A group committed to the preservation of Nashville’s fairgrounds has taken issue with statements made by District 17 Metro Councilwoman Sandra Moore, who last week wrote she was “disappointed” one of her council colleagues would file a bill addressing property located entirely within her district.
An ordinance filed by District 28 Metro Councilman Duane Dominy, who represents parts of Antioch, seeks to keep the Tennessee State Fair and various expo center events at the 117-acre fairgrounds property near Wedgewood Avenue and Nolensville Pike.
The bill is up for first reading this Tuesday.
Reacting to the bill in a letter to constituents, Moore, who represents the neighborhood surrounding the fairgrounds and served on Mayor Karl Dean’s Fairgrounds Task Force, wrote that Dominy didn’t ask her to be a co-sponsor for the bill nor did he tell her he planned on filing it.
“I am frankly disappointed that another district councilmember felt it appropriate to file legislation regarding property that is located solely within my district, but it is within his purview to do so,” Moore wrote.
Over the weekend, the Fairgrounds Heritage Preservation Group weighed in on the matter, maintaining Dominy was not out of line in filing the bill.
“Frankly, Ms. Moore needs to understand that the Fairgrounds are not the District 17 Fairgrounds,” the group contends in an email. “They belong to all citizens of Davidson County and are there for the benefit of not only Davidson County, but all of Middle Tennessee, and the entire state as well.”
The preservation group’s position isn’t a revelation, nor is it a surprise they would target Moore.
At the conclusion of a July meeting organized by the fairgrounds task force, the preservation group’s founding member Lisa Leeds approached Moore one-on-one. With approximately 100 people watching, Leeds turned to profanity as she claimed fairgrounds preservationists weren’t given a chance to have their say at this particular gathering. Several onlookers ran to the scene to restrain Leeds.
Moore kept her cool and told Leeds to have a seat.