Shelbyville council approves $2.5 million state grant, adds local bond backup for soccer complex

Shelbyville’s City Council voted in November 2024 to accept a $2.5 million Local Parks and Recreation Fund (LPRF) grant from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation to build a soccer complex at HP Griffin Park and approved a required city match.

The resolution, as read aloud to the council, said the state awarded $2,500,000 and the required $2,500,000 match would be met by a $1,730,000 land appraisal plus $770,000 in cash from the city. Council discussion and a later amendment added authority for the city to pursue up to a $2,500,000 bond as a backup if the state does not accept the land appraisal as part of the match.

Why it matters: proponents said tournaments could generate substantial hotel, restaurant and retail revenue and expand youth opportunities; opponents and some council members questioned the project’s scale and long‑term cost to taxpayers, particularly the size and surfacing of a proposed 650‑space parking area and the city’s cash exposure.

Public comment set the tone for the council debate. Patrick Curtis summarized estimated tournament revenues and local economic benefits; coach and resident Neil Borg urged the council to show “courage” and deliver facilities for youth; coach Charlie Rhodes told a story of a sixth‑grade player who later reached the collegiate level after being pushed to participate. "I ask you to have that courage, please," Neil Borg said during public comment. Charlie Rhodes said the complex gives children opportunities they otherwise lack.

During the council’s review, staff and the project proponent said they had discussed the land appraisal and project numbers with state representatives and consultants. Council members sought clarity on whether the state would accept the $1,730,000 land appraisal and asked whether elements such as ADA‑compliant parking surfaces and restrooms were required for initial phases. City staff indicated they had spoken with the state and had uploaded the appraisal for review; they reported no indication the state would reject it but noted final acceptance occurs only after full submission.

The council split over whether to approve the resolution exactly as written (commit the $770,000 cash and use the land appraisal toward the match) or to amend it to add explicit local bond authority to guarantee the match in cash if needed. After procedural discussion about whether an amendment would affect the state's review, the council voted to amend the resolution to include a potential bond backup and then approved the resolution as amended.

What the approved resolution does: it authorizes the mayor to accept the LPRF grant, commits $770,000 from the general fund balance in fiscal year 2025 and fiscal year 2026 as needed, and (by amendment) signals the council’s willingness to authorize bond authority to cover the match if the state declines to accept the land appraisal. The resolution text describes intended phase 1 work to include architectural and engineering documents, a parking area, connection to existing park infrastructure and grading for full‑size soccer fields.

Next steps: the mayor is authorized to sign the grant agreement; staff will complete the state submission and follow any state conditions. If the state accepts the land appraisal as part of the match, the city’s cash requirement remains $770,000; if the state does not accept the appraisal, the council’s amendment puts a bond option on the table so the city could provide full cash match locally. The council did not set a final timetable for construction in the meeting.