The Metro Development and Housing Agency is moving to acquire riverfront property for a so-called adventure play park. It’s the first project in a $30 million riverfront redevelopment plan that’s been in the works for at least five years.
The site for the park now belongs to the Metro Sports Authority. The MDHA board has voted to take it over. Most of the area between the Shelby pedestrian bridge and the Korean War Veterans Bridge is a surface parking lot for the Titans’ stadium.
Ed Owens is the riverfront director for MDHA and says a public park will be a better use.
“It’s an extremely valuable piece of property and we feel and the community feels these park projects will enhance not only the stadium site, but the entire downtown area.”
MDHA isn’t proposing to purchase the property from the Sports Authority, which owns LP Field and the surrounding parking lots. However, the development agency will help relocate nearly 300 parking spots.
The Sports Authority will take up the issue at a meeting Friday.
If construction starts later this year, the $8 million adventure play park is expected to be complete by summer of 2011.
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