“We’re a small town with a big city feel, a tourist destination for the surrounding region,” says Walley. “We’re about 45 minutes from many other cities of substantial size, which allows us to be an economic, retail, and commercial workplace hub for those cities and rural communities around us.” This strategic location along Highway 64, which stretches across Tennessee, positions Savannah as a crucial commercial nexus. The city’s retail infrastructure includes major retailers like Lowe’s, Walmart, and Kroger, drawing shoppers from surrounding communities that lack such amenities. This robust commercial presence, combined with excellent schools and expanding recreational facilities, creates an attractive environment for residents and visitors.“Our location makes us unique,” Walley explains. “Being on the river and the lake brings in multi-state tourism, while our position between existing marinas creates opportunities for growth in the aquatic sector.” HOW TOURISM DRIVES SAVANNAH’S ECONOMY Tourism is the backbone of Savannah’s economic vitality, with visitor traffic driving development across multiple sectors.“Tourism is really our driving force,” White explains.“If we can bring more people into town and have something going on, it ups our traffic count numbers and puts retail, restaurant, and commercial interest in Savannah.”This strategic approach transforms a city of 7,200 residents into a bustling hub that accommodates up to 25,000 people during peak periods. This tourism-centric approach has yielded significant results in infrastructure development. “It’s brought us the marina, the hotel that’s coming up down by the river, and the amphitheater project,” says White. “We have all these events waiting for somewhere to go and all these people coming into town waiting for somewhere to stay.”The city currently loses some overnight visitors to neighboring areas, a situation that new developments aim to address. White emphasizes tourism’s role in shaping economic development strategy: “In my list of priorities - retail, restaurant, commercial, large event - the large event really comes before the others. Our tourism is our driving force, and what we have to work with at this point in time.” This focus on events and attractions continues to attract commercial interest, creating a virtuous cycle of growth and development that benefits both visitors and residents. MAIN STREET PROGRAMS AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION Savannah’s downtown district pulses with activity, 161 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 02 SAVANNAH, TN
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