As the new home for the Lookouts gets closer to its first inning, neighbors are getting ahead of its inevitable far-reaching impacts.
A coalition of community organizations has started coming to the table to see how they can share in the benefits of the planned development in the South Broad District.
"Gentrification is a huge concern in Chattanooga," said Michael Gilliland, organizing director at CALEB, which is leading negotiations for the coalition. "To make sure that the benefits of this development reach most deeply into communities that are often neglected."
The coalition is asking for people who live in the area to have access to good jobs with livable wages as development begins.
Over $250-million in development is already promised for South Broad, from retail and office space, to apartment buildings.
City leaders want it all to be built, and eventually staffed, using local labor.
"People want to be able to help build the stadium, help build the office buildings, help build the residential buildings," said Ellis Smith, the city's director of special projects.
The discussions have included ways to keep housing costs low for people who have lived here for years.
"It's having a dramatic effect, regardless of this economic development," said Gilliland. "You've got billions of dollars every years that's going toward residential real estate."
The city's sports authority board met for the first time Tuesday. The committee was created specifically to oversee the stadium's operations, including the site around it.
"We're talking about 120 acres where we can really address the needs of our community," said Smith. "Some of those are already baked in."
Needs like the promise of seasonal and permanent jobs, both at the stadium and in businesses already committed to coming to South Broad.
But coalition leaders are still running the bases for ideas on how to keep the area affordable.
"The question is: Can this economic development helped to alleviate some of that?" wondered Gilliland.
The city is expected to break ground on the stadium by the beginning of 2023.
The stadium is expected to open by the end of 2025.
