For three years, the majority of residents, town leaders, and state senators have supported a merger of Lake Junaluska and Waynesville. House representatives have thus far stopped the measure. Possible reasons cited by the Smoky Mountain News include:
- “behind-the-scenes political flexing and dealing,”
- “parking [the bill] as a bargaining chip — held hostage in committee so to speak — as leverage for a bill another legislator wants passed,” and
- “backroom machinations.”
