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Appeals Court Nixes Challenge To Fairgrounds Gun Show Ban

Posted at 7:32 AM, Jun 16, 2017
and last updated 2017-06-16 08:32:28-04

The Tennessee Court of Appeals has upheld a ruling that the Tennessee State Fairgrounds is allowed to ban gun shows at the facility.

In an opinion Thursday, the court affirmed a lower court's decision favoring Nashville's government over the Tennessee Firearms Association and International Gun-A-Rama Inc.

The court agreed that the Tennessee State Fairgrounds' gun show ban was not breaking a state law that generally pre-empts local governments from regulating guns. The opinion said the fairgrounds is a recreational property with the authority to approve or disapprove of a gun show there.

Tennessee Firearms Association and International Gun-A-Rama, which does business as Bill Goodman's Gun and Knife Show, filed a lawsuit in April 2016 over the ban. A Davidson County chancellor ruled against them in July 2016.