Fairgrounds fate: Police called in dispute between Nashville fair board chair, MLS stadium opponent

Joey Garrison | The Tennessean

Nashville police arrived at the city's fairgrounds Tuesday night to respond to a dispute that broke out during a public meeting between an outspoken supporter of the city's fairgrounds and the chairman of the Metro Board of Fair Commissioners.

The heated exchange between Shane Smiley, who opposes plans for a Major League Soccer stadium at the fairgrounds, and fair board chairman Ned Horton took place in the middle of a meeting on a new fairgrounds master plan.

The confrontation, which included some shoving, underscores the tension that remains over plans to build a new MLS stadium at the 117-acre fairgrounds south of downtown.

Plans for Nashville MLS Stadium Revealed The Nashville investor group bidding for a Major League Soccer expansion franchise in Music City unveiled preliminary designs Monday for a 30,000-seat stadium that would transform the aging Metro-owned Fairgrounds Nashville.

►More: Nashville wants to hear from residents on revamped fairgrounds with MLS stadium

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Both men were watching as spectators inside the fairgrounds' creative arts building as an architect and Fairgrounds Director Laura Womack discussed recommendations for a new fairgrounds site plan.

Horton said Smiley began "chirping in my ear" as the meeting unfolded, at one point threatening, "I'll knock you the f*** out."

Horton said he told Smiley to "get out of here" and accused Smiley of then shoving his arm.

"He was just talking about how the (fairgrounds) vendors hate it, blah, blah, blah," Horton said. "But I talked to someone afterward who liked the idea."

Smiley has a different version of the exchange.

"I was having a conversation with Ned, and he pushed me, and I pushed him back," Smiley said. "He touched me and laid hands on me and I pushed him back to get him away from me, and it was done.

"They're desperate," Smiley added. "They have a failed plan with growing resistance, and they're trying to do anything they can to discredit the people are fighting against their plan."

The Metro Council approved $225 million in revenue bonds for a new MLS stadium at the city's fairgrounds, but votes to re-zone property to allow a new mixed-use development and to demolish existing fairgrounds buildings are still needed for the project.

►More: Questions surrounded future of Nashville's MLS stadium, David Briley's win settles them

Horton said someone else — not him — called police to report the episode. He spent a few minutes outside describing the events to a police officer, who took notes of the incident, while Smiley remained inside.

Neither men pressed charges and police left without issuing a citation.

As fair board chair, Horton presides over the five-member fair board, which will take up the proposed updated fairgrounds master plan on June 12. Plans call to rebuild existing fairgrounds event and expo facilities at a different location on the site.

Horton described the incident with Smiley as indicative of the fight over the fairgrounds turning ugly.

"There's been some things going on that need to be addressed with some of these folks, threats being made," Horton said. He did not elaborate.

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