Parks Board Approves Lease for Belmont University

Today the Metro Park Board unanimously approved a 40 year lease which allows Belmont University to build an athletic complex in Rose Park.

The lease has been under constant criticism from the Organized Neighbors of Edgehill, whose attempts to preserve the park were fundamentally ended by the vote.

Two weeks ago, in the last meeting of the term, Metro Council approved the lease after a heated debate and a close vote.

Neighbor Arlene Lane expressed frustration after the meeting.

“From the very beginning, the President of Belmont stated, ‘We only want to go forth with this proposal if the community wants it,’ never expecting the community to have a brain to think for themselves to know what we want best ourselves.”

Members of the organization claim that nearly all of the park will be taken up by the construction. But university representative Jason Rodgers says that less than half of the park will be used by the facilities, and that those will be available for the use of the public.

In addition, Rodgers says that the project has a significant amount of community support, and that the university is still willing to work things out with those who are unhappy.

“We obviously have some who continue to be opposed to it, and we’re continuing to want to work with them.”

Although the decision is final, the Neighbors of Edgehill intend to continue their opposition of the project.

Construction on the athletic complex would begin in Spring of 2008 at the earliest.