Ohio Family’s Second Home Seized by Pigeon Forge Sparks Eminent Domain Dispute

The City of Pigeon Forge is embroiled in a controversial dispute with an Ohio family, Doug and Mika Race, after employing eminent domain to seize their second home.

The Races, known for their YouTube documentation of the struggle, claim the city unjustly took their property to facilitate the expansion of the Westside Connector, a project aimed at alleviating traffic congestion on Pigeon Forge’s Parkway.

Contrary to the family’s allegations, city officials stated that the Races bought the property for $306,000 as an investment but refused a $539,000 offer, countering with an exorbitant $1.5 million.

The ongoing negotiations, which commenced in March 2023, culminated in the City ordaining the Races to vacate the premises after they declined to utilize the property for its intended purpose as an overnight rental.

The plans for the controversial Westside Connector, endorsed during a City Commission meeting in November 2021, included routing the road through the Races’ property at 362 Ogle Dr., which they acquired in August 2022 from their hometown of Chillicothe, Ohio.

City officials endeavored to reach a financial settlement by offering compensation totaling $490,000, equivalent to the appraised value of the property at $489,665, but impasses in negotiations persisted as the Races adamantly countered with unrealistic figures.

After futile attempts to resolve the impasse, the City of Pigeon Forge initiated condemnation proceedings for the property, leading to a motion filed by the city attorney to pay off the Races’ mortgage following their voluntary relinquishment of the property in May 2024.

In a complex legal battle fueled by conflicting valuations and property usage disputes, the essence of eminent domain and property rights continues to be a contentious issue between the Races and Pigeon Forge authorities.