Moving On from the Med Mart

Nashville Mayor Karl Dean sounds like he’s all but given up on the so-called med mart. The project was announced three years ago and remains slated to take over the city’s old convention center.

Formally named the Nashville Medical Trade Center, the med mart is intended to be a kind of permanent trade show. Health care suppliers and device makers would set up displays, and hospital administrators would enjoy one-stop shopping.

The Dallas-based developer has continued to periodically announce new tenants, though not enough to start construction.

Mayor Karl Dean has been a cheerleader, participating in multiple press events over the years. But now he’s entertaining other options.

“At some point we just have to keep moving forward. And if things work out, that’s great. I hope they do because I think it’s a wonderful idea and it makes a ton of sense. They went through some real tough times through the depths of the recession working on it. But we’ve got to be open to anything that people want to discuss.”

Dean says the Renaissance Hotel, which is attached to the city-owned convention center, is interested in taking over some of the space. Dean says it’s a desirable piece of property that he’s not worried about sitting vacant long.