Residents, businesses and base leaders urge creation of Arnold Heritage and Innovation Center at Wagner Park

Dozens of residents, business leaders and representatives of Arnold Air Force Base urged the Board of Mayor and Aldermen to support an "Arnold Heritage and Innovation Center" proposed for Wagner Park, saying the facility could expand STEM learning and retain local talent.

Supporters described the center as a combination heritage museum and hands‑on innovation hub that would offer workforce pathways in aerospace, aviation and related technical trades. “This proposed facility will transform Wagner Field into not only a great park with sports facilities, but a vibrant center for collaboration, STEM education, workforce training, and innovation,” said Beverly Lee, a longtime Tullahoma resident, during the meeting’s public‑comment period.

Backers said the center would create opportunities for middle‑ and high‑school students, provide meeting and prototyping space for local startups, and strengthen ties between the city and the Arnold Engineering Development Complex (AEDC). “It’s not just classroom learning, it’s about igniting passion for our future leaders,” said Derek Roe, who described the center as a place to inspire careers in aviation and aerospace.

Several speakers tied the proposal to workforce retention, saying many young people leave the region for education and do not return. John Osborne, chief operating officer of Paragon Enterprises, said his firm is relocating its corporate headquarters to Tullahoma and supports the center as a talent pipeline and business incubator. “This facility is a launchpad,” Osborne said, citing hands‑on training in additive manufacturing, data analytics and prototyping.

Grant Mizell, commander at the Arnold Engineering Development Complex and a resident of the base community, told the board he welcomed partnerships that would broaden opportunities for youth and families connected to the base. Other speakers — including a retired Air Force member and local small‑business leaders — emphasized the facility’s potential to promote aerospace identity in Tullahoma and provide community meeting space.

Speakers asked the city to help advance planning: Joe Lester requested that the mayor and city administrator appoint a task force to work with community organizers on funding and logistics. Several commenters suggested Wagner Park (also referred to in public remarks as Wagner Field) as a preferred location.

No formal action on the proposal was on the regular meeting agenda; the topic appeared only during the public‑comment portion, and the board did not vote on establishing the center at this session. Speakers repeatedly urged follow‑up steps, including formal city support, fundraising and partnerships with AEDC, the Tullahoma Area Economic Development Corporation and local schools.

The public‑comment segment brought sustained discussion of the center; organizers said funding sources and specific program structure remain to be defined. Multiple speakers referenced the need for meeting rooms, maker‑space equipment (3‑D printers, machining tools), internships and programs that could connect students with jobs at AEDC, the University of Tennessee Space Institute (UTSI) and area employers.

The board acknowledged the comments during the meeting but did not place the proposal on the consent or new‑business agenda. City staff and board members made no binding commitments during the regular meeting; next steps were left to staff follow‑up and potential study in a subsequent session.

Supporters left materials and asked to meet with city staff and elected officials to discuss planning, site constraints and possible task‑force membership.