NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The state of Tennessee has approved leasing a parking lot near the Capitol, at no cost, to Elon Musk's The Boring Company. It will allow them to begin on the Music City Loop, a proposed underground tunnel for users to pay to ride in a Tesla between downtown Nashville and Nashville International Airport.
During a Thursday hearing of the State Building Commission Executive Subcommittee, members of the public and several Democratic lawmakers raised numerous concerns about the project before the unanimous vote to approve the lease.
Hearing from the public
"Has the Boring Company yet executed a project of this scale in a place like Nashville?" asked Nashville resident Jack Slagle during the public comment period.
State Rep. Shaundelle Brooks, a Democrat from Nashville, questioned the process behind the decision. "Why does the Governor and a billionaire just get to decide this is happening in Nashville?" Brooks asked.
Nashville high schooler Jacob Francy expressed concerns about the arrangement's benefits. "If we hand over this land, what are we actually getting back?" Francy said.
The questions continued from multiple Nashville residents, including concerns about impacts on private landowners and the decision to provide public land to a private company. "Why are we giving a billionaire free land?" Nashville resident DJ Carter said.
The hearing
The subcommittee considered a proposal to lease a state parking lot near the Capitol to The Boring Company for the next 22 months, which plans to use it as a staging area for its proposed tunnel project. "The lot will be used as a staging area; there will be some excavation involved," said Jeff Holmes, Tennessee Commissioner of General Services.
However, before the vote took place, The Boring Company had already installed fencing and equipment at the parking lot, raising questions from critics about whether the approval process was merely a formality.
When questioned about this during the meeting by Jim Bryson, the Tennessee Commissioner of Finance and Administration, Commissioner Holmes confirmed the company's presence was authorized. "Yessir, they have a license. That's within my authority to grant that license," Holmes said in response.
For opponents of the project, this sequence of events suggested the decision had already been made. "We're here to give a rubber stamp for a project that has already been decided," said State Rep. Justin Jones, a Democrat from Nashville.
Secretary of State Tre Hargett asked how the state parking lot is typically utilized. Commissioner Holmes estimated the lot is traditionally 30% full during the work day and most weekends. The crowd seemed to disagree, shouting things like "It's packed on the weekends!"
The subcommittee consists of Bryson, a member of Governor Lee's cabinet and Hargett, Comptroller Jason Mumpower and State Treasurer David Lillard, who serve as Tennessee's three Constitutional officers, elected by the Tennessee General Assembly. All four voted unanimously to approve the lease, prompting shouts of "Shame!" and boos from those in attendance.
The decision is final and will not need further committee or legislative action.
The aftermath
After the vote, Democratic lawmakers and community organizers held a news conference criticizing the lack of transparency and discussing potential next steps. "Nashville does not belong to them and Nashville is not for sale," said State Sen. Charlane Oliver, a Democrat from Nashville.
Metro Councilmember At-Large Delishia Porterfield expressed frustration about the lack of local involvement. "But I can guarantee you, Metro Council as a whole was not contacted about this," Porterfield said.
State Rep. Vincent Dixie, a Democrat from Nashville, raised questions about whether any other Metro officials had extensive knowledge of the announcement.
"As we heard today, those plans have been going on for a while, so it doesn’t just stop at [Gov. Lee's] administration. We have to look locally at our municipalities. How were they involved in that too?" Dixie asked. "We need to hold everyone accountable."
When asked about the possibility of legal action, Porterfield indicated it could be an option. "I cannot speak on behalf of the city in this manner, but I think we have seen that Metro is willing to go forward with lawsuits when we see there is an injustice that has been done," Porterfield said.
"We need to be looking at what processes have been skipped and bypassed that may have been illegal," Sen. Oliver added.
Earlier this week, Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton said he didn't believe any aspect of this project will have to come before the full legislature.
Do you have concerns about this tunnel project? Do you think this is a good solution for Nashville? Watch the full video report and reach out directly to chris.davis@newschannel5.com with your thoughts about this latest development.
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