Forsyth County officials are no longer considering Tanglewood Park for a multiuse agricultural event center.
The park is one of the county's largest tourist attractions and is home to the annual Festival of Lights. The news comes after strong opposition from some community members.
Wind back to 2016. That's when Forsyth County voters approved a bond referendum that included $5 million for the event center. The location wasn't finalized, but the county later recommended Tanglewood Park near Clemmons. They thought it was an ideal spot because of the horse stables and space for possible concerts and other activities.
Local residents worried that it would bring more noise, traffic and other issues. They also say they weren't informed of the county's plans and a petition opposing the project soon followed. After several community meetings and an online survey, Forsyth County Manager Dudley Watts says it's off the table now.
“So we are looking at other potential sites around the county and we're going to go back to the parked property that we had and then a few other sites have emerged," says Watts.
Watts says the online survey showed that nearly 89% of respondents were opposed to the event center being located in Tanglewood Park. It also showed 55% were in favor of having the facility somewhere in Forsyth County.
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