Frizzell Construction Co. v. Gatlinburg, L.L.C.

OPINION

WILLIAM M. BARKER, Justice.

In this appeal, we address two primary issues: (1) whether the contract in this case providing for construction of a hotel in Tennessee “involves” interstate commerce so as to implicate the Federal Arbitration Act, and (2) whether the chancery court erred in withholding contract formation issues from arbitration. We hold that the contract in this case plainly involves interstate commerce and that the parties did not intend to arbitrate a claim of fraudulent inducement to enter a contract. Therefore, in accordance with the Federal Arbitration Act, the chancery…