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More council members sign on to new fairgrounds plan
Four more Metro Council members have sponsored a bill that would keep the 2011 Tennessee State Fair and expo center at the Metro-owned fairgrounds, and demolish the property’s racetrack to make way for a 40-acre park.
The bill, filed last week, originally included the names of five sponsors, including Councilwoman Sandra Moore, who represents the surrounding neighborhood, and the council’s Budget and Finance Committee chair, Megan Barry.
New sponsors are council members Jim Forkum, Walter Hunt, Kristine LaLonde and Parker Toler. The additions bring the number of official backers to nine.
“I don’t think that the racetrack is going to survive because the people out there in that particular area are really, really tired of that noise,” Hunt said. “We’re getting a lot of emails from those people.”
The council is set to consider the bill on the first of three votes Dec. 21.
Mayor Karl Dean announced last week he’s halting an earlier attempt to relocate the fairgrounds’ expo center to Hickory Hollow Mall in Antioch. At Tuesday’s council meeting, a bill that would have authorized the relocation was withdrawn.
Dean’s administration plans to introduce a new bill that would outline a lease for a new public library, community center and other public functions to open at the mall.
Metro Finance Director Richard Riebeling has said the bill would be introduced in time for a first council reading in January.
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If you support replacing the fairgrounds speedway with a 40 acre park that all of Nashville can benefit from and that will enhance the area around the fairgrounds please visit the link below. Please sign our online petition.
http://www.neighborsforprogress.org/
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/noracetrack/signatures
DON'T SIGN THE PETITION! The Fairgrounds don't just belong to the people that live around there, it belongs to all of us. They knew the racetrack was there and had been for many, many years, before they came. Would love to see a count of how many against the racetrack, are even from TN.
On the other hand, if you support preserving the Fair and the Fairgrounds, neither of which has ever cost the county a penny, and were established to be "permanent state institutions" belonging to the people by a county-wide referendum, then write and call your council member and let them know that supporting this bill is political suicide for them.-- that they'll never see another vote from you in their favor.
This Fairgrounds, with all of it's shows and expos belong to YOU. Let's keep it that way! The racetrack, with or without actual racing, is not only a historic site, it has many possible uses and is part of the capital assets of the Fairgrounds.
The mayor has already admitted that his plan for the flea market and other expos was "not financially feasible" -- and neither is this scheme of his... don't let him destroy YOUR property.
And for actual facts, visit:
http://fairgroundsheritage.org
voice of nashvie that karl dean refuses to hear
we have enought parks if karl dean wants to go to the park and feed the ducks and smell of the flowers we have plenty of parks for him to do so
so leave the racetrack alone what has he annd some of our idiot council members have against the race track or raceing for that matter ?
racing has been here in nashville one way or the other longer than the titans or baceball, hockey, socker,or any other sport , mr. dean get a grip !
isint there something that the historical committie can do to help save this 100 + year old track ?
and again the people that live near the track knew when they moved in there location that a race track was there.
so whats your complaint ? it was there before you , so you need to get a grip to or move next to a park with karl dean,
Who are these morons who choose to live near the speedway and then complain about it? Why do they want a park full or drugs and child rapists in their neighborhood?
If these people move close to the airport, will you shut that down? How about I-40? LP Field? Spending all this money and displacing so many people because a few were too stupid to research where they live is absurd.
what is megan barry doing working on the city's business. there is a lesbian that needs a rally, shame on her!
rjp How many people lived in the race track area when the track was build. Also was the railroad in place before the race track.Then was it the freeway systems and then the airport. And lets not forget the fair some where in there.Now add police,fire and ambulance services. These are all things that bring noise.Just like if you live on a dirt road and don't like dust,so you pave it or move to where it's dust free. As long as there is wind and rain there may be things come into are haven we don't care for.The paper said the creek has pollution dating back to the civil war, they did'nt have cars back then,and now some say it's from the race track. If we stand back and look at how many days there is race track noise they will not out weigh the quiet one's.I saw what this town can do when the heavy may rain came to town,and the people in every line of work that raised money. Look at what the country music people alone raised ,very nice.There is no question in my mind if the call went out to raise money and people to help make this a jewel site they will come and it will be the best it has ever been.Sounds like we need more space to make it better,lets buy some homes ,tear them down ,put in everything we want and need for all to enjoy There seems to be plenty of houses to buy or rent on the market in much quieter places.Rules and fines for to loud and to late are used every where.Some outdoor concerts pay fines of 10.000.00 dollars for each minute they play after shut off time.ITS A MONEY MAKER! Dear council can we please clean out the ditches so we don't flood again,have yet to see anyone in the antioch area ,and have you hit any of the pothole around town!LETS VOTE ON IT! So nice to see the lights on a couple nights a week for the bicycle people to ride around the track a safe place.cool deal thanks.and walking up hills is ok i think some call it excersize, and are state is in third place for the fatest . Foot races on mondays dollar gets you a number and your name and braging rights in the paper.Lots of time and people to work it out unless you have made other plans and deals ,and if you have it will be brought up .bet your last buck it will.One last thing what does the word fuzzy mean when talking about money,is that like the gray area in nascar racing.Call it what it is cheating ,only if you get caught right?
Although the Fairgrounds have never cost Metro a dime - Dean's "redevelopment" justification (excuse) is supposedly based on his fear of of future losses.
INSTEAD of finding out the reasons for decreased revenues & increased expenses, and CORRECTING PROBLEMS - Dean and the following Council members want to sell the Fairgrounds and displace all the people who use the Fairgrounds:
+Megan Barry
+Sandra Moore
+Anna Page
+Rip Ryman
+Ronnie Steine
+Jim Forkum
+Walter Hunt
+Kristine LaLonde
+Parker Toler
----
Thousands of people use the Fairgrounds annually. Generations of Tennesseans have grown up with it. Metro spends no money on it - the Fairgrounds is self supporting - it supports itself via revenues from the races, flea market, expo events and the State Fair.
