New entertainment district opens door for TopGolf
Campbell Station Inn $623k over budget
Farragut’s Board of Mayor and Aldermen took steps last week to ensure the Town’s future is well in hand, voting to create a new entertainment district and approving the next phase of the Campbell Station Inn construction project — even though the price tag of the latter puts the project more than $600,000 over budget.
Entertainment district
The Board voted unanimously Thursday, Aug. 22, on second reading to approve an ordinance creating the Outlet Drive Regional Entertainment and Employment District (OD-RE/E), which replaces the Town’s C-2-R/W District. In a related vote, the Board rezoned seven parcels (approximately 36 acres) from its previous C-2 and R-2 destinations to the newly-created OD-RE/E.
“Oh yes,” Alderman Drew Burnette enthusiastically said as he cast his vote for the changes.
Colby Price of RealtyLink was on hand for the historic vote, as was Todd Waldo of TopGolf, both of whom had been working with Town officials on creating the new district.
It was a key step in potentially bringing TopGolf to Farragut and capped off several weeks of discussions and meetings, which began more than two months ago with a Farragut Municipal Planning Commission workshop June 6.
“I cannot thank you enough for what the staff and the Planning Commission and what your community has done in working with us on this,” Price said. “We have six offices in five different states, and I can say this has been one of the most pleasurable experiences we have had.”
“Can we put that on a billboard?” joked Vice Mayor Louise Povlin, who thanked the staff and the collaborations that went into creating the new district.
“This is something I know everyone will be proud of in the years to come,” she added.
After the meeting, Waldo said the next hurdle will be working with FMPC on site plan approval.
Inn renovation cost
BOMA also unanimously approved the $2.448 million bid from Merit Construction to construct Phase 3 of the Campbell Station Inn project.
The project, which will be constructed on the grounds alongside and behind Campbell Station Inn, will include a small park, a parking lot with permeable pavers, a restroom facility and perimeter streets connecting through the property to the Village Green shopping center.
Even though it was the low bid — the second bid from Southern Constructors Inc. was $3.275 million — the cost puts the project $623,321 over budget, reported Town administrator David Smoak.
A work session had been called prior to the Board meeting to discuss the shortfall.
It was ultimately decided the additional moneys would be appropriated via line item from either the Smith Road greenway project or the McFee Park expansion — both pending Capital Investment Program projects that will be continuing beyond the current fiscal year — with the Board deciding another work session would be scheduled to make the final call.
