Get AI Briefings, Transcripts & Alerts on Local & National Government Meetings — Forever.
River City Company seeks interim access to demolish AT&T Field; authority schedules May 8 follow-up
Loading...
Summary
At a Chattanooga Sports Authority meeting, River City Company proposed a temporary access, construction and use easement to demolish AT&T Field, indemnify the authority and maintain the site as interim green space while preparing for redevelopment; the board did not vote and scheduled a May 8 meeting to consider action.
At a meeting of the Chattanooga Sports Authority, members discussed a proposed temporary access, construction and use easement that would let River City Company enter AT&T Field to oversee demolition and interim maintenance while the authority preserves its reversionary rights.
Emily Mack, president and CEO of River City Company, told the authority she and her staff have begun early redevelopment work and are prepared to handle demolition and short-term stewardship "and no taxpayer dollars are being used," offering to indemnify the sports authority and carry insurance for the site. Mack said River City has issued a request for proposals for master developers and that demolition bids are currently solicited but only valid for a limited number of days, making an executed agreement time sensitive.
Board members pressed for specifics. One member asked about the demolition cost; Mack said bids are pending and "we don't have exact time frame" but estimated demolition would take roughly three to four months once contractors mobilize. Another member asked whether River City had a recent appraisal; Mack said none had been completed "to the best of my knowledge." The draft agreement allows River City ingress, egress, soil testing and short-term staging, and requires the company to carry insurance and indemnify the authority.
The chair and several members also raised a contract governance issue: Speaker 8 flagged that the draft easement contains no explicit term or termination provision and requested that term and termination language be added and reviewed with city counsel before any execution. Mack and the chair agreed to add reporting and annual updates; Mack offered to present at the authority's annual meeting and to return with specific dates if the board wanted an earlier vote.
The agreement would let River City remove stadium structures, grade and reseed the site and provide limited "light programming" (such as short-duration community events) while a longer-term redevelopment plan is pursued. Mack said proceeds from salvaged metal materials would be used to offset demolition costs and that River City would coordinate security with a demolition contractor, the Downtown Chattanooga Alliance and Chattanooga Police Department to prevent trespass and public-safety issues.
The authority did not take action on the easement at this meeting. Members agreed to reconvene in a special meeting to consider the item; the board discussed available dates and settled on May 8 at 11:30 a.m. as the target for a vote after providing the required notice. Earlier in the meeting the board approved minutes from the prior meeting and later moved to adjourn.
Next steps: River City and city counsel will revise the draft to include a term and termination clause, provide any requested appraisal or financial detail if available, and return for the authority's consideration at the scheduled special meeting.
