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Sweetwater wins $98,000 tourism grant for Biggs House; Main Street survey shows strong downtown visitation and events draw

5809474 · September 22, 2025

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Summary

The city received a $98,000 Tennessee tourism grant to support restoration of the Biggs House; a recent Main Street survey found events and dining drive downtown visits and the Sweetwater Fair drew thousands, including a professional drone show.

City Manager Jessica announced that the city received a Tennessee Department of Tourism enhancement grant of $98,000 to support work on the Biggs House. The grant can be used for roof repair, plumbing, electrical work, interior walls and flooring; Jessica said a roof bid previously received was about $50,000, so the grant covers a substantial portion of immediate needs.

Jessica said the city is also awaiting the results of a separate planning grant (a bicentennial-themed planning program) that would provide design/planning funds; she expects award notice on Oct. 30. If both grants are awarded, staff could combine funding to bid and complete a larger portion of restoration work.

Jessica also reviewed results of a Main Street community survey led by a Tennessee Main Street consultant. The survey of about 200 respondents showed “charming,” “shopping,” “friendly” and “quaint” are leading descriptors. The top reasons respondents visit downtown were events and festivals, dining and shopping. Notably, coworking space was a frequently requested business type; Jessica said a downtown building owner is preparing coworking space and the Biggs House could also be considered.

Jessica reviewed the recent Sweetwater Fair and associated events: Taste of Monroe, Wolfstock, the drone show and multiple vendor attractions. She reported strong attendance figures (for Thursday, 4,400 out-of-area visitors and a Thursday visitation increase of 30% over last year) and said businesses reported increased sales over the multi-day festival. Jessica said most negative feedback involved the carnival vendor’s conduct; overall, feedback was positive. She also announced the city received a letter of commendation from U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn for the city’s 150th-year celebrations.

Action and next steps: staff will bring the tourism-grant contract to the Oct. 6 meeting for authorization to execute; staff will continue planning for the Biggs House restoration and coordinate potential funding if the planning grant is awarded.