A new lap of luxury is creeping closer to completion at Fall Creek Falls State Park.

Construction on the hotel and vacation resort has experienced good progress, according to the state, and is on schedule for completion this fall.

The facility will include an 85-room lodge with the most modern room features, a full-service restaurant overlooking Fall Creek Lake, and conference space.

It’s an estimated $29.4 million project.

“The guestroom portion of construction is projected to be complete the first week in April,” said David Roberson, director of the Tennessee Department of General Services. “The rest of the interior work in the facility is also in progress. The kitchen and banquet hall equipment installation preparation is in progress also.”

Getting to this point has been a years-long process. The old inn closed in the spring of 2018 to prepare for demolition. After the old building was leveled, a groundbreaking ceremony took place in January, 2019.

In other updates, Roberson said, “The building has permanent heating and cooling. The facility is completely dried in and all spaces are conditioned. Finish work with all applicable trades is in progress throughout the facility. The processes for ordering furniture and procuring the equipment for the operations are ongoing, as well as installation of audio equipment and wireless access points.”

The new hotel and resort at Fall Creek Falls is part of more than $175 million in capital projects appropriated for Tennessee’s 56 state parks since 2011. Fall Creek Falls has received $40 million of those funds, or about 23%.