A Davidson County Chancery Court judge this week ruled that a group of plaintiffs did not prove that construction of a Major League Soccer stadium at The Fairgrounds Nashville violates the Metro Charter.
Judge Ellen Hobbs Lyle announced the ruling Tuesday in a case between Save Our Fairgrounds — the plaintiffs — and the defendants, the Metro Nashville Government and Nashville Soccer Holdings.
Nashville attorney Jim Roberts, who represents Save Our Fairgrounds, said Lyle “essentially dismissed the case.” But he also said that her ruling, which he called “brutal,” overlooked critical issues.
“The game is not over yet, but this was a tough loss. We felt strongly that the mixed use commercial retail development was absolutely a violation of the charter, and her way of getting around that seems stretched to me,” Roberts told The Tennessee Star Wednesday.
Roberts said the Metro Council had passed legislation that required a mechanism to resolve conflicts between the soccer schedule and the existing uses. But Roberts said no one could tell him or the plaintiffs just what that mechanism is. He said Lyle “just glossed right over that and didn’t mention it at all.”
“The other thing she didn’t address in a meaningful way is the dramatic drop in available parking. She just glossed over that [too]. We started with 6,200 parking spaces before the events occurred, and after they build the stadium in the next year there is going to be about 1,400 parking spaces left, period, and, of those, over half can only be used eight days a month. It’s just ludicrous,” Roberts said.
“She didn’t seem to focus on that in a way that we thought was really really important. She didn’t even really mention it, which was disturbing. We’re going to go back and ask her to focus on those things. She may or may not do that, but it’s just a little hard to believe that the fairgrounds can continue when it has almost no parking.”
Lyle, in her ruling, said “the proof established that the Existing Uses (including providing a divisional fair) and the Development can viably coexist on The Fairgrounds Nashville.”
“In addition, the Court finds that as Metro and the Intervening Defendants are planning, designing and undertaking construction of the Development, they are proceeding in good faith to continue the Existing Uses on The Fairgrounds Nashville along with the Development,” Lyle wrote.
“The evidence showed that there is no intent or design of Metro or the Intervening Defendants to destroy or eliminate the Existing Uses.”
Lyle dismissed the plaintiffs’ claims with prejudice, according to her ruling.
Roberts said the dismissal was “really weird.”
“It’s just an order dismissing the case. It was a case on its merits, and that normally means you can’t refile it but she put dismissal of prejudice as a little unusual, not improper, but I’ve never really seen a judge do that. I’m a little confused as to why she thought that was necessary,” Roberts said.
“There have been some media reports going around saying that we can’t appeal. That’s hogwash. Of course we can appeal. I’m not saying we are going to appeal it. I’m just saying [that] of course we can.”
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Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
It seemed this all started back when popular, well attended events like flea markets and gun shows were held at the State Fairgrounds, but the Nashville elite ruling class didn’t like what the people liked. If I recall correctly, the excuse ending the 35+ years of gun shows was that three guns used in crimes during those more than three decades in Metro Nashville were originally sold at gun shows there. Wow! I wonder how many DUI injuries of deaths passed through Nashville restaurants and bars? Not their fault either, just sayin’.
Dammit! I don’t care how broke we are , let’s get on with the soccer stadium.
She is in some ones pocket and she is a liberal Democrat! NOT GOOD!
Liberal Democrat trash!
A major league soccer stadium in the Great State of Tennessee???? With all the other woke professional sports going down the drain, now people will get to boycott another sport.
Seriously, vote Democrat, get corruption, higher taxes, and lesser freedom. Deport Nashville!!!!
I do not know this judge, but she seems to ALWAYS rule in favor of democrats and leftists. I am sure she is a democrat and may be legislating from the bench like most democrat judges.
Follow the money.
The attorney using the words, “really weird” is a signal (to me) this judge is in the back pocket of the Mayor and/or Metro Council.
I don’t understand how they can continue with this project if the city is supposedly so tight for cash that they need to raise the property tax. Is it possible Chicken Coop was looking for an excuse to raise property tax to help pay for this monstrosity? If I recall correctly, he first used the tornadoes as an excuse, right before covid hit. Hmm…….
Chancellor Lyles, she runs in her election as a democrat, she rules as a Democrat! Jim Roberts please appeal this ruling. She is also hearing the referendum to appeal the 34% property tax increase referendum.. I predict she will rule to not have the people vote in the referendum. Please prepare to appeal. Davidson county needs a strong two party system. The local gop party and the state party needs to start being active and field candidates fir all the elected positions. The one party rule has left Nashville, financially broke, leaders that do not care how a 34% property tax increase effects young people buying houses and/or older people trying to pay there expenses! Please state and lical hop build a string alternative to the one party rule that has tarnished our city