NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Mayor Freddie O’Connell’s administration plans to file a new lawsuit against the State of Tennessee over what Metro calls a second attempt to take control of the Metro Nashville Airport Authority Board.
The Metro Nashville Airport Authority Board voted Wednesday to join Metro’s litigation, according to the mayor’s office.
A timeline released by the mayor’s office shows the legal fight over control of the airport authority dates back to spring 2023, when the state first passed legislation aimed at taking over the board. Metro sued to stop the takeover and won in October 2023. That ruling was unanimously upheld by a three-judge panel of the Tennessee Court of Appeals in 2024.
The Tennessee Supreme Court heard the case in February 2026, according to the timeline. In May 2026, Gov. Bill Lee signed new legislation giving the state authority over the Metro Nashville Airport Authority and four other airport authorities statewide. The Metro Nashville Airport Authority later passed a resolution opposing what Metro describes as a second attempted takeover.
“I have asked Wally Dietz, our Director of Law, to explore all possible steps to keep the Metro Nashville Airport Authority under local control,” O’Connell said. “We are asking the court to protect our legal rights because federal law says the FAA will not approve a change of sponsor if the current board does not consent to the change.”
O’Connell called the move a “classic bait and switch” by the state and said Metro believes lawmakers have again violated federal law.
Dietz said Metro is asking the court for an injunction blocking implementation of the state board.
“Put simply, the state cannot take over our board without our consent,” Dietz said.
Metro’s lawsuit is expected to be filed Wednesday or Thursday, according to the mayor’s office.
In a memo dated Wednesday, MNAA President and CEO Douglas Kreulen urged commissioners to carefully weigh the decision to join the litigation.
“If the Airport Authority files litigation against the State of Tennessee, it becomes embroiled in a partisan political activity that will divert our time and attention from our primary purpose of managing, operating, financing, and maintaining our airports,” Kreulen wrote.
Young or old, we all love to play board and card games! Those games become even more important when you are indoors and don't have the ability to get outside, like patients in a hospital. Austin Pollack shares the story of students in a Nashville family who have helped re-launch the Red Wagon project to collect games for patients at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt.
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