Boones Ridge is a $56 million nonprofit wildlife and ecotourism destination in Bell County, KY, spanning 12,000 acres. It features a zoo, museums, hiking trails, a butterfly house, bison enclosure, restaurants, and a retail village, aiming to boost tourism and conservation in Appalachia. Set to open in spring 2026, it’s expected to attract 850,000–1 million visitors annually.

The Flash Steel Works project is a $12.1 million steel manufacturing facility under construction in Middlesboro, Bell County, KY, on a 20-acre site at the former tannery location. Developed by Flash Steelworks, Inc. (a Michigan-based company), the 30,000–33,000 square foot plant will use a specialized electronic/thermal process to produce blast-resistant, lightweight military-grade thick-plate steel under a U.S. Department of Defense contract. Ground was broken in October 2022, with operations projected for late 2025.