‘Knoxville Realtors back stadium project’
The board of the Knoxville Association of Realtors (KAAR) has unanimously endorsed the proposed multi-use, multi-sport stadium development that will be located adjacent to downtown Knoxville.
KAAR’s board released the following statement May 5:
“Knoxville is already a great city, but it has even more potential. By enhancing public amenities and promoting the growth of healthy and vibrant neighborhoods, robust investment in civic infrastructure plays a vital role in unlocking Knoxville’s full potential.
The Knoxville Area Association of Realtors® strongly support the joint effort by our local governments to bring this transformative public project to fruition. This is simply an opportunity Knoxville cannot afford to miss.”
The endorsement comes on the heels of Boyd Sports, LLC, which owns the Tennessee Smokies baseball team, agreeing agreed to hold discussions with leaders of a United Soccer League team about playing at the stadium if the project goes forward.
The non-binding agreement between Boyd Sports and the local United Soccer League group to enter discussions is dependent on the approval of a new stadium by the City of Knoxville and Knox County and on Boyd Sports, LLC, being selected to manage the new stadium.
Hancen Sale, the director of governmental affairs and policy director for KAAR, released a statement explaining KAAR’s unanimous endorsement of the development, which is on the edge of the Old City in East Knoxville.
“Our board recognizes the project as a strategic investment in our community that will raise Knoxville’s national profile and spur economic growth and prosperity for many years,” Sale said. “This multi-use development is an opportunity to create new jobs, enhance our ability to attract new talent and business, and revitalize a previously vacant, blighted area.”