NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Could this summer's election include a public vote on the future of the State Fairgrounds? Fairgrounds supporters said it would be the way to save the property once and for all.
Metro Councilman Jamie Hollin is leading the charge to add a referendum to this summer's election. If approved, his amendment would guarantee that all activities currently held at the site would continue and that no demolition would be allowed to occur without 27 votes from the Metro Council.
Many believe the call for a referendum goes against agreements made with residents opposed to the Fairgrounds' racetrack.
Petition organizers have their work cut out for them. In order for the issue to appear on the August 4 ballot, they'll have to get nearly 16,000 signatures from the public over the next three weeks.
"Uniformly, I hear save fairgrounds this will do it once and for all," said Hollin.
Neighbors opposed to the speedway say the referendum contradicts an agreement with public officials that something better should be done with the property.
"I think most of all for neighborhood thought we had agreement, now seems they're trying to do something different," said racetrack opponent Colby Sledge.
Janel Lacy, spokesperson for Mayor Karl Dean, expressed concern over continuing to run the fairgrounds as is. The facility has almost used up its reserve funds, which means taxpayers could eventually end up paying the property's operating costs.
Lacy said, "it is not good fiscal policy to obligate the government to funding a particular facility, such as a fairgrounds, in perpetuity and without regards to the cost."
Speedway supporters recently scored a major victory when the fair board agreed to hold seven races at the historic track over the course of this year.
