What This Story Is About
- Property owners of a former fairground site are pushing back against Rutherford County’s plans.
Why It Matters
- The county’s offer of $14 million to $18 million is far below a $38 million private contract already in place on the property.
- Commissioners will meet again in coming months.
For Context
- County leaders, who previously offered $24 million for the site, said the location is critical because of its proximity to existing justice and corrections facilities.
RUTHERFORD COUNTY, Tenn. (WSMV) — Property owners of a former fairgrounds site are pushing back against the county’s plans to use their 52 acres for a new jail and sheriff’s office.
The owners are urging county commissioners to reconsider their vote, arguing the county’s offer of $14 million to $18 million is far below a $38 million private contract already in place on the property.
‘Millions below the contract price’
In a statement sent to WSMV4, the property owners wrote in part:
“The property has been under a binding $38 million contract since June 5. Nearly six weeks later and without notice to the owners, the County voted to take the property with a valuation range of just $14 to $18 million — millions below the County’s own offer and $20 million below the contract price.”…