Fair board meets without quorum, hears FY27 budget and large capital requests; solar agreement and grant deferred

Todd Hartley, vice chair of the Metro Board of Fair Commissioners, opened the Feb. 17 meeting and said the board did not have a quorum, so members would discuss agenda items but make no formal decisions.

The meeting focused on partner and division updates and the board’s FY27 budget submission. Lindsay Paola of Geodis/Nashville Soccer Club previewed the team’s 2026 season, noting a CONCACAF Champions Cup first leg and a Feb. 24 home match planned at Geodis Park; she also said Geodis Park is one of seven U.S. venues under consideration to host soccer at the LA 2028 Olympics. Don Collins of Collier Engineering updated the board on campus capital projects, including retaining-wall work and traffic-signal submittals for the Windgrove intersection and the nearing completion of paving and storm drainage at an adjacent lot.

Satrice, the fairgrounds finance lead, presented preliminary January 2026 financials and the FY27 budget submission. She reported year-to-date revenue and expense figures near $3.0 million and described line-item variances tied to winter-storm cancellations. Satrice said the budget team estimates FY27 revenue at $4.5 million (a projected 23% increase over the current-year expectation) and estimates expenses at about $4.5 million. She listed budget requests and capital asks, including $95,000 for purchase services, $66,300 for landscaping and grounds maintenance, a $250,000 package of capital items (CRM, baler, tankless water heater), a $46,000,000 parking-structure request, a $300,000 backup generator, and a $150,000,000 request tied to speedway and additional fair-site improvements.

Board members pressed staff on storm-related losses and contingency plans. In response to a question from Diego, Satrice identified an estimated $123,000 in revenue loss tied to the winter storm and said some labor and equipment costs related to the event response may be pursued for FEMA reimbursement, though FEMA does not cover lost revenue.

Event services staff reported awards and grant activity. Scott said the fairgrounds won awards from the International Association of Fairs & Expositions and that the Tennessee Association of Fairs has awarded capital funding of roughly $83,000 to support fairground improvements. Darren reported record or high-attendance events and a verbal commitment for the USA Volleyball championships in October pending a signed contract.

Hartley introduced two notable agenda items under new business — draft interconnection and operating agreements with Nashville Electric Service (NES) for rooftop solar and an associated power-purchase agreement, and a grant acceptance for Tennessee Association of Fairs funding. With no quorum present, the board agreed to defer formal action on both items but expressed general support for exploring solar and for accepting the grant if timing requires staff to proceed via email approval or a special meeting. Laura, the executive director, noted that once the fair board votes on NES agreements they would proceed to council for readings and additional authorizations.

Before adjourning, Hartley raised concern about frequent quorums shortfalls and urged the board to consider steps to fill vacancies to reduce delays to staff and operations. With no formal votes taken, the meeting concluded with the board asking staff to track deadlines and bring deferred items to a future meeting when a quorum is present.

The board adjourned at the close of the discussion; the Metro Nashville Network announced viewers may visit nashville.gov for more information.