High-end RV park planned for Emerson

♦ Winding Waters is expected to open in 2023.

In context: The latest boom in Bartow County is going to be more on the tourism side vs. the industrial surge the area has seen. Due next year is a “luxury RV resort” with accommodations on the Etowah River for 252 RVS as well as cabins and upscale tent camping.

As planned, it will cover 56 acres with a build-out value of $16 million, targeting LakePoint Sports visitors, I-75 travelers and tourists stopping at Bartow’s museums or baseball parks in Atlanta and Rome.

From a media release: Forrest Street Partners 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 56 acres off Joe Frank Harris Parkway, just west of I-75 in Emerson.

Situated along the Etowah River, just four miles from Red Top Mountain State Park at Lake Allatoona, Winding

Waters 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, the resort will feature cabins, vintage airstreams and glamping tents.

“Winding Waters provides overnight and weekly accommodation options that are missing in metro Atlanta,” said FSP partner Reece Stead, adding that “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 Kevin Mcburnett, Emerson city manager, “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.”

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 groundup 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.

Forrest Street Partners Water will be a big focus of the planned luxury RV park in Emerson, with river activities but also a pool, lazy river, slides and room for games. The overall price tag: $16 million.

Forrest Street Partners Winding Waters is planned for the Etowah River in Emerson with 252 RV sites, cabins and glamping. Ground has been broken and a 2023 completion is targeted.