Wamp says South Broad Town Hall a chance for taxpayers to voice concerns

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – On Thursday night, citizens will get to voice their opinions on the proposed South Broad Stadium Project. 

We are nearing the end of January and there still no development on the Wheland Foundry site.

As we await groundbreaking, opposition is being raised against this project from Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp.

A rendering of the new South Broad Stadium. (Courtesy: South Broad Project)

He believes now is the time for further discussions before an increase in the South Broad Stadium’s price tag is approved.

Mayor Wamp said, “The public has never been given an opportunity to speak into the moment. We sense that the public is opposed to the stadium. We also get the sense that most public officials are for the stadium.” 

Earlier this month, we learned from developers that the cost of the project would rise by $40 million dollars to $120 million from the approved $80 million deal in 2022.

They said this was due to inflation.

However, Mayor Wamp questions the accuracy of this statement.

He said, “We inherited this deal. $80 million of tax money had been committed, I think that’s enough. If you can’t build a Double A baseball park for close to $80 million that’s your problem.”

Mayor Wamp added that among his list of concerns is the amount of interest that would need to be paid back on a $40 million loan to the ownership of the Lookouts and the private property owners of that lot, the lack of naming rights granted to the county who will own the stadium, and the amount of revenue the stadium will generate.

We did reach out to Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly’s office for their view on this town hall.

While we did not hear back from them on Tuesday, Mayor Kelly did issue a statement of support of the South Broad Project.

He argues that the project will produce up to $186 million for Hamilton County Schools among revenue for other public projects.

Mayor Wamp doesn’t agree that it’ll cause a positive economic impact.

He said, “I think it’s a strawman to people promoting the deal, to act like it’s falling apart. There’s already been 80 million dollars approved to build this stadium, the Lookouts aren’t leaving. The question is, are we going to try to improve the terms of this $60 million increase of cost or are we just going to give the developers whatever they want.”

This town hall on the South Broad Project will be held at 5:30 on Thursday evening at Calvary Chapel on South Broad Street.

This is just a block from our studios, and we will be covering what is discussed at that event.