Filing of Foreign Land Sale in Loudon County Prompts Investigation
Image: Intersection of Hotchkiss Valley Rd & Sugarlimb Road In Loudon County, TN Image Credit: Google Earth
The Tennessee Conservative [By Adelia Kirchner] –
Local and state officials are investigating some “unusual restrictions” concerning the sale of an almost 400-acre property in Loudon County to 125 Chinese “tenants in common.”
In October 2022, the 398.78 acres of prime agricultural real estate in the Hotchkiss Valley was purchased in five parcels as an investment opportunity by Walton Tennessee LLC for $4,694,149.
Based out of Scottsdale, Arizona, Walton Tennessee LLC is associated with Walton International LLC, which is associated with Walton Global LLC, a developer with $3.6 billion in land under management.
“We are an American company that buys land in the path of growth to sell to American homebuilders,” stated COO of Walton Global, Kim Kaminski.
Walton ended up listing the newly acquired Loudon property in over 1,000 “undivided interest” shares for approximately $10,000 each.
The sale was not officially filed until August 8th, 2023, when the Loudon County Register of Deeds Office received 125 deeds associated with the property and it has been reported that all the buyers are Chinese.
The list of covenants, conditions, and restrictions (CCR) filed on the land last year has begun to raise concern.
The CCR indicates that the shares cannot be transferred to a U.S. citizen, but it doesn’t stop there.
Section F-8 of the CCR further clarifies that the restrictions remain in place “until 21 years after the last currently living descendants of former President George W. Bush have passed away.”
Loudon County Mayor Buddy Bradshaw spoke with a Walton representative about the CCR and was told that the investment was designed to attract Chinese investors who may be concerned about banking in their communist country.
“My concern has to do with communist China, a country that wants to destroy us,” stated District 5 County Commissioner Van Shaver, who has been following the issue ever since he learned about it.
Earlier this year the Tennessee General Assembly put a new law in place, restricting foreign ownership of property in the state. However, the law is not retroactive for property sales that took place before July 1, 2023.
Representatives Monty Fritts (R-Kingston) and Lowell Russell (R-Vonore) have said that if this new law is not applicable to the situation in Loudon County, they will consider working to strengthen the law.
Some constituents have stated that they’d like to see something resembling the work of Arkansas’ state legislature and Gov. Sarah Huckabee (R) who are currently enforcing a new bill to make “null & void” a Chinese property purchase in Arkansas.
Rep. Fritts noted that he has worked in real estate and never saw the type of restrictions outlined in this sale’s CCR.
He and Rep. Russell also have concerns about the proximity of the land to sensitive government installations in Oak Ridge.
“The Chinese really shouldn’t own land that close to Oak Ridge,” said Rep. Russell who has relayed his concerns about the implications of the land sale to U.S. Representative Tim Burchett (R-Knoxville).
About the Author: Adelia Kirchner is a Tennessee resident and reporter for the Tennessee Conservative. Currently the host of Subtle Rampage Podcast, she has also worked for the South Dakota State Legislature and interned for Senator Bill Hagerty’s Office in Nashville, Tennessee. You can reach Adelia at adelia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
Tennessee is in for a wonderful surprise.
Do some research as to what goes on in these closed communities in southern kalifornia.
I’ve known a lot of Great Chinese people. However, the criminal side is ruthless.
“The Chinese really shouldn’t own land that close to Oak Ridge,” said Rep. Russell”
Wait until he figures out the Unites States military doesn’t operate the Holston Army Ammunition Plant in Kingsport (or Radford, VA). BAE is a foreign corporation.
Walton Global, LLC is an ESG Company and very big into the EB-5immigration and development program.
All about money.
They are in the Nashville area also. For more info search – http://www.walton.com
Why does the bill signed by Gov. Lee bill not hold here??? Why would it take any time at all to ascertain? If it does NOT, I would lay that at the writers of the legislation and question their credentials. Loudon County should just say NO”.
No foreign national should ever be able to own property in the US. The fact that they can is absurd.
We also need a Constitutional amendment that requires a candidate to have 100 years of varifiable lineage on American soil. Not just birth.
Either this or risk people like Rammyswampy, Talib or Omar coming to power. This would safeguard the office while keeping descendents of slaves, natives and colonials eligible.
“Presidential Candidate.”
Sorry.
THANK YOU! Agree with you 100%. If we don’t stop the slow and deliberate influx of foreign countries into and onto our land, we will become something other than the United States. It’s already started by thinking we can retain our freedoms by allowing organizations who do not share American values to exist and grow. We are being hoisted on our own petard.
Can’t help but wonder if Walton Tennessee, LLC, Walton Global, LLC and Walton International, LLC are owned by the Walton family who started Wal-Mart. Wouldn’t be surprised to find out they were.
All foreign national business should be heavily scrutinized. No holding of public office at any level by anyone not born here and not having at least 100 yr lineage in America.
In CA we had a problem with the Chinese buying property, with homes on them and then sending over all their pregnant woman, that stayed there to give birth to their babies in the U.S.A. to ensure they would be U.S. citizens. Then the parent would file to live in the U.S. with their children. This project sounds much larger than something like that. I can sure think of many, many ways this could go VERY WRONG of the U.S. Does China allow U.S. citizens to purchase property in China? If so, are there limits, rules, regulations or restrictions?
This!!! I worked in a southern ca hospital in an affluent area w few immigrants….yet roughly 1/3 of our babies were born to parents here illegally from other countries.
I believe this is the same company that purchased almost 200 acres this year in Soddy Daisy TN. Based in Scottsdale and supposedly buying as housing investments.
It was for sure