Scenic Land Company

What Scenic Land Company does

Scenic Land Company, LLC is a privately held real estate development firm founded in 2008 and headquartered on Lookout Mountain, Georgia, with operations spanning the Chattanooga MSA across Georgia and Tennessee. The company specializes in transforming underutilized or distressed land into master-planned, mixed-use communities and operates a portfolio anchored by McLemore Resort, a 2,000-plus acre mountaintop development at 2,300 feet elevation. Core assets include 400+ residential home sites, two 18-hole golf courses (Highlands Course and The Keep), the 245-room Cloudland hotel under Hilton's Curio Collection (opened February 2024), and ancillary hospitality venues including the 10,000 sq ft Creag Clubhouse, Croft Restaurant, and The Pocket Cafe. Additional projects include The Keep golf course (opened September 2024), Brow Wood (160-acre active adult community), Thrive Senior Living, West Village at McLemore (500 acres), Golf Village at McLemore, and The Village of Oakbrook (140 acres in Ooltewah, Tennessee). The company's product surface spans real estate, hospitality, golf, and senior living verticals.

The firm operates as project principal rather than a pure fee-for-service developer, evidenced by its $171.94M bond financing for Cloudland construction and its role as owner of multiple Scenic Land Investments entities. Its technology stack is conventional real estate development tooling—integrated engineering, architecture, entitlements, and construction management services—rather than a proprietary software platform. Strategic delivery relies on a vetted partner ecosystem: Hart Howerton for master planning, Bergin Golf Designs and Rees Jones for golf course architecture, AR Homes as preferred residential builder, GenTech Construction (a related entity under common ownership) for construction, Valor Hospitality for hotel management, and Tinker Ma for architecture. The Highlands Course redesign (2020) earned Golf Digest's "Best Finishing Hole in America Since the Year 2000" and LINKS Magazine's "Top 10 Finishing Holes in the World," anchoring brand differentiation.

Revenue is generated through three primary streams: real estate development services (professional services fees), land and residential lot sales (one-time transactions), and hospitality operations including hotel, golf, and food and beverage (managed services). Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. The company reports estimated total project value at completion of $1 billion across 2,000+ developed acres, with active bond and private equity financing. Customer segments span affluent resort and golf enthusiasts, property owners and developers, senior living residents, business and event travelers, and the East Hamilton County community requiring new commercial and residential services. The go-to-market motion is enterprise field sales, targeting property owners, municipalities, government agencies, and private investors.

Name

Scenic Land Company

Legal name

Scenic Land Company, LLC

Website

https://sceniclandcompany.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Scenic Land Company is a Chattanooga-based real estate developer that plans, designs, and builds master-planned mountaintop communities across Lookout Mountain in Georgia and Tennessee, serving affluent resort, residential, senior living, and hospitality customers through integrated development, hospitality, and golf operations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Real Estate Development

NAICS

Landscape Architectural Services (541320)

SIC

Land Subdividers & Developers (No Cemeteries) (6552), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), General Bldg Contractors - Residential Bldgs (1520)

akta.pro primary industry

Transitional/Development Land Brokerage (Entitled, In-Path-of-Growth) (BPAJADAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Land & Development Site Brokerage (BPAJABAG), Rural Residential & Acreage Homesites Brokerage (BPAJADAE), Rural & Countryside Homes (THAMAAAI), Landscape Architecture & Site Design (BPAHAKAC)

Keywords

• Real estate development
• Master-planned communities
• Mixed-use development
• Hospitality operations
• Resort land development

Headquarters

HQ city

Chattanooga

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Real Estate Development Services: Comprehensive development services including master planning, engineering, architecture, value engineering, programming, entitlements, rezoning, permitting, legal services, financing sourcing, equity sourcing, infrastructure, contracting, public-private partnerships, government agency engagement, marketing, public relations, and community relations.
2. Land Development and Sales: Development of master-planned communities with residential home sites sold to individual buyers. Projects include McLemore Resort with 400+ residential home sites and Golf Village with 100 planned homes.
3. Hospitality Operations: Hotel and resort operations through franchise partnerships including Cloudland (Hilton Curio Collection) and resort amenities such as golf courses, clubhouse, and restaurants.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Scenic Land Company is a real estate development firm that transforms under-developed and failed land holdings into master-planned, mixed-use communities across the Lookout Mountain region of Georgia and Tennessee. The company provides end-to-end services—master planning, engineering, architecture, entitlements, financing sourcing, construction management, marketing, and community relations—and owns/operates a portfolio of resort, residential, hospitality, golf, and senior living assets anchored by the McLemore Resort, Cloudland hotel, and multiple residential developments.

