Nashvillians will have the chance to weigh in on proposals that could settle the immediate fate of the 117-acre Metro-owned fairgrounds.
The council’s Budget and Finance Committee and Codes, Fair and Farmers Market Committee are hosting a joint public hearing on Monday, Jan. 10, at 5:30 p.m. on two bills related to the fairgrounds, council members Megan Barry and Vivian Wilhoite announced in a letter on Monday.
Barry chairs the Budget and Finance Committee, while Wilhoite chairs the Codes, Fair and Farmers Market Committee.
One of the bills, sponsored by Barry and four other council members, would keep the Tennessee State Fair and expo center at Nolensville Pike for at least another year, while demolishing the property’s racetrack to make way for a new 40-acre park. The bill is set for the first of three votes on Dec. 21.
Another bill, deferred last month at the request of its sponsor, Councilman Duane Dominy, would essentially keep the status quo at the fairgrounds, including the preservation of the racetrack.
In a letter sent to council members last week, Dominy requested a special work session to compare his bill with the other ordinance to “engage in a public dialogue” in order to determine the best way to move forward.