Buncombe County Files Complaint Against Mountaineer Inn Owner Over Back Taxes

The county has initiated a foreclosure process over more than $29,500 in unpaid property taxes.

Apr. 13, 2026 at 9:05am

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A photorealistic studio still-life featuring a stack of overdue property tax bills, a set of house keys, and a 'For Sale' sign, symbolizing the legal and financial challenges facing the owner of the Mountaineer Inn in Asheville, North Carolina.A foreclosure case over unpaid taxes threatens the future of a long-neglected Asheville motel.Asheville Today

Buncombe County has filed a complaint in Superior Court against the owner of the Mountaineer Inn on Tunnel Road in Asheville, North Carolina, over unpaid property taxes totaling more than $29,500. The 1939 motel was purchased by a Seattle-based company, LOGE Camps, in 2023 for $6.1 million with plans to renovate the property, but those plans never materialized. The county has retained an outside attorney to handle the foreclosure process, which names other lienholders including the city of Asheville.

Why it matters

The Mountaineer Inn has sat largely idle since being purchased in 2023, raising concerns about the property's future and the impact of unpaid taxes on local government budgets. The foreclosure process highlights the challenges faced by local authorities in recouping owed funds from property owners, especially when redevelopment plans fall through.

The details

Buncombe County has filed a complaint in Superior Court against the owner of the Mountaineer Inn, Radify Asheville LLC, over more than $29,500 in unpaid property taxes. The county has initiated a foreclosure process, which names other lienholders including the city of Asheville, which filed a separate suit against the property owner for failure to maintain the Tunnel Road site. The city's initial clean-up cost $3,400, which was set as a lien against the property. The county's filing asks the court for a judgment in the amount of taxes, interests and other costs, that a commissioner be appointed to sell the property, and that money owed is paid from the proceeds of that sale. The property's total appraised value is $3.5 million.

  • The complaint was filed on April 8, 2026.
  • The Mountaineer Inn was purchased by LOGE Camps for $6.1 million in May 2023.
  • The property was initially intended to open in summer 2024, but those plans never materialized.

The players

Buncombe County

The county government that has filed a complaint against the Mountaineer Inn owner over unpaid property taxes.

Radify Asheville LLC

The owner of the Mountaineer Inn, which owes more than $29,500 in back taxes to Buncombe County.

LOGE Camps

A Seattle-based company that purchased the Mountaineer Inn for $6.1 million in May 2023 with plans to renovate the property, but those plans never materialized.

City of Asheville

The city government that filed a separate suit against the Mountaineer Inn property owner for failure to maintain the Tunnel Road site, resulting in a $3,400 lien against the property.

Brad Branham

The Asheville City Attorney who stated the city's involvement in the foreclosure case is a 'legal formality' due to its lien and unpaid city taxes.

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What they’re saying

“Foreclosure is a last option, Day has said regarding similar filings. The county has retained an outside attorney to handle all aspects of the process.”

— Kassi Day, Buncombe County Spokesperson

“The city was named because of its lien and unpaid city taxes. He called it a 'legal formality' in most tax foreclosure cases filed by the county. The city is not required to respond.”

— Brad Branham, Asheville City Attorney

What’s next

The judge will decide whether to allow the foreclosure process to move forward and appoint a commissioner to sell the Mountaineer Inn property.

The takeaway

This case highlights the challenges local governments face in recouping unpaid taxes, especially when property owners fail to follow through on redevelopment plans. The foreclosure process aims to recover funds owed to the county and city, but also raises questions about the future of the long-neglected Mountaineer Inn site.