Beacon Park, a nearly $12 million outdoor recreation project in Swannanoa, in the Asheville, N.C., area, is set to debut quietly in late spring 2027, the Beacon Foundation said at a Nov. 9 press conference at the construction site.
On the former Beacon Manufacturing site, a blanket mill that shut down in 2002 and burned in 2003, the nonprofit is developing an eight-acre park. The land sat empty for years. Foundation founder and board chair Casey Watkins, whose grandparents worked at the mill, said the aim is to honor that history by giving the property a new purpose rather than recreate it.
The centerpiece is a paved bike park built with Velosolutions, billed as the largest of its kind in the Americas. The layout suits beginners through experienced riders, and wheelchair users too. Other elements, such as a children’s bike playground, come from Pisgah Trail Co. Organizers hope a pump track of that size can draw riders, spectators and press from other countries, and they anticipate collaborations with Red Bull and the international cycling federation.
The park will also include covered bouldering walls for skill levels from beginner to competition, a walking loop of about a mile with pocket parks and pavilions, a playground, a taphouse and space for food trucks. A sloped event lawn with a stage will host concerts and festivals, and a series called Live on the Lawn is set to begin in spring 2027, with its first lineup to be announced Nov. 17.
Backers describe a zero-barrier model that lets guests contribute what they can afford or prepay for others. Public spaces will be free, while some activities, such as the family bike track, will have flexible payment. The foundation projects about 150,000 visits a year and roughly 30 jobs, and it says it is planning for traffic flow and parking, with 450 spaces on two lots.
The Tourism Development Authority in Buncombe County put $4.5 million into the project in 2025, the largest award that year. Tropical Storm Helene, which hit Western North Carolina hard in September 2024, delayed construction and made fundraising harder. The park is meant to work alongside the Beacon Village district now taking shape and independent businesses nearby.
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