For Mika and Doug Race, their house in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, was more than just a second home. It was a dream come true—a place where they could build a legacy for their family. In August 2022, the Races bought a charming 1,047-square-foot home on 362 Ogle Drive for $306,000. The house, which Mika described as having “fallen into their lap,” was a perfect fit for their family, and they spent months lovingly renovating it.
But in a twist that has left them devastated, the Races discovered that their family home was on the path of a new road project. The city of Pigeon Forge had approved the Westside Connection Route, a plan that would eventually lead to the demolition of their house.
“This was going to be in our family for generations,” Mika shared during an emotional Zoom interview with WBIR. “It wasn’t monetary… This was about building a legacy.”
The city had approved the road project nine months before the Races purchased the home, but the family says they were unaware of these plans. The Westside Connection, aimed at providing an alternative route to bypass the heavy traffic on the Parkway, would connect Pine Mountain Road and West Mill Creek Road, cutting directly through the Races’ property.
The home was demolished in early July 2024.
Knoxville lawyer John Valliant Jr., who has decades of experience in real estate law, explained the powers of eminent domain: “The federal government, state government, county government, [and] city government has the power of eminent domain. They can take that property, but they have to pay you fair market value for it.”
The Races were first informed about the city’s plans to take their home on March 6, 2023. They immediately went to City Hall, hoping to challenge the decision. Mika has since made multiple public comments at city council meetings, questioning the change in the road’s route.
“We learned that the road was initially going through the undeveloped campground,” Mika explained. “The road moved to come through our house, and so we ask, ‘Why did the road get moved?'”
The city of Pigeon Forge appraised the property as a commercial lot, valuing it at $489,665. Despite this, the Races felt the appraisal was unfair, noting that their documents listed the property as residential, while the city maintained it was zoned commercial.
In October 2023, the city offered the Races $490,000, but the family countered with $3 million—a figure they believe more accurately reflects the value and the emotional significance of their home.
As the legal battle continues, the Races are left grappling with the loss of their home and the sense that the system has failed them. “That’s all we’ve ever asked, is to make it right,” Mika said. “We never asked for anything other than what rightfully belongs to our family. And everything about this smells wrong, everything about it looks wrong.”
While the city has made efforts to compensate the family, including paying off their mortgage, the Races remain determined to seek justice for what they feel was an unfair and deeply painful process.
Read the Statement from Pigeon Forge City Manager Earlene Teaster – July 11, 2024
