COCKE COUNTY, Tenn. (WVLT) - Cocke County was devastated by Helene nearly a year ago. County Mayor Rob Mathis said about 600 jobs were lost in the months following the storm and most of those have come back post-flooding.

The county wants to continue adding jobs to a growing community and a new Innovation Park could be crucial for the county.

“This is the single greatest economic development and job creation initiative in the last 30 years in our county. That’s how big this is,” Cocke County Mayor Rob Mathis said.

The goal is to have corporations locate or re-locate in Cocke County, potentially benefitting hundreds who live in there.

“We want to recruit new industry to this county, provide jobs for citizens so they don’t have to commute outside the county and also gives young people th

See Full Page