NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — At least one state official visited Elon Musk's Boring Company in Las Vegas, in March, as talks were underway for a similar proposal in Nashville.
Metro officials, including Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell, have said they first heard "informal chatter" about the project last spring, but never saw "signs of a serious proposal."
During that time, state leaders were pushing forward with the project and even visited Musk's tunnel in Las Vegas.
The Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury, Jason Mumpower, is on the board that voted to allow Musk's company to lease state land for free.
Mumpower said on Inside Politics that Metro should not have felt blindsided by last week's announcement about the tunnel.
"I've known about this project for many months, as a matter of fact, I took it upon myself to actually go to Las Vegas to ride the Vegas Loop. I was given a tour. I have ridden the tunnels," Mumpower said.
Mumpower brought pictures of himself in Las Vegas last March. He says he met with people from Musk's Boring Company.
He said he was in Las Vegas for other reasons, but talks were already underway for Musk's company to come to Nashville.
By contrast, Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell has said Metro did not know much about the project.
"We knew that Boring was interested sometime last Spring, early Summer of last year, but then we didn't hear about it for almost a year," Mayor O'Connell said last week.
Mumpower said Metro was not kept in the dark.
"I think you heard it right there in the Mayor's quote. He was aware, but for some reason didn't think it was a serious proposal. It absolutely was," Mumpower said.
As Comptroller of the Treasury, Mumpower is on the State Building Commission Subcommittee, which after a contentious meeting last week, voted to allow Musk's company to lease state land for free.
The meeting came just three days after the project was publicly announced during a news conference at the airport.
"I think people aren't used to things moving at the speed of business. They are used to things moving at the speed of bureaucracy," Mumpower said.
Metro sent a list of questions to the state about the project, which is expected to run underneath Murfreesboro Pike - a road operated by the state.
But on Inside Politics Mumpower did not have many details about the project and said we will learn more "as things are studied."
I asked Mumpower, "The people coming from the airport, where will they come out downtown?"
"This Building Commission vote kicks off a 90-day process where some of that will be fleshed out," Mumpower responded.
Despite the quick approval for the Boring Company, a lot is still being studied.
When asked about the safety of the project and the environmental impact, Mumpower responded, "You know exact questions that I have asked, and I am glad to know the Boring Company is rated the highest, or among the highest, of any transportation company in the United States."
When asked if it is realistic for the tunnel to be operational in two years, Mumpower responded, "I believe this will run at the speed of business, that is what we have been told so far, and I'm hopeful and believe that it can be done."
You can watch the entire interview with Jason Mumpower on Inside Politics which airs on NewsChannel 5+ at 7pm on Friday.
It is also available as a podcast.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at Ben.Hall@NewsChannel5.com.
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