Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett is encouraging eligible residents to serve as poll workers ahead of the Aug. 6 State and Federal Primary and County General Elections and the Nov. 3 State and Federal General Election.
Poll workers assist with a range of duties during early voting and on Election Day, including greeting voters, checking voter registration information, answering questions, explaining voting procedures, assisting voters when needed and helping process ballots after polls close. Workers are compensated and receive training before Election Day.
To qualify, individuals must be at least 16 years old, able to read and write English and, if 18 or older, registered to vote. Candidates appearing on the ballot and close relatives of candidates are not eligible to serve.
Certain government employees may also work elections, including city, county and metro employees not directly supervised by an elected official on the ballot, state employees and federal employees who receive approval from their human resources department.
Coordinator of Elections Mark Goins says poll workers help strengthen confidence in the election process.
“By serving, citizens can help voters in their own community confidently cast their ballots while reinforcing the transparency, accuracy, and security of Tennessee elections.”
Finley Stadium gains sales tax revenue
Finley Stadium will soon receive a portion of on-site sales tax revenue under newly signed Tennessee legislation aimed at funding capital improvements at the stadium and surrounding campus.
Gov. Bill Lee signed the measure last week after it passed the Tennessee General Assembly in April. The law allows Finley Stadium to collect a share of sales tax revenue generated from admissions, concessions and merchandise sales beginning Jan. 1, 2027, for a 30-year period.
The legislation was sponsored by Rep. Greg Vital and Sen. Bo Watson, with support from members of the local legislative delegation.
Supporters said the funding will help finance upgrades and renovations at Finley Stadium and the First Horizon Pavilion while keeping the venue competitive with similar facilities across Tennessee.
According to stadium officials, the funding will be used exclusively for capital projects as the Stadium Corporation prepares to unveil its “Finley 2.0” long-term improvement plan in the coming weeks.
The state previously awarded Finley Stadium $500,000 in 2025 for infrastructure projects, including a new sound system installed earlier this year.
$300M amphitheater planned for Bend
A $300 million entertainment development planned for Chattanooga’s Bend district aims to reshape the city’s live music landscape with a 12,500-seat amphitheater expected to become one of the largest venues of its kind in Tennessee.
Urban Story Ventures announced the project in partnership with Venu Holding Corporation, a national entertainment and hospitality company that develops large-scale concert destinations across the United States. The proposed venue, Sunset Amphitheater Chattanooga, would anchor a major entertainment expansion at the Bend development south of downtown.
Developers say the amphitheater would significantly expand Chattanooga’s ability to attract national touring acts and year-round entertainment events. Designed with a partially enclosed canopied roof, the facility is intended to operate in multiple seasons and host concerts and events throughout the year.
Jimmy White, president and managing partner of Urban Story Ventures, describes the project as a transformational step for both Chattanooga and the Bend development, noting that the city’s current indoor entertainment venues top out at capacities of about 3,800 seats. He says the new amphitheater would become Chattanooga’s first large-scale open-air venue and more than double the city’s existing concert capacity.
The amphitheater would surpass the size of Nashville’s Ascend Amphitheater and rank among the largest entertainment venues in the state. Plans call for traditional bowl seating, lawn seating and premium hospitality spaces, including private suites and club seating unique to VENU’s entertainment portfolio.
Developers also emphasize artist-focused amenities, including green rooms and hospitality suites intended to make Chattanooga a more attractive stop for major touring productions.
Project leaders estimate the development could generate more than $4.2 billion in direct and indirect regional economic impact over time through tourism, hospitality growth, job creation and related investment.
JW Roth, founder and CEO of VENU, said Chattanooga’s growth and local support made the city an attractive location for the company’s Tennessee expansion.
The project remains contingent on completion of public-private partnership incentives currently under negotiation.
Hoar Construction has been selected as the project’s general contractor.
State updates city purchasing rules
A new Tennessee law championed by Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly and state Sen. Todd Gardenhire will give cities more flexibility in managing large construction projects and controlling rising infrastructure costs.
Signed by Gov. Bill Lee on April 27, the legislation modernizes municipal purchasing rules by allowing eligible cities to use alternative project delivery methods for projects exceeding $5 million.
City officials say the law is intended to reduce delays, improve cost controls and shift more responsibility for overruns from taxpayers to contractors. The measure comes as construction costs continue rising because of inflation, labor shortages, tariffs and material costs.
Kelly says outdated purchasing rules had contributed to delays and budget overruns on major city projects, limiting funds available for roads, parks and sidewalks.
The law allows cities to choose between traditional design-bid-build contracting or newer methods known as construction manager at risk and design-build. Both approaches allow contractors to become involved earlier in the planning process to improve efficiency, reduce change orders and establish guaranteed maximum pricing on complex projects.
The legislation also requires public disclosure of evaluation criteria, selection committee scores and procurement documents, while providing contractors a formal protest process.
The bill was sponsored in the House by Rep. Richard Scarbrough and in the Senate by Gardenhire with support from members of the Hamilton County legislative delegation.
Under the law, larger cities with full-time purchasing agents – including Chattanooga – may immediately use the new procurement options, while smaller cities can seek approval from the state comptroller on a case-by-case basis.
Boys & Girls Club to expand to Westside
Boys & Girls Clubs of Chattanooga and the city of Chattanooga Department of Community Development have announced the transition of the former Westside Community Center at College Hill Courts to a new Boys & Girls Club location.
The city vacated the facility April 24, and the Boys & Girls Club plans to open the new Westside at College Hill Courts Club this summer. Programming for youth ages 6 to 18 is scheduled to begin June 1.
The new club will offer after-school and summer programming focused on sports and recreation, academics, arts, health and wellness, career development and leadership. The organization says the site will be staffed by trained youth development professionals and will partner with local schools and community organizations.
Meanwhile, the city says it plans to resume and expand programming at the new James A. Henry Community Hub on Grove Street in the coming months.
East Side Community Schoolyard opens
Trust for Public Land and a coalition of local partners have officially opened the new East Side Community Schoolyard at East Side Elementary School, transforming the school’s playground into a shared public green space designed for both students and neighborhood residents.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony on May 12 brought together school officials, civic leaders, residents and East Side students to celebrate the completion of the project, which expands access to parks and recreation in the Oak Grove and Ridgedale neighborhoods.
The project was completed through a partnership involving Trust for Public Land, the city of Chattanooga, Hamilton County Schools, Hamilton Parks and Recreation and Impact Parks.
Under Trust for Public Land’s Community Schoolyards program, underused school playgrounds are redesigned into public spaces that remain open to the community outside school hours.
The goal is to increase access to parks in neighborhoods where green space is limited.
Project leaders said the new schoolyard places quality park space within a 10-minute walk of more than 3,400 residents.
The design of the schoolyard was shaped through months of public engagement led by Chattanooga Neighborhood Enterprise. Community workshops and meetings included participation from students, families and neighborhood residents.
The completed project features more than 50 newly planted trees, new playground equipment and a turf soccer field. The field will also support the Chattanooga Football Club Foundation’s Operation Get Active youth program.
Funding for the project included a $200,000 contribution from the city of Chattanooga’s Department of Parks & Outdoors, matched by support from the Lyndhurst Foundation, Bobby Stone Foundation, The Howard Fund and the Schillhahn Husky Foundation.