Weston Wamp issues poll on Stadium Funding

Mayor Coppinger calls poll a "desperate attempt"

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) – The Weston Wamp campaign has released a poll suggesting that the majority of Hamilton County voters are opposed to using taxpayer money to fund a new Lookouts Stadium on South Broad.

The poll was conducted by Spry Strategies, and surveyed four hundred and six Hamilton county residents.

Thirty four point seven percent of respondents say they strongly oppose the use of taxpayer money for the stadium.

Twenty-three point point two percent of respondents say they somewhat oppose the use of taxpayer funding.

“All you got to do is sort of get a feel, go to talk to some folks walking around just about any part of the county, and you’ll realize that they’re not really keen on taxpayers paying for the entirety of the stadium, or at least taking all of the risk — there’s no private money in up front.”

County Mayor Jim Coppinger isn’t very impressed by the poll.

“The results of a misleading push poll should not be seen as anything other than a desperate attempt to discredit numerous public meetings and years of hard work that have gone into building something great for the residents of Hamilton County,” said Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger. “I wonder what this poll would have shown if respondents had been reminded that not one penny of existing tax dollars will go to fund the stadium and that it could catalyze up to $1 billion in new investment in Chattanooga, over $200 million of which has already been committed?”

Jim Coppinger

Hamilton County Mayor