After a rocky rollout of their redevelopment proposal for Nashville's Greer Stadium site, Cloud Hill Partnership has hired two additional public affairs firms to help push the project forward.

Meanwhile, the group's headline partner, legendary music producer T Bone Burnett, is receiving legal counsel on the project from prominent Nashville attorney Leigh Walton, Mayor Megan Barry's campaign treasurer

The powerful Nashville-based public relations firm McNeely, Pigott & Fox remains the top consultant and primary communications arm for the proposed mixed-use, arts-driven Cloud Hill project, led by developer Bert Matthews, financier Tom Middleton and Burnett.

More:Greer Stadium redevelopment faces mounting pushback in Metro Council

But in recent weeks, Cloud Hill has beefed up its team to help rally public support and improve outreach in the African-American community, in particular.

David Fox, a partner at McNeely, Pigott and Fox, confirmed the following additions:

Calvert Street Group, which specializes in land use campaigns, building support for projects and "grassroots lobbying," has been hired by Cloud Hill to work on outreach in the neighborhood surrounding the Greer Stadium site. The firm, led by managing director Darden Copeland, is perhaps best known in Nashville for helping derail former Mayor Karl Dean's plans in 2010 and 2011 to redevelop the city's fairgrounds. Calvert Street has worked on more than 300 projects in 46 states, according to its website.

The public relations firm MEPR Agency is now working on community outreach for Cloud Hill, focusing specifically on Nashville's African-American community. The company, which specializes in branding, communications and marketing, has worked on NashvilleNext, Metro Parks' Plan to Play plan and Nashville's planned National Museum for African-American Music.

The moves come as the Cloud Hill project — picked in May by Barry's administration to transform the Metro-owned Greer site — has faced mounting pushback, above all, because of considerations related to Fort Negley, a Civil War-era fort located up a hill from Greer Stadium.

Cloud Hill says expanded team is aimed at outreach

“Our team has grown because of the importance of community outreach," Mathews said in a statement. "Nashville has gone from having very little discussion about Fort Negley and the old Greer Stadium site to this becoming a very important civic conversation.

"As the team selected to revitalize the abandoned stadium property in a way that honors the rich history of (Fort) Negley, we have a responsibility to communicate with everyone about what we have planned and to get their feedback. We are committed to pulling together the best resources to achieve that goal.”

More:Greer Stadium redevelopment team lays out vision to parks board

Walton, a legal adviser to Burnett, said Bass, Berry & Sims works with the music recording giant on "many business ventures," not just Cloud Hill. She said the firm has worked on the Cloud Hill project from the beginning and would be advising Burnett on contract negotiations with Metro if it gets to that stage. Fellow Bass, Berry & Sims attorney Samar Ali has also been working on the project.

Walton — treasurer of the Friends of Megan Barry campaign committee and also the former campaign treasurer for previous Mayor Karl Dean's campaign — has taken on a more visible role with Cloud Hill. She sat at the front of the Metro Council chambers during an Aug. 14 presentation of the project before the council's Minority Caucus.

"I would say it's a team that's expanding because the awareness of the project is expanding," Walton said.

Redevelopment proposal has faced building pushback

Cloud Hill Partnership has met resistance after getting awarded an intent to contract from Barry's administration in May to redevelop the 21-acre Greer Stadium site, the former home of the minor league baseball's Nashville Sounds. Talks between Cloud Hill and Metro are in a stay as a rival developer Devinder Singh, whose proposal for the Greer site lost out in the bidding process, challenges the administration's decision.

The Cloud Hill proposal calls for creative arts and music space; housing, including affordable housing; retail and park space for the 21 acres.

More:T Bone Burnett accuses Greer redevelopment critics of spreading a 'damned lie'

But park advocates, Civil War historians, and Friends of Fort Negley have demanded that the Greer Stadium site be turned into a public park and returned to Fort Negley Park. Nashville's branch of the NAACP recently came out in opposition of the project and in support of a park.

Critics have balked at the idea of allowing private development on public land. They've also expressed concern about what are believed to be hundreds of graves of former slaves who built the fort.

The Cloud Hill group and Barry's administration have committed to a city-commissioned archaeological survey of the site. The plan would not proceed with any development where graves are found.

Cloud Hill leaders say they are embracing Fort Negley's history, arguing their plan would, in fact, complement and bring needed attention to a fort long ago forgotten by many.

Cloud Hill team has political ties to Barry

In addition to Walton, who was recently appointed by Barry to the Nashville Convention Center Authority board, other members of Cloud Hill's team also have political ties to Barry.

Katy Varney, a partner at McNeely, Pigott & Fox, helped Barry in her 2015 mayoral campaign. Mathews hosted a fundraiser for Barry during the campaign. His brother, Walker Mathews, president of R.C. Mathews Contractor, whose firm is part of Cloud Hill according to project documents, hosted a campaign debt retirement fundraiser after Barry was elected.

Barry Press Secretary Sean Braisted said the mayor was fortunate to have campaign support from "a wide variety of donors, volunteers, and the majority of voters Nashville — none which had anything to do with the selection of the winning offer, which was awarded without the involvement or knowledge of Mayor Barry."

"Devinder Sandhu, who is protesting the award, is a longtime family friend, hosted an event for the campaign, and was a financial contributor, just as a few members of the Cloud Hill team also supported the campaign," he said. "Those factors are all irrelevant to the procurement process."

Cloud Hill's team does not have any registered lobbyists at the Metro Council, which would have to approve any project at Greer before it goes forward. Fox said members of Cloud Hill's team have spoken to council members only on an informational basis. Unlike advocacy, informational meetings don't require lobbyist registration.

More:Competitor protests Metro's Greer Stadium redevelopment decision

More:Group including T Bone Burnett picked to redevelop Greer Stadium site

Responding to questions about the impact the project may have on slave graves, Burnett lashed out at critics during the Aug. 14 Minority Caucus meeting, accusing some of provoking racial divisions and spreading a "damned lie." He said this "cynical attempt to provoke racial discord is undiluted wickedness."

In a gesture toward building support among black leaders, Cloud Hill has presented the Cloud Hill plans to the Interdenominational Minsters Fellowship and African-American churches in recent weeks.

Under a preliminary deal proposed by Cloud Hill, the developers lease land appraised at $31.8 million for 99 years.

Cloud Hill would guarantee the city a payment of at least $1 million over 10 years and $7 million in infrastructure work for the site for needed roads, sidewalks and sewer work. Metro and the developers would split revenue generated at the property, primarily rent collections, with Cloud Hill collecting 70 percent of the net cash flow.

The Cloud Hill plan includes 294 units of affordable, workforce and market-rate housing, retail, in addition to a park, open space and greenways. There also would be a cultural center for artists and musicians offering classes, maker space for artists, including filmmakers and musicians, and performance space.

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