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TDEC presents proposed state park donation and investment; subcommittee approves
Summary
Deputy Commissioner Brian Clifford (TDEC) asked the subcommittee to approve a donated property to create Tennessee's 70th state park, citing an original purchase price of $16,000,000 and an estimated $11,000,000 annual economic impact and roughly 70 jobs. The transcript contains inconsistent acreage references; the item passed by voice vote.
Deputy Commissioner Brian Clifford of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation presented a proposed conveyance and investment to establish what he described as Tennessee’s 70th state park in Hamilton and Ray counties. Clifford said the property is currently owned by Hamilton County, that the county "paid, dollars 16,000,000 for the property," and that the county was "willing to convey it to us for $0." He asked for favorable approval and described expected benefits: "We expect that this state park will contribute about an $11,000,000 annual economic impact to that immediate area and probably generate around 70 jobs." The subcommittee approved the item by voice vote.
The transcript contains inconsistent references to the property size: in one passage Clifford referred to "1,300 acres" and later the record includes the phrase "This is 13 acres." The record does not resolve that discrepancy; the committee approved the conveyance as presented. The presentation indicated the park would include camping, a visitor center and day-use amenities; staff asked for no further questions before the voice vote.