Product overview

Scenic Land Company is a real estate development company offering a portfolio of master-planned communities and hospitality properties. The core offering consists of multi-use developments (McLemore Resort, West Village at McLemore, Village of Oakbrook), residential communities (Brow Wood, Golf Village at McLemore), senior living facilities (Thrive Senior Living), and hospitality venues (Cloudland Hotel, The Creag Clubhouse, Croft Restaurant, The Pocket Cafe). The company also provides comprehensive real estate development services including master planning, engineering, architecture, entitlements, financing, construction management, and marketing. Projects span hospitality, residential, commercial, and golf uses across the Lookout Mountain region in Georgia and Tennessee.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• McLemore Resort: A master-planned mountaintop community located atop Lookout Mountain in northwest Georgia, featuring hospitality, residential, and golf amenities.
• Cloudland
• Brow Wood
• The Village of Oakbrook

Products and services

• McLemore Resort A 2,000-plus acre master-planned mountaintop community atop Lookout Mountain, Georgia, at 2,300 feet above sea level, comprising 400-plus residential home sites, two 18-hole golf courses (Highlands Course and The Keep), the Cloudland hotel, clubhouse, and resort amenities for owners, members, and guests.
• Cloudland Hotel A 245-room luxury hotel under Hilton Worldwide's Curio Collection with 33,535 square feet of conference space, two restaurants, coffee shop, fitness facility, full-service spa, cliff-edge infinity pool, event lawn, and outdoor cliff-edge bar and grille, serving leisure travelers, corporate groups, and events at McLemore Resort.
• The Keep Golf Course An 18-hole cliff-edge golf course designed by Bill Bergin and Rees Jones on a 200-acre mountain plateau on Lookout Mountain, Georgia, with 1.5 miles of uninterrupted cliff-edge and five natural streams, operated as a member-and-guest play facility.
• Highlands Course (Redesign) An internationally recognized 18-hole golf course at McLemore Resort, redesigned by Rees Jones and Bill Bergin, with average green fees around $200 per round.
• Brow Wood A 160-acre master-planned residential community on Lookout Mountain, Georgia, designed for active adults, featuring architecturally designed custom homes and three on-site state-of-the-art independent living, assisted living, and memory care facilities.
• Golf Village at McLemore A 10-plus acre master-planned community within McLemore Resort of elegantly designed detached single-family homes beside the Highlands Course driving range, marketed as a maintenance-free community with homes built by AR Homes as preferred builder.
• West Village at McLemore A 500-acre planned multi-use development along the western edge of Lookout Mountain with planned residential, recreational, retail, and civic amenities including fitness center, tennis courts, swimming pools, pickleball courts, playground, restaurant, community park, amphitheater, event lawn, and fire station.
• Thrive Senior Living A luxury assisted living and memory care facility on Lookout Mountain, Georgia, licensed by the State of Georgia, offering residents help with daily living tasks in a residential community that supports independence, with a licensed nurse available as needed.
• The Village of Oakbrook A 140-acre multi-use commercial and residential development in Ooltewah, Tennessee, on the last buildable parcel before Parker's Gap, with over 1,000 feet of frontage on East Brainerd Road, serving the fast-growing East Hamilton County area of the Chattanooga MSA.
• Golf Training Center A 5,000-plus square foot indoor/outdoor golf training facility at McLemore Resort with five driving range bays, Callaway Toptracer advanced ball tracking technology, a bar and grille, and a retail store, serving resort guests, members, and visitors.
• Real Estate Development Services Comprehensive real estate development services provided to property owners, municipalities, government agencies, and private investors, covering master planning, engineering, architecture, value engineering, programming, entitlements, rezoning, permitting, legal services, financing sourcing, equity sourcing, infrastructure, contracting, public-private partnerships, government agency engagement, marketing, public relations, and community relations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Transformed McLemore Resort from failed development (rounds as low as $25) to premium destination ($200 average round price)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• AR HomescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAR Homes is one of the largest networks of independently owned and operated homebuilding companies in the nation, with franchised homebuilders throughout Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. They serve as the preferred residential home builder for McLemore Resort and Golf Village developments.
• GenTech ConstructioncoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGenTech Construction provides value-added construction services that exceed client expectations through a combination of teamwork, communication, collaboration and personal integrity, targeting the Tri-State area of Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia. Owner Duane Horton is also President of Scenic Land Company.
