NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A Tennessee Court of Appeals ruling said the Metro government will maintain picking power over the airport authority.
This has been a two-year battle, going back to summer 2023, when Metro sued over a bill that would have given the state the power to place its appointees on the Nashville Airport Authority.
In 2023, the Republican supermajority voted for the passage of the bill, while Democrats were against it, particularly legislators who represent Davidson County. These decisions were made on one of the last days of the 2023 general session. Democratic lawmakers said throughout that session they felt these bills were payback for the Metro Council not agreeing to host the Republican National Convention for the 2024 presidential cycle.
"The Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority (MNAA) is reviewing the court’s ruling that was received this morning," the authority said in a statement late Monday afternoon.
It's not clear whether the state will appeal this ruling to the Tennessee Supreme Court. If it stands as the final decision, the Nashville mayor will appoint members to the board as it had in years past.
The court also ruled that some of the authority the airport board could now have extended powers regarding eminent domain and zoning around the airport. Previous rulings — including original stance from Metro — was that those extended powers were in violation of the equal protection guarantee in Tennessee.
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