Maggie Valley’s Ghost Town in the Sky is now just a ghost town, thanks to an economy that did away with many families’ discretionary spending accounts. Losses from the tourist trade have hurt the town. The town also suffered when the census revealed the state had overestimated its population. As a result, Maggie Valley will now be getting a smaller portion of sales tax redistributions. Contributing to the town’s resources was BB&T’s payment of back taxes owed by the ghost town, which it now owns. The town gladly accepted and used the funds to subsidize the American Roots and Beer Festival and Red, White and Boom; promote the festival grounds director to fulltime employment; and in so doing only withdraw $54,522 from the fund balance.