Why Kingsport?

Jeff -

I love your informative messages about important facts and rankings for the City of Kingsport. The other day I was responding to a person about all that Kingsport has to offer and the numerous projects going on in and around the city. I was trying to put everything you had recently shared with us via your e-mails into one note. I started off with your list:

Total City & County property taxes on a $200,000 home in Kingsport, Tennessee = $2,395 per year

For a family of 4....

- No solid waste, garbage, trash or recycling fees
- No special school tax
- No special district tax
- No wheel tax (in Sullivan County)
- No state income tax on salaries/wages
- No personal property tax
- No vehicle inspection fees
- No annual vehicle taxes of any kind
- Water/Sewer = $65 per month
- Electricity = $64 per month
- Natural Gas = $100 per month
- Digital Cable = $60 per month
- Internationally accredited police and fire departments

Then, I added a compiled list based on messages you have sent to the e-mail list over the past few months:

- Kingsport ranked 95th nationally as the best place to do business

- Forbes ranked Kingsport 3rd in the nation this year as the lowest cost to do business

- Kingsport/Bristol ranked 45th in nation for home price appreciation

- Kingsport ranked first this year in the region in best tasting water

- Kingsport/Bristol ranked 70 in nation's top 100 places to retire

- Kingsport's Dobyns Bennett ranked in the top 5% of America's high schools

- Kingsport ranked by Medical Economic Magazine as one of America’s Best Places to Practice Medicine. The unsolicited ranking had Kingsport as the only Tennessee city to qualify, one of only 6 cities in Mid-South / South Atlantic, and one of 29 nationwide.

- Sperling’s Best Places for 2007 ranked Kingsport/Bristol and Johnson City as the state's 2nd and 3rd best places (respectively, behind Knoxville)

- In 2007, 8 of the region’s Top 20 busiest non-interstate roadways were in Kingsport, 4 were in Johnson City, 4 were in Greeneville, 3 were in Elizabethton, and 1 was in Gate City/Weber City, VA

THEN I added items related to current development and redevelopment:

- East Stone Commons (former Kingsport Mall in final phase of occupancy)
- Kingsport Pavilion (former Mason-Dixon truck terminal)
- Reedy Creek Terrace (former bakery)
- Crown Point Shopping Center (Food City/Shops/Restaurant Redevelopment)
- Riverbend Centre - Dining and shopping complex on Ft. Henry Drive overlooking Holston River
- Second Lowe's being built in West Kingsport

New and Planned Restaurants:

- Edo Sushi Bar and Grill
- Kaffe Blue
- Panera Bread
- Starbucks

And I added the new housing projects:

The Edinburgh – A planned neighborhood of 300+ home sites surrounding Kingsport’s newest elementary school

Skyland Falls – A 15-acre gated community being built off Alderwood Drive featuring 72 ranch-style condominiums

The Villas at Netherland Lane – A Mitch Cox Development Group planned community featuring 40 villa homes across from Asbury Place

Settler's Ridge – A patio home development featuring 110 units on Woods Way off Memorial Boulevard in Kingsport

Other patio home developments include Cooks Point at the corner of Harbor Chapel Road and Cooks Valley Road; Pinebrook Place off Stone Drive; and Cobblestone Place off Stone Drive

Who could forget the EVENTS:

The Santa Train
Funfest
Twilight Alive Thursday concerts
Bluegrass On Broadstreet Friday concerts
Sculpture Walk
Parades: 4th of July, Funfest, Christmas

Planned Sites:

Kingsport Landing
Tennessee Interstate 26 Welcome Center

Legacy Sites:

MeadowView Resort and Conference Center (recent expansion of facilities)
Allandale Mansion (ongoing improvements via City leaders and Friends of Allandale)
Bays Mountain Park
Exchange Place
The Netherland Inn House Museum and Boatyard Complex
Kingsport Greenbelt
Kingsport Renaissance Center

Regional Items:

Allegiant Air – The Tri-City Regional Airport's first-ever low-fare airline with direct flights to Orlando

I'm sure I left some things out, but I am so proud of our city and of the efforts of the city leaders to make Kingsport even better!

Sincerely yours,

Steve Cook