• Hart HowertoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHart Howerton is a team of planners, architects, landscape architects and interior designers headquartered in New York and San Francisco with a network of domestic and international offices. They serve as master planners for McLemore Resort developments including the Golf Village master plan.
• Bill Bergin / Bergin Golf DesignscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBill Bergin has been involved in the planning and design of over 120 golf projects, including Richland Country Club, Santa Rosa Golf & Beach Club, Minnesota Valley, and 36 holes at Tennessee Grasslands. Bergin designed The Highlands Course and The Keep at McLemore Resort alongside Rees Jones.
• Hilton WorldwidecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHilton Worldwide is the franchisor for Cloudland hotel under the Curio Collection brand. Hilton provides global distribution, reservation systems, loyalty program (Hilton Honors), and brand standards. Cloudland features 245 rooms and is located on Lookout Mountain, Georgia.
• Rees Jones, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRees Jones, Inc. is a golf course design firm founded in 1974 and headquartered in Montclair, New Jersey. The firm has redesigned venues that have hosted numerous major championships, earning founder Rees Jones the nickname 'The Open Doctor.' Jones co-designed The Highlands Course and The Keep at McLemore with Bill Bergin.
• Tinker MamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTinker Ma is a Chattanooga architecture and design firm stewarding sustainable community enhancement through creativity, professional leadership, and technical expertise. Partners Thomas Palmer, Craig Peavy, Jessica Stack, and Trey Wheeler lead a team of 14 architects and designers. Portfolio includes hospitality, urban design, education, healthcare, multi-family housing, and government projects.
• Valor Hospitality PartnerscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerValor Hospitality Partners is a proven hospitality management company of alternative thinking enthusiasts driven by excellence and achievement of top and bottom line targets. Their on-time/on-budget ethos, combined with willingness to invest directly in projects, ensures alignment with owners and investors. They serve as hotel management company for McLemore Resort.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves15 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Five Point Holdings: Five Point Holdings develops large-scale master-planned communities in California, including Great Park Neighborhoods. Its model of taking raw or underutilized land through entitlements to deliver integrated residential and mixed-use communities directly parallels Scenic Land's transformation playbook at McLemore.
• Howard Hughes Holdings: Howard Hughes Holdings develops large-scale master-planned communities such as The Woodlands, Summerlin, and Bridgeland, combining residential, commercial, and hospitality components. Highly comparable to Scenic Land Company's integrated master-planned resort communities with mixed residential, hospitality, and recreational amenities.
• Toll Brothers: Toll Brothers is a publicly traded luxury homebuilder with extensive master-planned community operations. Its focus on premium residential product and amenitized communities aligns with Scenic Land's luxury residential positioning at Brow Wood, Golf Village, and McLemore.
• Shea Homes: Shea Homes is a large private homebuilder with significant master-planned community operations, particularly in the western and southeastern U.S. Its amenity-rich community model and multi-state footprint parallel Scenic Land's premium community development work.
• Crescent Communities: Crescent Communities develops master-planned mixed-use communities across the Southeast U.S., including town centers and resort-branded residential. Its geographic overlap in the Carolinas/Georgia and mixed-use development approach makes it a comparable private developer with a similar product mix.
• Newland Communities: Newland Communities is one of the largest private developers of master-planned communities in the U.S., with 30+ active communities. Its focus on amenity-rich residential master plans with associated commercial components makes it a direct peer to Scenic Land's community development activities.

Broad incumbents

• Sea Pines Resort: Sea Pines Resort on Hilton Head Island is a long-established master-planned resort community combining golf, residential, and hospitality. Its integrated resort community model with resort amenities and vacation/residential mix is comparable to McLemore Resort's positioning.
• KSL Resorts: KSL Resorts owns and operates destination resorts including The Broadmoor and Hotel del Coronado. Its expertise in operating premium resort properties with adjacent real estate components makes it relevant for benchmarking Cloudland's hospitality operations.
• Pebble Beach Resorts: Pebble Beach Resorts operates an iconic luxury golf and hospitality destination with residential real estate components. While larger and more established, it shares Scenic Land's positioning as a destination golf resort community with branded hospitality and luxury residential offerings.

Emerging players

• Landsea Homes: Landsea Homes is a publicly traded homebuilder with master-planned community projects in multiple states. While smaller in scale and primarily focused on residential product rather than integrated resort communities, it represents a peer in the master-planned residential segment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Scenic Land Company