MT. JULIET, Tenn. (WKRN) — Over the past 25 years, Mt. Juliet has seen its population triple, transforming into a vibrant hub for business, families, and retail development. 

Now, city leaders are looking east, to the Golden Bear Gateway, as the next hot spot for growth. 

One of the city’s biggest turning points came with the development of Providence, a master-planned community that introduced retail options and thousands of homes. Another key addition was the Del Webb 55+ community, which brought even more residential and commercial activity to the area. 

“In the late 80s, the population was around 3,000,” said Mark Hinesley, president and CEO of the Mt. Juliet Chamber of Commerce. “Now, it’s well over 40,000.” 

That early momentum continues today, drawing major retailers like BJ’s Wholesale, Costco, and the soon-to-open Sprouts Market. 

“We're trying to grow at a responsible rate, I would say even those 25 years ago [would have] never thought it would have been what it is today. But there's certainly advantages to that,” said Justin Beasley, the communications director for Mt. Juliet. 

By the end of 2025, the Wilson County Chamber of Commerce expects 250 new business licenses to be issued, many of them along Golden Bear Gateway. 

“When they built that road, some said it's a road to nowhere because it was not heavily used,” Hinesley said. “Without that right now, I'm not really sure what we would do. We had one north-south road, being Mt. Juliet Road, but the Golden Bear has just exploded."

“We think that that is a huge, blank canvas and next corridor that a lot of people will one day liken to Providence,” Beasley added. 

Major employers have also taken notice. Amazon now operates a massive 3.5 million-square-foot warehouse in Mt. Juliet along the Golden Bear.  

“You can add on FedEx and Under Armor, Under Armor was our first million-square-foot building, they came from Baltimore,” Hinesley said.  

When it comes to residential growth, Hinesley said the area is attracting families with an average household income of more than $100,000 a year, with many attracted to the area’s school system and law enforcement. 

However, Hinesley said the city’s growth hinges on the ability to mitigate traffic moving forward.

“How we get around, how we get from one side of town to the other, how we move goods around,” he said. “The Central Pike Interchange is the determining factor in all of that.” 

News Source : https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/on-tour-middle-tn/growth-along-golden-bear-gateway-in-mt-juliet/