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How "gun" (OC/CC) Friendly is the Dollywood & Sevierville Area?

tcox4freedom

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 11, 2009
Messages
94
Location
, South Carolina, USA
I did a search and couldn't find much.

I'm taking the family to the Sevierville area & Dollywood. I'm just checking in to see how gun friendly the area is.

Can you CC/OC at Dollywood?

What about places on the strip in Pigeon Forge & Gatlingburg?

Thanks
 

Nascar24Glock

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2011
Messages
252
Location
Johnson City, TN
I did a search and couldn't find much.

I'm taking the family to the Sevierville area & Dollywood. I'm just checking in to see how gun friendly the area is.

Can you CC/OC at Dollywood?

What about places on the strip in Pigeon Forge & Gatlingburg?

Thanks

As far as the law is concerned, here is what you need to know.

Obviously, don't carry in schools (colleges included) or courthouses. Also, you will need a permit to OC or CC in Tennessee, whether on foot or in a car (doesn't matter which state; we recognize them all).

Now, regarding private property, Tennessee does give legal authority to businesses to prohibit carry on their property. The sign(s) that they post must be at every reasonable entrance and must meet one of two conditions: (1) it must contain specific wording from the statute (look up TCA 39-13-1359 if you want to read it), or (2) it must have a gun buster symbol (gun with a red circle-slash). If the business has one of these two types of signs, it carries the weight of law (meaning that, in theory, you can be arrested for carrying past the sign, regardless of whether the owner or person-in-charge of the business asks you to leave). If it has a sign that says weapons are prohibited but doesn't meet the above criteria, the business can still ask you to leave (and you could be the test case for what counts as legal signage).

Now, on to your main questions. I'm pretty certain Dollywood has a posted policy against firearms; but I'm not sure as to whether it meets the criteria I listed above for being legal signage. Also, I have seen few, if any, OC'ers from that area on this forum. However, if Pigeon Forge/Sevierville and Gatlinburg are anything like Knoxville or eastern Tennessee, I don't imagine you'll run into any serious issues.
 

Fallguy

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2007
Messages
715
Location
McKenzie Tennessee, USA
Whether a place is posted with a sign that meets the requirements of 39-17-1359 or not, you must leave if asked to leave, otherwise you can be charged with trespassing.

So even though Dollywood may not have a "legal" sign, if you OC it's more than likely you'd be told to leave.

Also just a bit of clarification on TN law Court"houses" are not off-limits (unless posted) only "rooms" where a judicial proceeding is taking place. So even a courtroom is not off-limits when court not is not in session, but a conference room would be a deposition is taking place.
 

tcox4freedom

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 11, 2009
Messages
94
Location
, South Carolina, USA
Thanks guys

I went to the Dollywood website and couldn't find anything. I had planned on CC'ing most of the time because my MIL is a big AG person; and I want to keep the peace. So, my wife & I usually keep our firearms out of site out of mind when we're around her. (I just don't want my wife & I to get to the gate and have to go all the way back to the car.)

I do hope to OC some while I'm up there. I don't get to OC much in SC. So, I look forward to having the opportunity in TN.

-
 

Nascar24Glock

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2011
Messages
252
Location
Johnson City, TN
Whether a place is posted with a sign that meets the requirements of 39-17-1359 or not, you must leave if asked to leave, otherwise you can be charged with trespassing.

So even though Dollywood may not have a "legal" sign, if you OC it's more than likely you'd be told to leave.

Also just a bit of clarification on TN law Court"houses" are not off-limits (unless posted) only "rooms" where a judicial proceeding is taking place. So even a courtroom is not off-limits when court not is not in session, but a conference room would be a deposition is taking place.

Hmm, interesting. In that case, Fallguy, I have a question.

The Washington County Courthouse in downtown Johnson City has several services inside it (including paying property taxes and, in the past, car tag fees). The metal detectors for the court rooms are about 30 feet inside the door. The property tax counter is within that 30 feet section. However, there's a sign posted on the door that basically implies that it's illegal to carry in the entire building. So, is it illegal to carry in the 30 feet or so before the metal detectors? If not, then is their sign wrong?
 

KBCraig

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Joined
Aug 7, 2007
Messages
4,886
Location
Granite State of Mind
Last edited:

Fallguy

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2007
Messages
715
Location
McKenzie Tennessee, USA
Hmm, interesting. In that case, Fallguy, I have a question.

The Washington County Courthouse in downtown Johnson City has several services inside it (including paying property taxes and, in the past, car tag fees). The metal detectors for the court rooms are about 30 feet inside the door. The property tax counter is within that 30 feet section. However, there's a sign posted on the door that basically implies that it's illegal to carry in the entire building. So, is it illegal to carry in the 30 feet or so before the metal detectors? If not, then is their sign wrong?

If the courthouse is properly posted then it is illegal to carry there (anywhere in the building), but that is because it's posted and not because it is a courthouse.

Some states have laws about carry and metal detectors, but TN doesn't.

Here is the law I am talking about...

39-17-1306. Carrying weapons during judicial proceedings.

(a) No person shall intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly carry on or about the person while inside any room in which judicial proceedings are in progress any weapon prohibited by § 39-17-1302(a), for the purpose of going armed; provided, that if the weapon carried is a firearm, the person is in violation of this section regardless of whether the weapon is carried for the purpose of going armed.

(b) Any person violating subsection (a) commits a Class E felony.

(c) The provisions of subsection (a) shall not apply to any person who:

(1) Is in the actual discharge of official duties as a law enforcement officer, or is employed in the army, air force, navy, coast guard or marine service of the United States or any member of the Tennessee national guard in the line of duty and pursuant to military regulations, or is in the actual discharge of official duties as a guard employed by a penal institution, or as a bailiff, marshal or other court officer who has responsibility for protecting persons or property or providing security;

(2) Has been directed by a court to bring the firearm for purposes of providing evidence; or

(3) Is in the actual discharge of official duties as a judge, and:

(A) Is authorized to carry a handgun pursuant to § 39-17-1351;

(B) Successfully completes sixteen (16) hours of POST court security training;

(C) Successfully completes eight (8) hours of POST firearm training on an annual basis; and

(D) Is vested with judicial powers under § 16-1-101.
 
Last edited:

tcox4freedom

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 11, 2009
Messages
94
Location
, South Carolina, USA

tcox4freedom

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 11, 2009
Messages
94
Location
, South Carolina, USA
It's pretty well buried, and you have to know where to look. I found it because their website is configured like their sister property, Silver Dollar City.

I remember visiting Dollywood when it was still "Silver Dollar City". (40+ yrs ago) But, this will be our first trip to "Dollywood".

I also loved the "Fire-in-the-Hole" ride at SDC in Branson when I was a kid. (over 35yrs ago)
 
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