Page 10 - ELM magazine Issue 1

Featured Community

What better way to begin our first edition of ELM than to highlight the community that was instrumental
in our real estate beginnings.

Rolland King, a developer from Sarasota, Florida, purchased a large tract of land on the north end of
Lake Lure and began to develop a private mountain/lake community called “The Mountains at Lake
Lure”. Mr. King would fly in from Sarasota on his private plane and touch down on a small landing strip
that is now the driving range for the Bald Mountain Golf Course. In 1976, he sold about 1,000 acres to
a small but growing group of developers that already owned several communities across the mid-south
called Fairfield Communities. Full infrastructure along with marketing dollars brought in people from
Ohio, Michigan and Florida who purchased land, condominiums and later, time-sharing. This was the
beginning of Fairfield Mountains. Carole came to Fairfield in 1978 just a year out of college. She says
her fond memories of childhood summers spent at the pool in Gerton “lured” her to this beautiful area
with those dramatic mountains as backdrop that she loves so much. She remembers riding horses
on the old Quattlebaum Farm, which is now the Apple Valley Golf Course. Tom spent the early part
of his career with his own sales and marketing business in Raleigh NC after attending East Carolina
University. He later worked for Fairfield Harbour in New Bern, North Carolina and then transferred to
Fairfield Mountains in 1982 where he and Carole met. Tom fell in love with both Carole and Lake Lure.
Carole moved from Property Management to the sales department as a sales specialist and then onto
Construction Management where she and Tom helped many families build the home of their dreams
within this growing community.

Rumbling Bald Resort now comprises over 3,000 acres which includes two championship golf courses,
pools, spa, wellness center, private beach and marina. Paved roads and underground utilities provide
a pristine setting for both retirees, permanent residents and vacationers! Homes and Condominiums
discreetly dot the landscape and the community has grown into a thriving resort community which is now
owned by the Fairfield Mountains Property Owner Association.

For an inside look at Rumbling Bald Resort and the opportunities available, call Tom or Carole McKay
828.625.9600