McMinn County Economic Development Authority

Recreation

You'll have no problem unwinding in McMinn County. Whether your sport is played on the court, on the course, in the field or on - or in - the water, we can meet your needs.

Golf

In keeping with the phenomenally growing popularity of the sport, there are four golf courses in McMinn County and six courses located in adjacent or nearby counties.

Privately-owned Springbrook Golf and Country Club boasts an 18-hole course. The members-only club, located in Niota, also has a swimming pool, tennis courts and a restaurant. McMinn County boasts four golf courses, while six more courses are located in adjacent counties. Several courses are planning expansions, while there are prospects for several other courses in the area.

Ridgewood is a public 18-hole course located between Athens and Etowah. The course also features a driving range.

The White Oaks Golf Club is an 18-hole public course featuring a driving range located between Athens and Decatur, Tennessee.

Willow Springs Golf Course is located on Congress Parkway in Athens. The public course features an 18-hole executive course, pro shop, clubhouse and putting green.

Located in adjoining Meigs County, the nine-hole Lakehaven course is located adjacent to the backwaters of the scenic Hiwassee River.

Madisonville boasts a publicly owned nine-hole course. Also located in Monroe County is Rarity Bay, the private 18-hole course affiliated with Tellico Village Lake Resort. Regardless of your level of play, local instructors can improve your tennis game. Tournaments and clinics also will hone your skills.

Tennis

Tennis is served up on city courts in Athens, Etowah and Englewood and courts on school campuses. Athens, through its Parks and Recreation Department, conducts summer tennis lessons for all ages and levels of play. The agency also hosts the annual Athens Open Tennis Tournament, which attracts players from throughout the region.

The Athens-McMinn Family YMCA offers a racquetball court.

Soccer

The fastest growing sport in the area is soccer. Boys' and girls' leagues play in Athens, Etowah and Englewood. The McMinn County Soccer League of more than 300 players is affiliated with the American Youth Soccer League.

Softball

More than 500 adults compete in softball leagues throughout the county. A five-field softball complex being developed by the Athens Parks and Recreation Department at the city's Regional Park is nearing completion. Though unfinished with one more field to be constructed, the complex draws numerous tournaments to Athens each year.

Water Recreation

With Watts Bar Lake and the Tennessee and Hiwassee Rivers nearby, water-related recreation is a popular pastime.

The Ocoee River was the home of the 1996 Olympic Games' whitewater events. You don't have to be an Olympian to experience the thrills of whitewater sports such as kayaking and rafting.

Watts Bar Lake, located on the Tennessee River, is an excellent location for largemouth and smallmouth bass, crappie and catfish fishing. Skiing and sailing also are popular activities on the lake and several marinas, boat docks and public boat ramps are located on the waterway.

If exhilaration is what you crave, some of the country's best whitewater rafting, kayaking and canoeing is less than an hour away on the Ocoee River in neighboring Polk County. According to the International Scale of River Difficulty, the Ocoee boasts Class IV rapids such as "Slingshot" and "Diamond Splitter."

The Ocoee was the site of the 1996 Olympic Games' whitewater events. Several whitewater rafting guide services are available.

A less intense river ride is available on the Hiwassee River, which is designated as a national scenic river. The Hiwassee is primarily a Class I and Class II waterway, but some sections may be considered Class III rapids areas. The Hiwassee also features trophy trout fishing.

Athens, Calhoun, Englewood, Etowah, Niota and McMinn County all offer parks and facilities for business and family entertainment. Parks, including softball diamonds, soccer fields and picnic facilities, are available in the county and municipalities for use by the public and can be rented for special events.

Athens, Etowah and Englewood operate outdoor municipal swimming pools. The Athens-McMinn Family YMCA operates a year-round indoor pool.

YMCA

In addition to its indoor swimming pool and racquetball court, the Athens-McMinn Family YMCA offers weight training, circuit training, an indoor running track and a basketball court. Classes are available in aerobics, gymnastics and swimming, while league play includes volleyball, basketball and swimming.

The "Y" also provides daycare, after-school care and summer day care. Several membership types are available as are reduced rate memberships through a corporate sponsorship program.

Communications

The Daily Post-Athenian, a five-day daily newspaper, six radio stations and television stations in Knoxville and Chattanooga representing all major networks, keep local residents informed of happenings. More than 45 stations are provided by cable television.

The primary local telephone service is provided by BellSouth. Englewood, Niota and Riceville telephone service is provided by the Tellico Telephone Company.

Museums

Preserving the area's history and cultural heritage are the McMinn County Living Heritage Museum, the L&N Depot Museum, the Swift Aircraft Museum and the Englewood Textile Museum.

The McMinn County Living Heritage Museum attracts thousands of visitors annually to its special programs highlighting East Tennessee history and culture. One of the most popular events is the annual quilt show.

The Living Heritage Museum, located in Athens, houses more than 7,000 artifacts tracing the county's history from 1745 to today. More than 30 exhibits are on display and special exhibits are scheduled throughout the year.

