Crossville City Council voted Tuesday evening to move forward with construction of an indoor recreation center.
“This is one of the biggest projects, I think, that the city’s ever done,” said council member Rob Harrison about the center, estimated to cost $40 million. “Because of that, I would like to see it go to a referendum.”
Harrison’s motion, seconded by council member Mike Turner, failed on a 2-3 vote. Mayor RJ Crawford and council members Art Gernt and Scot Shanks cast the dissenting votes.
Crawford then made a series of motions to advance the project. The motions included:
• Adopting a memorandum of understanding with the Cookeville YMCA, which is on board to operate the three-story facility that will include an indoor pool, gymnasium, fitness area, exercise rooms, a child-care center, spectator seating and flat walking track. This will be subject to a changes and approval by the YMCA board before it is sent back to city council for final approval.
• Adopting a resolution to sell the N. Main St. and adjacent property purchased for the center to the Crossville Sports Authority, a body created to allow for the use of sales tax revenue to build the facility.
• Authorizing the city attorney to work with the sports authority to effectuate the building and financing of the recreation center.
• Authorizing the issuance of tax-exempt revenue improvement bonds not to exceed $40 million.
• Approval of design and bidding phases, a move that Crawford said will “allow for our architect and our current contractor to give us a firm, better pricing.”
Crawford’s five motions were approved unanimously.
This is a developing story.