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Fair board asks legal to draft naming-rights policy after Metro code review
Summary
The Nashville Board of Fair Commissioners discussed pursuing naming rights and sponsorships for fairgrounds facilities and asked Metro Legal to draft a policy and check procurement and statutory constraints, including council approval requirements and potential state historic-protection limits.
The Nashville Board of Fair Commissioners discussed a plan to pursue naming rights and sponsorships for fairgrounds facilities and asked Metro Legal to draft rules and identify procurement and statutory requirements.
Why it matters: Board members said targeted sponsorships could generate new revenue for the fairgrounds and help boost programming and attendance, but legal and procurement limits — and the need for council approval — mean a formal policy should precede solicitations.
Metro Legal attorney Erica told the board that Metro code requires council approval for naming public buildings and cited the relevant sections of the Metro code. "There is a Metro ordinance — 13.26.010 and 13.26.020 — that requires council approval for naming of public buildings," Erica said, adding the ordinance requires attached biographical information for any person and company history for corporations. Erica also flagged an older opinion suggesting a procurement process may be required and said Metro Legal would reexamine that opinion in light of the fair board's recent sponsorship ordinance.
Board members discussed candidate assets for naming, focusing on on-campus, visible locations such as Expo 1, Expo 2, Expo 3, the outdoor pavilions and adjacent lawns rather than leased properties such as Market Street. Chair Jasper Hendricks and several commissioners suggested starting with smaller, programmatic or multiyear sponsorships as a test before pursuing major building renamings. Commissioner Jerick Womack suggested the board target corporate neighbors (for example, local banks, music companies and new corporate relocations) that might want regular visibility at the fairgrounds.
Legal counsel told the board to consider conflicts of interest checks and to confirm whether certain state laws apply. "Depending on the type of facility that is to be named, there's a state law — the Tennessee Heritage Protection Act — which can restrict renaming of certain public properties or memorials," Erica said, and recommended verification for any property under that statute. She also recommended the board adopt clear sponsorship rules before entering naming-rights contracts because the board's sponsorship authorities allow it to create rules and regulations for sponsorships.
Board members asked Metro Legal to: (1) draft a naming-rights policy that incorporates Metro code requirements and potential procurement steps; (2) clarify whether a competitive procurement (RFP) is required for naming-rights agreements given the board's sponsorship ordinance; and (3) draft recommended contract clauses (for example, morality clauses and termination triggers) and a standard approval checklist for conflicts and council filings.
Next steps outlined by the board included having Metro Legal prepare a draft policy, compiling a short list of candidate fairgrounds assets to pilot naming/sponsorship deals (Expo 1–3, the pavilions and lawns were suggested), and returning to the full board for further discussion before any outreach or solicitations.
The board did not take a final vote to adopt a policy or enter any contract during the meeting.