The L&N Depot Museum, located in Etowah, is a restored turn-of-the-century railroad depot. The facility houses a historical museum, an art gallery and the offices of the Etowah Arts Commission, the Tennessee Overhill Heritage Association and the city's Chamber of Commerce.

Located at the McMinn County Airport midway between Athens and Etowah is the Swift Aircraft Museum. The Swift, one of the first mass-produced "sports planes," has an international following of aviation enthusiasts. In addition to displays of the historic airplanes, an annual "fly-in" and airshow is hosted by the Swift Association on Memorial Day.

Mayfield Dairy Farms Inc. offers daily tours at its ice cream and milk processing plant in Athens along with an exhibit on dairy farming history and an ice cream parlor. The Englewood Textile Museum recounts the history of the town's textile mills and the women who worked there. The museum presents the unique perspective of the role of the garment industry on a small town's life.

Other regional attractions include The Lost Sea in Sweetwater in neighboring Monroe County. The underground cavern houses the largest natural underground lake in the world. Chattanooga is the home of the Tennessee Aquarium, the largest freshwater aquarium in the United States.

Arts

No fewer than 12 arts organizations are busy maintaining the area's cultural livelihood. There are community bands, community choral groups and clubs emphasizing visual arts and theatrical groups.

Both Athens and Etowah operate arts councils, which sponsor events such as concerts from classically trained musicians to shows of work by national and local artists. The community's schools are prime beneficiaries of the agencies' efforts.

Civic organizations

The McMinn County community is served by a host of civic, fraternal, social and professional organizations. The groups include, but are not limited to: Civitans, Ruritans, Pilot Clubs, Lions Clubs, Rotary Clubs and Kiwanis.

The Athens Area Chamber of Commerce and the Etowah Area Chamber of Commerce offices can provide you with a comprehensive list of the clubs, their meeting times and officials to contact if you're interested in membership.

Health care

Residents in McMinn County are fortunate to be served by two well-equipped hospitals with 24-hour emergency rooms, several clinics and a roster of physicians and health care specialists who can cover just about any medical need.

Athens Regional Medical Center, located in Athens, is a 118-bed facility that offers a full complement of acute care and ancillary services, and is affiliated with Lifepoint Hospitals, Inc. The excellent and extensive advanced technologies offered close to home are unique for a rural hospital. An in-house MRI,PET/CT scanning, ultrasound, lithotripsy, a sleep lab, diabetes center, oncology unit, diagnostic care center, and complete childbirth services including a Level IIa nursery, are just a part of what the hospital has to offer. A wide variety of industrial and community wellness programs are also offered. The medical staff consists of over 160 highly trained physicians covering a wide variety of specialties. The Emergency Department, which is a designated Level III Trauma Center and Primary Pediatric Care Provider, is staffed by physicians trained in emergency medicine 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In 2005, Athens Regional was the recipient of Lifepoint Hospital's “High Five” Award for outstanding performance in all five of the company's core values. These values include quality patient care; creating an excellent workplace for employees; supporting physicians; providing community value; and, ensuring financial responsibility.

Woods Memorial Hospital, located in Etowah, is a Restoration Healthcare, Inc. owned facility and is a joint venture between a management company and a group of McMinn County physicians. Woods Memorial Hospital was listed on the 1996 100 Top Hospitals Benchmarks for Success. Services offered by Woods include home health, hospice, a regional dialysis center, a weight management program, an occupational health clinic, birthing center and a better breathing center. Woods also operates the county's ambulance service and a nursing home.

Both Athens Regional Medical Center and Woods Memorial Hospital have received the Tennessee Quality Award.

Regional trauma centers are located at the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville and Erlanger Medical Center in Chattanooga. Both facilities offer helicopter ambulance services during crisis situations.

Including Woods' McMinn Memorial Nursing Home, there are five nursing homes in McMinn County, and five agencies offer home health care services. Several assisted living centers are located in McMinn County.

The McMinn County Health Department, which is jointly funded by the Tennessee Department of Health and McMinn County government, offers immunization, testing and check-ups for children.

Services for the mentally retarded and the developmentally disabled are available from the Tri-County Center and Signal Centers Incorporated. The Tri-County Center offers education, training and employment in its sheltered workshop environment for disabled adults. The Signal Center is an early intervention program for handicapped children up to age three.

Mental health services are provided through Hiwassee Mental Health Center. The center, with offices in Athens and Cleveland, provides counseling and rehabilitative services to children and adults.

Real estate

McMinn County may soon be the place you call home, and rest assured finding a home here shouldn't be difficult, either. There are no fewer than 10 real estate agencies in the county.

Housing prices, of course, vary. Executive homes can range from the low $100,000s to the mid $300,000s. Two- to three-bedroom starter homes start around $65,000, although lower-priced existing homes are available.

Building lots in restricted subdivisions can range in price from $10,000 to $30,000. Larger tracts can range from $2,500 to $10,000 an acre, depending upon location and existing land use.