slob sitting there ignoring a family's pain is disgusting.

Eminent domain is used and abused by municipalities, county, state and fed governments every day. If the case is still pending in court I’m surprised the house has already been torn down.

The tyranny is neverending.

so Wait, they are offering 500,000 when the house was purchased for 320,000?. Take it from other people who have had the same fight... it never goes the way of the home owner. Agree to the money before the pull the offer back and offer less and cut your losses. The only thing that is going to happen if you don't are vast legal bills.

Take the half million before you end up with nothing 😢

I get the whole “ they were screwed by the mayor and City “ But? They were offered a good amount! I would have took it and ran!!!!😂

Eminent domain is a complete scam period!!!!!! on so many many levels its pathetic!!!

Been following this since day 1 on KZfaq. Eminent domain sucks. My grandparents property was taken this way. Glad they're fighting back and finally getting some media coverage.

They offered her nearly 1/2 million for this house. Way more than it is valued at.

500k for the 300k property. the former owners dont have a leg to stand on.

How can the city demolish the home if no offer was accepted? Isn't that illegal because they don't own the property yet?

This is more about greed than eminent domain... These folks paid $306k and 2 years later refused to take $539k... an 85% profit in 2 years. These Ohio folks demanded 3 million bucks, have reduced the demand to 1.5 million.... sorry about a road going through a place you bought as a rental 2vyears ago, but greed is not a good look. Take the $539k / 85% profit.

This is working out great. Less Ohio people here in East TN 😆 love it

$140,000 profit in less than 2 years. They bought the property as an investment property not a family heirloom. Should have took the profit and bought something equally nice on the other side of the valley. If they had bought the home for "grandma" to live in then sympathy is due. However they bought it for passive income and now their stubbornness will cost them.

These people in pigeon forge gatlinburg only care about money. There is a place in gatlinburg pretend they care for vets by give a free drink. If you knew how they really treated vets when they think nobody is looking. You be very suprised. The place is ate up with overpriced food. The crowds are unbearable. Traffic is a huge mess. Drug shops everywhere .Moonshine everywhere. Its start to be a place you dont want to take your family. People should start looking at other options. Greedy cabin rentals try to charge 300-400 a night. Including dollys hotels. For a 300 a night. Greed

I hope they get Justice...I will never go back to Pidgeon Forge...Evil Mayor and evil Judges...

They didn't "take their home," they paid them half a million to buy a second house in a completely different state. Just take the money and run, most people would be beyond happy to have half a million AND a single house.

They are just greedy and holding out for more money. Their house is gone. It can’t come back. They would just take the money unless they wanted to try to sue for more and more money. They can’t sue for the home back. It’s a money grab. They bought that house to air b&b. If it was their primary home I’d feel for them. She even had her daughter sit for the camera and not say anything. What was the purpose of that if not to play the victim card.

$500k when they paid $360k is a good deal that's $140k profit. It sucks but now you have even more money to buy an even nicer house. Stop acting entitled and take the win.

306 thousand vs 500 thousand. I'd take the money and run. Crazy money for a 2 bed house

They paid $300G for the property and the city offers half a mill? Jezus, take the money and run

Yes, eminent domain is a very difficult and controversial issue. But remember, the land was not “taken,” insinuating they got nothing. They purchased the property for $306k a few years ago as a vacation home/investment property. The municipality offered $500k, which sounds appropriate for the amount of insane inflation (an entirely separate conversation), and the owner refused. This sounds to me like sheer greed under the guise of “the government is taking our family land.” What a joke. They’ve only owned it a few years!

Actually, 500,000 dollars is more than fair for a house they bought for 306,000 2 years prior.

The family paid $306,000 and want 3 million😂😂😂. They're shooting for the stars!! And the daughter says "it's not about money". 😆

Don’t y’all just love how the state and government entities feel they are entitled to take homes and our hard earned money! Time to make our government/states responsible!

Good ol boy govt in pf

The title says it’s “their home” but it was an investment property.

She bought it knowing it would happen . She bought it thinking the city would pay more for it if she had a loan on the property.

You have freedoms until you don't - George Carlin

That's more than fair value. Stop being pains about it.

They agreed to accept 490K for it. The city didn’t just “take” it without paying. It was agreed to in advance. I looked up the document myself. The owners are idiots to cry for more if they owe on the mortgage for it. It is way more than they paid for it less than a year before. They create their own problems. I don’t feel one bit sorry for them living way beyond their means.

They should've taken the deal, they would have made extra money on it & could buy a better "second" home 🤷‍♀️ this kind of thing happens all the time.

Eminent domain should pay you twice of what your property is worth to ease some of the burden caused by them.

Eminent domain needs to be illegal.

This is so sad. I hope the family wins.

Boycott Pigeon Forge commerce/businesses, concerts, sports, and whatever else those good hearted people do to earn a living, until the city officials and previous owners completely reimburses that family and add a bunch more money for their pain and suffering. Those people were scammed.

If that wasn’t disclosed before closing - SUE THE SELLERS!

The state knew they had road plans when they sold it. At least they offered more than the buyers paid. Take the money and run

Bald guy is just as bad as Pigeon Forge. I would have sat on my property and defended it when they came to tear it down.

It’s Tennessee and us people tend to stay away from the rich politicians

This is why imminent domain should be outlawed or HEAVILY controlled. People in power abuse this. The city I currently live in tried to take half my dad's property WITHOUT paying for it and installed a drain pipe that let the water and runoff from the nearby gas station flood our backyard. My sister couldn't go out back for months because the runoff gave her sensitive skin rashes. The city eventually gave my dad the property back and removed the pipe after being threatened with a lawsuit.

All the memories they could have made in the house are priceless! They could have made a couple hundred thousand profit on a property they bought two years ago and they didn't take it?

