NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The man who has overseen development in Nashville for the last two years is leaving his job next week.
Chief Development Officer Bob Mendes said it was a natural time to leave Metro government and return to the private sector.
Critics have questioned the pace of development on the East Bank, with Speaker of House Cameron Sexton expressing frustration about lagging negotiations involving the Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC).
The state has contributed hundreds of millions of dollars to relocate TPAC to a prime location on the East Bank, but no deal has been reached, and time is running out.
If a deal is not reached by the end of this year, TPAC could lose the prime location on the river, near the Titans stadium.
Mendes discussed the negotiations on Inside Politics.
"This is a postcard location for the next century," Mendes said.
"Everybody is rowing in the same direction trying to get a deal," Mendes continued.
He was asked, "Do you think a deal can be done in the next two months?"
Mendes replied, "I know the Mayor has that as a primary objective, and I know like other primary objectives, he's set to accomplish them."
Mendes is aware of criticism about the pace of development on the East Bank, but said people will see signs of progress soon.
"Once we get to a year, or a year and a half from now, and the football stadium is done or about done, two more buildings have broken ground, and I think Oracle will have broken ground by then, I think people will flip from the 'Gosh what is going on?' to 'Wow, this is going so fast.'"
He said the criticism is not why he left the position, and that after 14 years in Metro Government first on the NES Board then on the Metro Council and finally the first half of Mayor O'Connell's term, it was just time to go back into the private sector.
Mendes also revealed he was the Metro official representing the Mayor's office in early meetings about Elon Musk's proposed tunnel from the airport to downtown.
"You are the first person to ask me that question. I was the person for Metro in the first meetings," Mendes said.
After the tunnel was announced, Mayor O'Connell said Metro was blindsided.
But NewsChannel 5 Investigates obtained a state memo that stated "Mayor O'Connell's Office was intrigued" by the tunnel idea in earlier meetings with Musk's Company.
Mendes downplayed that characterization.
"I'm intrigued by a lot of things. I'm intrigued by a Gondola ride from the Convention Center to the East Bank. It's intriguing. I don't know what that means other than I deflected the question and said we're intrigued," Mendes said.
The state memo also stated after President Trump won the election and Elon Musk became "a more visible political figure" Metro Officials said they "would not oppose the project, but they needed to distance themselves."
Mendes responded, "You don't need a political science degree to understand that if a chief lieutenant of the sitting President wants to accomplish something in a blue city in America, there's going to be some headwinds," Mendes said.
Mendes said Metro is officially neutral on the Music City Loop.
He said the city is still gathering information about the project.
He also said he does not know what his next job will be because it would be wrong for him to actively seek a job while he's Metro's Chief Development Officer.
His last day on the job is next week.
You can see the entire interview on Inside Politics which airs on NewsChannel 5 Plus at 7pm Friday and throughout the weekend.
It is also available as a podcast. Just type in 'Inside Politics Nashville' and start listening.
