Nashville judge throws out proposed petition to ban racing at fairgrounds
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A Nashville judge on Friday rejected a proposal to amend the Metro charter to ban auto racing at the fairgrounds.
Why it matters: The ruling by Chancellor Patricia Head Moskal is a victory for racing supporters who want Mayor Freddie O'Connell and Speedway Motorsports Inc. to reach a deal to invest in the track and bring NASCAR races back to Nashville.
Flashback: A coalition of opponents pitched a charter amendment last year that would have explicitly banned auto racing at the fairgrounds.
- It also would have replaced racing with affordable or workforce housing on the list of required programming at the fairgrounds.
- Nashville voters would have needed to sign off on the plan.
The big picture: It was the most ambitious effort yet by neighbors and environmental groups hoping to end racing at the fairgrounds. Nashville SC lead owner John Ingram supported the effort.
Yes, but: The process for putting a Metro Charter amendment proposal on the ballot is legally complicated and difficult to pull off logistically.
- Moskal's ruling marked the second failure by the anti-racing group. Their first proposal was rejected by the Charter Revision Commission earlier this year.
Between the lines: Moskal essentially said in her order that the group did not follow the rules for amending the charter. The ruling reversed the Charter Revision Commission's decision to allow the effort to advance.
- Neil Chaffin, the former racecar driver and car owner who sued to stop the amendment, took a victory lap after Moskal's ruling.
- Chaffin said in a statement he hopes "the mayor and the Metro Council step up now and do the right thing with a solution to restore the speedway and preserve this special place for generations."
The other side: "Today's ruling is a temporary setback and we remain undeterred," Restore Our Fairgrounds cofounder Mike Kopp said in statement. "We're encouraged that the court agreed with our arguments except for a highly technical issue that can be resolved by re-filing the petition with the Charter Revision Commission."
Editor's note: This story was updated with a comment from a supporter of the ballot measure.