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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - January 20, 2016
The Nashville Fair Board has already tried to stop the gun shows at the Nashville Fairgrounds once. The Nashville Fair Board is comprised of five (5) political appointees. Shortly after Megan Barry became mayor of Nashville, the Fair Board announced that it was cancelling many already scheduled and contracted gun shows at the Nashville Fairgrounds.
What the Nashville Fair Board did with respect terminating gun show operators was likely illegal. The Metro Charter was amended by public referendum just a few years ago to prohibit and restrict the authority of Metro to exclude certain activities which had long taken place at the Fairgrounds from being prohibited in the future.
Metro Charter Sec. 11.602. - Functions and duties.
It shall be the duty of the metropolitan board of fair commissioners to: * * *
(d) All activities being conducted on the premises of the Tennessee State Fairgrounds as of December 31, 2010,
including, but not limited to, the Tennessee State Fair, Expo Center
Events, Flea Markets, and Auto Racing, shall be continued on the same
site. No demolition of the premises shall be allowed to occur without
approval by ordinance receiving 27 votes by the Metropolitan Council or amendment to the Metropolitan Charter. (Referendum petition approved August 4, 2011)
Gun shows have operated at the Fairgrounds for decades prior to December 2010.
Many people and organizations, including some Metro Council Members have expressed concern over the illegal actions of the appointed Fair Board.
We received notice today that a subcommittee of the Metro Council will meet at the Fairgrounds on January 26. The committee is the Codes, Fair And Farmer's Market committee which is comprised of the following Council members:
- Coleman, Sam, Chair
- Davis, Scott
- Greene, Loniel
- Huezo, Holly
- Rosenberg, Dave
- Shulman, Jim
- Swope, Robert
We are told the committee will be hosting a meeting on January 26th in Wilson Hall at 6:00 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. to hear from the public concerning the future of the Fairgrounds. There will be an open discussion and the meeting will end at promptly 8:15.
If you or an group you are involved with want to be heard at this meeting, please contact the committee chairman Sam Coleman and each of the other committee members through the Metro Council's website (https://www.nashville.gov/Metro-Council/Contact-Council-Members.aspx) .
You should also contact the Metro Clerk (metro.clerk@nashville.gov) and perhaps even the Metro Fair Board (Buck Dozier - buck.dozier@nashville.gov) if you have comments or would like to speak.
It is important that you speak up! Even if you cannot attend the meeting that night, I urge you to take the time an send emails and/or phone calls to these committee members to let them know that you oppose the efforts of the Metro Fair Board to illegally shut down gun shows.
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