Questions over a proposed hotel near the Putnam County Expo Center prompted a response from the county attorney concerning whether a contract exists and whether county-owned land has already been committed.
Resident Lisa Owen questioned the county’s handling of the proposed development and accused officials of withholding information about negotiations. Putnam County Attorney Jeff Jones responded.
“We’ve been accused of fraud in this even though no land has been leased, sold, given away.” Jones said, “There has been no gifting of land contrary to what Ms. Owens just said. We’re still at the infancy of this right now.”
Jones said the county has provided Owen with records including plats, legal descriptions, appraisals, market studies and economic impact studies. He said information concerning the hotel negotiations has not been released. Jones said no hotel contract currently exists.
Jones said negotiation information would become public when a contract is presented to the County Commission for consideration.
“The only thing that we have not provided her is this information related to hotel negotiations,” Jones said. “That’s it. Until you as a County Commission consider a contract, which there is no contract, until you consider a contract, then that is not public record,” Jones said. “Now, once it’s put on the agenda, then it becomes public record. We’re not even close to that point right now.”
Jones said the county obtained an appraisal after consulting with the Tennessee Comptroller’s Office. He said the only step taken involving the property itself has been designating acreage for possible future development.
“The only thing that has happened, that has occurred right now is we carved out 2.918 acres for future development, hotel development on that site,” Jones said. “And in the resolution that you guys approved, you specifically said that this was for economic development.”
Owen told commissioners she began seeking information after learning of the proposed hotel development and questioning the appraisal of the property.
“Mayor Porter, you and your attorney refused to provide me with relevant data stating that this project was in its early confidential negotiation stages using a state secrecy shield,” Owen said. “That was a falsehood.”
Owen also alleged the appraisal did not properly account for the property’s potential hotel use and argued the proposed development could affect her family’s neighboring property.