IF ANY OF THESE FAIL - THERE WILL NOT BE SUFFICIENT REVENUE FOR IT TO BE SELF SUSTAINING. That is the situation that DEAN and those Council representatives who are sponsoring this new bad bill are INTENTIONALLY ORCHESTRATING.
Sabotage so far:
(1) DEAN wants to sell the Fairgrounds. DEAN selected the Fair Board.
(2) The Fair Board does what DEAN wants - and DEAN wants to sell the Fairgrounds.
(3) His Fair Board made decisions that intentionally decreased revenues and increased costs.
(4) Races are very profitable, so Karl Dean has gone after the race track first.
(5) The Fair Board/Dean/Riebeling intentionally entered into bad racing contracts which - which resulted in the loss of several profitable races venues. These were moved to other tracks (e.g.: the Dover deal).
(6) Good contracts to operate the state fair were turned away - and "friends' of Dean were given the last contract.
(7) Local people have made offers to buy the race track - their offers have been declined or ignored.
(8) The old bill caused so much outrage that it was withdrawn. Now Dean's people on the Council - Megan Barry, Sandra Moore, Anna Page, Rip Ryman, Ronnie Steine, Jim Forkum, Walter Hunt, Kristine LaLonde, Parker Toler - are introducing a new BAD bill - one that takes aim at all three sources of revenue: the race track, the flea market/expo, and the State Fair.
-----
SAVE THE FAIRGROUNDS
Think of all the neat things that used to happen at the Fairgrounds. And think of all the ways you know it could be creatively used to benefit the regular people of Davidson County and middle Tennessee if it were managed professionally and effectively.
There are things you can do to help preserve the Fairgrounds:
--Sign the petition at SAVEMYFAIRGROUNDS.COM
--Let your Council representative know how you feel about "selling" the Fairgrounds
--The Tennessean is pro-redevelopment and seldom prints opposing views. To keep track of the Fairgrounds status - watch Channel 4 or read the nashvillecitypaper - these have been the most objective so far
--Find out out why the Fairgrounds are not as profitable as they once were - make those responsible accountable.
--AND MAKE DEAN A 1-TERM MAYOR
Thank you, MaMOM for your excellent points.
The racetrack is definitely an important and integral part of the entire Fairgrounds package. Dean's proposed park could easily be designed around the racetrack, creating both a more attractive racetrack setting AND a park setting for citizens to enjoy when active racing events were not taking place, which is a great deal of the time.
As an outsider, Dean just does not respect the historical and sentimental value the Fairgrounds and all related activities has to us Nashville citizens. (also state and regional citizens.) If he and his administration would put as much effort into promoting and revitalizing the Fairgrounds as they have put into doing away with it, it could be an even more valuable jewel in Nashville's crown.
Obviously, Dean is clearly not interested in the will of the majority of the people.
We need to make Dean a one-term mayor, and get rid of Rich Riebeling too.
Nuke the dump
To gdiafante:
You remind me of the Grinch who stole Christmas......You're a mean one.
How about Mike Curb for Mayor?
Now there's an idea! Another Mayor who actually made his millions and didn't just marry for them.
Sadly, he's probably got more sense.
Repost:
We saw what kind of characters Dean and Riebeling are during the Hickory-Hollow Mall/CBL Lease deal. When their first bill failed - Dean said a "cooling off" period was needed.
------
Surprise! Now we now have more Less-than-Honest Behavior from Dean and his "redevelopment" cronies:
(1) ALMOST IMMEDIATELY his supporters submitted a bill to demolish the racetrack & give the other Fairgrounds users (the public and vendors) a 1-year reprieve. With no long term accomodation for these.
(2) AS WE DISCUSS THIS - behind the scenes Dean's people are trying to get money from a Pepsi charity website. On the www.refresheverything.com/savethetnstatefair website an organization called "Tennessee State Fair Association" says:
"NASHVILLE OFFICIALS DECIDED TO CEASE operations of the TN State Fair so they can REDEVELOP the property for a 'HIGHER AND BETTER USE." This 104 year old tradition is on the brink of EXTINCTION. We have created a non-profit to save the fair and are getting private funding to operate a fair in 2010."
AREN'T these assertions JUST a little PREMATURE since:
-the bill hasn't come up for first reading yet?
-the Council has not yet approved any bills about "redevelopment" yet? and
-the public meeting to discuss the two opposing bills is not scheduled to occur until January?
Someone working with the DEAN has assembled a pretty, innocent-looking website which DUPES PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT AWARE OF THE SITUATION into voting for their "cause" - by making innocents think they are helping a failed Fair. And if they get enough votes they win $250,000 from Pepsi - to "redevelop" the Fairgrounds - NOT TO SAVE THE FAIRGROUNDS.
A sneaky, unscrupulous, manipulative bunch. Research anything these "Redevelopment" people say.
-----
The Highest and Best Use for the Fairgrounds is to let the people of Nashville and Middle Tennessee use it - AS WAS ORIGINALLY INTENDED.
Make Dean a 1-term mayor.
I find it interesting to see so many people here who think that if you are aware of the drawbacks of a neighborhood that you move into, you give up any rights to want to improve it. And that's even assuming someone moving in actually *did* realize that there's a racetrack hidden somewhere inside that barbed-wire enclosed eyesore. Perhaps the neighborhood should just be reserved for race fans and the deaf. Maybe then everyone will be happy?