Spun Out: Rowdy car crowds in Sevierville told to exit after complaints

Tourism is Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg’s bread and butter—the biggest driver of tax revenue with more than 11 million visitors yearly on average.

Over the weekend, it was a rare instance where they told them to get out.

Sevierville city and law enforcement ordered the Slammedenuf car festival to cease at the city’s convention center and on social media, published a directive to leave after hundreds of calls of street racing, fighting and speeding that spread into Pigeon Forge. Five surrounding law enforcement agencies were called in for extra manpower.

An event organizer said the cancellation of Day 2 of the event would result in vendors losing thousands of dollars in sales and they would end up refunding entry fees for car classes scheduled for Sunday. Police from different agencies formed a blockade at the convention center entrance refusing entrance to most motorists.

“This will be the first, and likely, the last Slammedenuf in Sevierville,” a spokesperson said in a social media post. The group has three more events lined up for next month in Georgia, Texas and Daytona Beach, Florida.

Another police statement quashed a rumor of tear gas being used to disperse a crowd at a convenience store. A stabbing was reported but a Sevierville statement said the person suffered minor injuries.

(IMAGE: Jakob Rosen / Pexels)