Summary
The Town of Nashville approved a naming-rights policy for JW Glover Memorial Park to solicit sponsorships and naming opportunities for park amenities; council asked staff to use 'suggested' pricing, consider removing one-year options for major new amenities, and allow staff some discretion on approvals below an established threshold.
The Town of Nashville approved a JW Glover Memorial Park naming-rights policy and directed staff to proceed with offering naming opportunities for park amenities while incorporating council suggestions on pricing, term options and approval authority.
Staff presented three documents: a naming-rights policy, a sample naming-rights agreement and a pricing list of naming opportunities. Staff noted banners would be handled under a separate sponsorship program. The policy presented suggested both one-year and five-year terms for naming opportunities; council members urged adjustments for high-profile, newly built amenities. One council member suggested removing the one-year option for new features such as the splash pad, picnic shelter and pickleball courts to preserve the perceived value at grand openings. "Maybe for the new ones, take out the 1 year option," the council member said.
Council agreed the park's name would remain JW Glover Memorial Park and that naming rights would apply to specific features inside the park, for example "Smith Splash Pad" as a sponsored amenity. Council asked staff to identify benches, shelters and other items and to return with a recommended bench model; staff said benches under consideration were in the $1,000 range. Town attorney Francis Rasberry recommended listing the figures as "suggested donation" amounts and allowing staff limited flexibility rather than hard policy pricing: "You you may in your policy or in these materials, just want to indicate that these figures are suggested donations amount ... don't wanna be hand tied by our policy."
Council discussed whether staff should have approval authority for offers under a threshold and whether higher-dollar agreements should return to council. Staff proposed bringing naming-rights agreements to council for approval and suggested a policy could set a dollar threshold under which the town manager could approve sponsorships. Several council members said they preferred staff have some autonomy for timely decisions, particularly near grand openings.
Following discussion and suggested edits (language reflecting suggested pricing, removal of certain one-year options for new amenities and a delegation threshold for staff approval), the council moved and seconded to approve the policy. The transcript records a voice vote and the motion carried.
Staff said implementation would begin with the naming opportunities identified for Glover Park and could be expanded later to other town facilities.