$500,000 was a fair offer. Makes you just want to stay up North right? If you and your friends stay home in Ohio then we won't need more roads thru peoples houses. You could be saving somebody else from this.

Corruption everywhere.

the US Government needs to pass a law the prohibit any city from claiming eminent domain and they should sue them

The government should have to pay 10 times the value of the property and allow the owner to use a third party appraiser.

Sad I have watched this since the day it started and the house is gone and the couple still owes on the house.

I don't believe they will win this one. If it was a Walmart going in, they would have a good fight. Reducing traffic issues for the general public is within the spirit of what eminent domain was meant for. Now if the general public rallied around this family, the city may back down.

Eminent domain is for the government to build roads and bridges, not for private businesses to strong-arm property owners into selling their property for a song. This is a textbook case of government corruption.

Oh grow the hell up. It’s a second home they owned for two years and made a $200,000 profit on. They need to just shut up and stop wasting everyone’s time.

Was fair market value paid? If so then ST*U.

What do you want to bet that the previous owners had inside info about the new road being put in and ditched the property while they could.

The people need to take imminent domain of the government for the good of the country and it's people!

We’re from Ohio, after seeing this I’ve cancelled our reservations we won’t be bringing anything from our house into Pigeon Forge.

Is that the people that wanted a outrageous amount plus so many years of how much rent the house would bring in if it was being rented?

Why didn't the city but it when it went up for sale if they only had it for a few months?

They need to shut up and take the money! They barely had the house for a few months and stand to make a sizeable profit from the city's payment for that house! They really have no leg to stand on! But noooo, they want to squander money on an attorney fighting back, and are going to end up in the hole when their case is dismissed!

They took it because local politicians are invested in a new attraction. The new road for this attraction is running through their property

Eminent domain requires payment first!! Glad the mayor's brother will be making money on the land he owns where road was first designated!

It was a vacation home. Not exactly a sob story

Pigeon Forge will win this one. Eminent Domain should only be used for building schools, roads, and other things that benefit the greater good of the people of that state. Just take the half a million dollars and buy something nicer out in the middle of nowhere.

When greed meets greed.

Rental property?? Ohio?

Either the plan wasn't disclosed before purchase or it was. If it was, then the buyers are getting a quick >$100k profit. Roads are among the few things eminent domain can be legally used for.

It is weird that China can't take someones home, but the government here can...

We don’t Own anything in this country. We pay taxes on everything for such treatment.

How can theft promote a "greater good?"

Just take the half a million and move on! It’s a $300,000 house. I say that’s a nice profit.Dont try to make it a bigger payday. There are many beautiful houses out there. Buy another.

My family is from northeast tenn and have gone to pigeon forge/gatlinburg tenn for decades. We aren’t going back, headed to Cincinnati in a couple of weeks instead of pigeon forge tn. We went to Cosby tn to camp several weeks ago instead of pigeon forge. We miss it but this has opened our eyes to many new travels and discoveries in the future. I hope many many do the same. Bye bye pigeon forge.

Between squatters being able to take over and live in your home and the government with the ability to take your home away from you at any time, when is it even smart to buy a home these days? What a shame.

Those people are ridiculous..they think they are privileged..They have no family ties of heritage to it so stop crying..if they have enough money to buy a second home consider themselves fortunate..It's not like they were living there.

These people again 🥱.

I have been following that for a while, the mayor watched them renovate the home, from his home above them, the new road was moved from going through a empty field, in favor of a campground being constructed in the field. And it took that family's home. The city of pigeon forge has some sleazy government, and that town attorney, looks so crooked, I'd almost bet he sells used cars too.

Watched a town favorite, a popular drive in restaurant, be taken by eminent domain for the same thing (a road project) in my hometown. The city destroyed half the building, never dis anything with the land and changed the road plan afterwards. It was a whole bunch of shenanigans because of the restaurant owners political affiliations. It still there to this day, a run down building thats half torn down, sitting on the corner of an intersection.

This isn’t RIGHT OR FAIR

Let me get this straight… That family was offered over 50% more than what they paid for it only 2 years ago and they rejected it???

Reasons not to buy your own "home", you pay taxes on your land and still don't own your own home. SMH

It sucks but at the same time these people have only owned that house for what a month? They paid 300 grand for it and were offered half a mill. Take your money and run.

these are spoiled little girls, owed from everyone, the town offered you $500,000 you declined they plowed the home to the ground, YOU MADE THE WRONG DECISION. now youll loose more and pay your LAWYER HUGE.

I did have some sympathy but when I realized that this is a second home and probably an Airbnb plan for someone, I have no sympathy anymore. If this was all they had I would support it. The town of pigeon forge knows these are a couple of Invaders from another state trying to suck money off of their local community. Airbnb landlords, you can go screw.

American government is not just evil in DC.

The mayor has Rosco P. Coltrane vibes! Hes just missing fried chicken grease on his chin!

I hate eminent domain

Everyone that is upset should protest by refusing to use Freeways/Roads, electricity or Natural Gas. They were all made possible by government using eminent domain. The land and homes that we call our National Parks were once homes belonging to someone… Protest by never visiting our National Parks.

Guarantee: the seller sold the property _because_ they knew about the plans for the road. Caveat emptor. You can go to the city and find out if there are future plans for that property and its neighborhood. Or if it's sitting on top of a worked out mine vein or toxic waste dump. You should always do that.

If they are FORCED to “sell” property to the city then they should receive double market value!

This should never happen in America

Get over it! It's not liked they owned this property for decades and decades! You're going to make a sizable profit on house you owned for less than two years.

Full disclosure seems to be a thing of the past, not just in public dealings.

I live in Chattanooga ,I will never spend another single cent anywhere near there ever again.