Panel eyes long-term upgrades for complex

Jul. 20—Putting on an event at the Cumberland County Community Complex takes a little faith — and insurance.

"It costs so much to put something on. If we get a rain out — we're just breaking even anyway," said Ricky Smith, a past president of the Cumberland County Fair Association and current president of the state fair association.

But members of the Cumberland County Fair Association say a roofed arena and a second set of grandstands could help bring more events to the facility.

"We are in the best location to draw things," Gary Adams, president of the fair association, said during a meeting of a new subcommittee of the county's building and grounds committee.

In addition to a covered arena, several members of the committee discussed the need for an additional building — perhaps with a kitchen that could accommodate large meetings and groups.

"We're missing out on a lot of things right now because we don't have a really nice space," Cumberland County Mayor Allen Foster said. "We're missing out on rentals on everything from conferences to weddings."

The county had discussed such a facility several years before. The idea for an expo center was put aside after an effort to impose a food and beverage tax failed to gain traction in the Tennessee General Assembly in 2019.

"It was still a good idea," said Wendell Wilson, 6th District commissioner. "The mayor is right. We need something bigger in Cumberland County to host a good event."

Foster said he'd like to see the facility at the complex, though he was not sure where it could be placed at the site.

"We need to have somebody look at the fairgrounds and tell us what we can do," Foster said.

Both projects require a close look at the grounds available, existing infrastructure and future needs.

For example, a covered arena would need to come with a second grandstand that could double seating capacity.

"Right now, all of us are tied with what type of event we can have for what kind of price," Adams said.

Moody said that would also open up a new portion of the complex for activities.

"Right now, it's just dead space," he said.

Smith said he envisions digging under the bank across from the existing grandstand. It could serve as storage space and a shelter in extreme weather.

In addition to an event space and covered arena, the committee also wanted to think about fencing to help divide the space up better outside of fair week. The current facility makes it difficult to rent the property for multiple events over a weekend.

"At some point, I'd love to see the waterline moved," Foster added, noting that repairs often result in a patch on the asphalt road through the facility.

There was discussion of a new entrance from Hwy. 127 that could help avoid a bottleneck of vehicles on the two-lane Livingston Rd.

Smith said he recently attended a fair in a nearby county where a grant had helped add a new building.

"They got the kitchen grant. They've got a nice kitchen area and meeting area for about 100 people," Smith said.

The building then attaches to the livestock barn, which has roll-up doors along the sides to allow it to be opened up or enclosed, depending on the need.

Sue York, 1st District commissioner, said the complex was in dire need of a new kitchen. The existing kitchen is quite small, she said.

"Maybe we build another building over there [near Hwy. 70 N.]," York said.

Foster said, "We're missing the mark on the 500-600 [people] range."

He suggested a facility that could be sectioned off into smaller spaces or opened up for a large event.

There are some immediate needs — most notably the replacement of steel support posts at the livestock barn and new doors at the youth exhibit building.

Smith said it would be easy to cut out the rusted metal and weld new metal in its place.

That fix is in the works, and money is included in the 2023-'24 county budget to replace rusted doors at the youth exhibit building.

The grandstands have a fresh coat of paint, but everyone agreed — the county's speakers in the top corners have outlived their usefulness.

In other business, the building and grounds committee briefly discussed the cost to add canopies over the gas pumps at the Cumberland County Bus Garage, estimated at about $43,000.

The pumps are used by every county department to fuel county vehicles. But some commissioners questioned if it was time to consider moving the bus garage from Genesis Rd. to property purchased by the school system years before off Old Mail Rd.

"That's a prime location," Wilson said.

Foster said the move would require a significant investment in the Old Mail Rd. property for a new building, fencing and gravel parking for the school system's bus fleet. However, the school system has 20 acres available while they are cramped on the roughly 2.8-acre site on Genesis Rd.

Terry Lowe, 5th District commissioner, noted the bus garage is an older facility. "It costs a lot to keep that up," he said.

The panel will take the issue up again in August after the county has passed its 2023-'24 fiscal year budget.

The panel also approved removal of a tree from behind the Military Memorial Museum on Main St. and installation of a security light on the back entrance to the facility.

Heather Mullinix is editor of the Crossville Chronicle. She covers schools and education in Cumberland County. She may be reached at hmullinix@crossville-chronicle.com.