Comments from Bass, Berry & Sims attorney Mark Mamantov were included in an article published by the Chattanooga Times Free Press outlining the plans for the new Chattanooga Lookouts stadium. Mark and others at the firm are working with the city on this development project. The latest designs for the stadium incorporate existing foundry structures on the property and relies on the donation of land on the site.

“We need a real site, a legal description,” Mark said. That will enable survey work, soil drilling and the location to be platted, he added.

During the meeting with the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Sports Authority, Mark also said that parking options and lease agreements needs to be finalized. Mark said that a 30-year lease with the club has been discussed. “That matches up with the terms of the financing.” Mark said it must be decided “what you’re leasing to the team,” adding there has to be an agreement on a design.

Mark stated another lease issue is deciding community use. He said it’s anticipated the ballpark will be open regularly as a public amenity and there will be a number of so-called civic event days. At Knoxville’s planned new minor league stadium under construction, there are eight such days annually in the lease. “The whole idea is to trigger the whole development of the site,” he said.

The full article, “Chattanooga Lookouts Want to Include Old Foundry Buildings in New Stadium Design,” was published in the Chattanooga Times Free Press on November 10 and is available online.