The debate over gun shows at the Metro Fairgrounds has fired up again.
Thursday, state Senator Brian Kelsey (R-District 31) sent a letter to Attorney General Albert Slattery asking him to review the recent decision by the fairgrounds board to temporarily stop gun shows at the fair.
“It doesn't seem legal to me under local law or state law or federal law,” Senator Kelsey said.
But the Chairman of the Metro Board of Fair Commissioners said the letter Kelsey sent was just rhetoric.
“I don't even think they can tell us what kind of shows we can have,” Ned Horton said. “We can have puppet shows. There are all kinds of very good shows.”
Word came down Thursday afternoon that Metro Nashville attorneys have told the Board of Fair Commissioners that they should allow previously scheduled gun shows to continue, for fear they would breach already signed contracts, according to Mayor Megan Barry’s spokesperson.
The Nashville Gun Show has dates scheduled through December 2016, but Horton said he doubts shows will continue after January.
“Any contract has clauses that have to be met with both sides,” Norton said. “They would have clauses if they're issues.”
Horton said his board voted to put a hold on the gun shows because of safety concerns. The board wants the promoters of the shows to make policy changes. He said his board has every right to set up certain guidelines for any show or event that wants to use the fairgrounds.
“We don't have to abdicate responsibility to them and give them the keys and say 'Here you go. Do as you wish. Oh sorry did we trouble you?’ No it's not going to work that way,” Horton said.
The Board of Fair Commissioners has planned to meet at an already scheduled January 11 meeting.
