Supporters of Nashville's fairgrounds blasted Mayor Megan Barry's proposal for a $250 million Major League Soccer stadium during a packed meeting Thursday night that showed a lingering mistrust from past fights over the Metro-owned property.

The occasion — a public comment session provided by the Metro fair board — gave auto racing, state fair and flea market enthusiasts their first chance to publicly weigh in on a plans to build an MLS stadium at the fairgrounds.

Barry, who unveiled a public-private financing proposal for the project Monday, has vowed to keep all existing fairgrounds uses intact, committing to rebuild dilapidated expo buildings and even pursuing future upgrades at the much-debated Fairgrounds Speedway.

But that didn't hold much sway on this night.

"I'm a flea market attender, I attend the races, and I'm totally against the soccer field and the greenway because it's not going to help the regular folks," sad Bob Blair, 75, who said he lives near the property. "I know they call us 'It City,' but I'm not going to pay $46 for a soccer ticket."

Speakers, some clad in red T-shirts supporting the fairgrounds, gave an earful, making clear their distaste for a plan that would dramatically overhaul the site south of downtown near Wedgewood Avenue and Nolensville Pike.

Several criticized plans to give 10 acres of fairgrounds property to Nashville's MLS ownership group led by John Ingram for a future mixed-use development, with some calling it a "gift" of public land that shirks the duties of the five-member fair board. A few accused the administration of ramming the project through without doing their homework.

Save Our Fairgrounds opposes project, but only in current form

One man said parking accommodations for a 27,500-seat soccer stadium would never work. Another said the site of abandoned Greer Stadium makes more sense for soccer. The expensive price of attending MLS games in other cities was another theme among the largely blue-collar crowd.

"There's not a building here that wouldn't benefit from being replaced," said George Gruhn, owner of Gruhn Guitars and a longtime fairgrounds visitor. "But what's important in the fairgrounds is not just buildings. It's a function. It is, in some ways, the common man's convention center.

"I'm vehemently opposed to the mixed-use and affordable housing on this property," he said, calling them worthy needs but not for the fairgrounds. "I think it's inappropriate."

Barry has said she hopes for Metro Council approval of the financing plan by the first week of November to put Nashville in play to be one of two cities that MLS awards expansion franchises to in December.

In a change from previously announced financing plans, the city would now commit the tax revenue generated from the private development specifically for fairgrounds improvements.

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Kicking off the event, the group Save Our Fairgrounds, led by conservative activist Rick Williams, announced his organization opposes the soccer plan — but only in its current form. He suggested his group could support the MLS plan if the administration removes the 10-acre private development piece and excludes the Nashville Sports Authority from the transaction to leave the fair board in complete control.

"The stadium could be a great addition. Let's just make sure we're doing it right," he said.

Fairgrounds park plan debated as well

The meeting drew around 200 spectators, not all of whom are from Davidson County. It was similar to the coalition that successfully fought former Mayor Karl Dean's plans in 2011 to raze and redevelop the fairgrounds.

Not all of the opposition was aimed squarely at the soccer stadium proposal. Several people who spoke said they oppose separate plans for a new 46-acre fairgrounds park that will bring open space, trails, recreational soccer fields and a dog park to the south east of the fairgrounds.

Others fairgrounds neighbors said they welcome the parks component.

"I'm fully supportive of this," said Michael Sullivan, a nearby resident.

Kent Campbell, vice president with Core Development, said the green space and greenways is attractive to the homes in the area: "Any further activity that enhances this area as a draw for future residents, we're all for it."

Fair board, state fair association chairman trade barbs

There were also signs of bad blood outside the MLS debate.

John Rose, chairman of the Tennessee State Fair Association — and a Republican candidate for Tennessee's 6th Congressional District — said his group is not opposed to MLS soccer. But he called it "ironic that the Metro fair board these days days does very little to do with sustaining and maintaining the history of the Tennessee State Fair."

He said the TSFA has lacked input in the plans for the fairgrounds park, and as a result "doubt(s) the sincerity" of the city's commitment for the state fair.

Ned Horton, chairman of the Metro fair board, shot back at Rose, whose group manages the state fair. He accused Rose of being responsible for giving the control of the state fair to the state over Metro and "shopping the state fair around the state."

The Tennessee State Fair and Exposition Commission voted in June to begin a search for a new venue outside of Nashville for the 2018 event.

"He doesn't communicate with us or ask our permission for how he operates the state fair," Horton said. "I believe that's a little bit of a slap in the face that we didn't deserve."

Council members say they're listening

In attendance Thursday were Councilman Colby Sledge, the area's district representative, as well as council members Tanaka Vercher, Russ Pulley, Brett Withers, Fabian Bedne and John Cooper. Former council members and fairgrounds advocates Tony Tenpenny and Duane Dominy were present as well.

Barry's Chief Operating Officer Rich Riebeling watched, as did representatives of the Ingram-led MLS ownership group.

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"Just like you are here tonight, myself and my colleagues, we are listening also," said Vercher, who chairs the council's Budget and Finance Committee, adding that the council plans to thoroughly vet and discuss the project.

Sledge said he believes it's reasonable that people have questions about the proposal.

"There is an educational process that needs to continue," Sledge said. "And I think that the big thing that gets lost sometimes is that, as part of this project, you're talking about nearly $40 million that goes into supporting the existing uses here."

Under Barry’s stadium financing plan, Metro would issue up to $225 million in revenue bonds for the stadium and an additional $25 million in general obligation bonds for upgrades to the fairgrounds infrastructure, including streetscape work and new buildings to replace dilapidated structures that would be torn down.

The ownership team, under a 30-year stadium lease agreement, would pay the city $25 million in cash and $9 million a year to pay off Metro’s stadium debt. Sales tax revenue and dollars from a ticket tax would make up the additional $4 million in annual $13 million debt payments.

Reach Joey Garrison at 615-259-8236, jgarrison@tennessean.com and on Twitter @joeygarrison.