Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Sports Authority topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Mayor outlines plan for Hamilton County–East Ridge sports authority to study large indoor complex
Summary
At an Aug. 5 agenda meeting, the county mayor proposed creating a Hamilton County–City of East Ridge sports authority to study the scope, location, funding and design of a large indoor sports facility. The authority would have joint appointments and begin public meetings if approved; a formal vote is scheduled for Aug. 5.
The county mayor told the Hamilton County Board of Commissioners at its Aug. 5 agenda meeting that he will introduce a resolution to create a joint Hamilton County–City of East Ridge sports authority to develop plans for a large indoor sports facility.
"This is a long time coming," the mayor said, calling the proposal the first formal statutory step toward a project he described as potentially "the largest and finest of its kind in the state of Tennessee." The authority, the mayor said, would staff public meetings to vet the facility27s scope, location, design and funding.
The mayor outlined a proposed membership of four county appointees, four East Ridge appointees and one joint appointee. He named several prospective county directors: Dane Bradshaw, Katie Burrows, Hiren Desai and Orlando Lightfoot. He said East Ridge nominees include Zach Hutcherson, Brad Jackson, Ken Meyer and PJ Patel, with Emerson Russell proposed as the joint appointee.
Citing a market study, the mayor said the consultant Victus projected about 38,000 annual hotel nights, roughly 343 jobs and about $21 million in annual economic output tied to a facility of this type. He pointed to comparable projects in other states to illustrate potential scale.
On funding, the mayor said the county27s participation would be financed primarily through hotel-motel tax revenue rather than new property taxes, and that the county and East Ridge would collaborate on financing. He said state leaders have signaled willingness to work with the county and city, and that he expects the authority to examine border-region incentives and other state or federal support.
Commissioners asked whether neighboring Georgia jurisdictions might share costs or benefits. The mayor said there could be some spillover to North Georgia but emphasized the county27s intent to capture activity on the Tennessee side and to use existing border-region tools where appropriate.
Several commissioners expressed support for moving the matter forward; the mayor said the creation of the sports authority would be introduced to East Ridge for that city27s consideration and is expected to be voted on by the county commission on Aug. 5.
Next steps: the commission will consider the resolution formally at a future session, and if approved the authority would begin public meetings and more detailed planning.
