NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — More than a dozen candidates are vying for the job of Mayor after Mayor John Cooper's decision not to run for a second term.
In the midst of the race, NewsChannel 5 is hosting a debate series — along with our partners from the Tennesseean, the League of Women Voters, American Baptist College, and Belmont University — asking candidates questions about how they would run the city.
Eight of these candidates participated in Thursday night's debate. The candidates talked about a range of issues, including school board involvement in government policy, the racetrack proposal, transportation, public safety and crime, and cost of living. Here are some of the things they said in response to one of the questions.
"As Nashville has grown, so has the tension between providing for residents and attracting tourists. For years we've been focused on downtown development and it's paid off, but at what cost? How do you plan to balance the plans of development and quality of life concerns for residents?"
For many candidates, the tourism industry is a staple that cannot be ignored.
Candidate Jeff Yarbro said that there are locals who make thousands of dollars off of the tourism industry, so it isn't responsible to create a dynamic where we pit residents against tourists. His ideal tourist sector is one Nashville locals can be a part of.
"We need to see a tourism we can be proud of," Yarbro said.
Candidate Matt Wiltshire agreed. He said tourism needs to evolve so that there are more things for families to do, including an arts district on the east bank as one of his hopes for the future. He also cited the large revenue percentages that come from downtown as an important reason why it's needed.
"Downtown represents 0.4% of the acreage of Davidson county, 12% of the property taxes and 26% of the sales taxes." Wiltshire said. "It is an incredibly important economic engine for our city that employs tens of thousands of our neighbors."
Candidate Sharon Hurt said it is the team stance that is missing from the approach to tourism and Nashville.
"We've got to spread the wealth and be intention and deliberate about doing so. I would have an economic development department with four ambassadors for all of the quadrants to make sure that the money that we are receiving is being distributed evenly... it is important for everyone in Nashville to benefit from the exponential growth that we are seeing."
Candidate Vivian Wilhoite had a similar stance. She said you can have both good development and good tourism, but it takes communication.
"My platform is to have stronger neighborhoods and stronger businesses. You cannot be in a stronger neighborhood if you don't have a good job. If you have a good job, you're going to want to live in a good neighborhood. We can have both," Wilhoite said.
A big concern for several candidates against the tourism industry in Nashville is the lack of safety and family friendliness.
Candidate Alice Rolli said Nashville has become the adult entertainment industry, and the challenge coming from that is that downtown is unsafe, both for tourists and residents. She did emphasize the importance of live performances downtown and the music monetization they bring, but also the need for change.
"We've got to bring our Nashville Chamber... and our commercial property owners to reset the balance, otherwise we will end up with empty office buildings, rising crime and a Nashville downtown that no one wants to go to," Rolli said.
Candidate Jim Gingrich said the tourism and hospitality industry is a great generator for the city government, so it needs to be sustained.
"But I worry about our tourism industry because there are just too many things that make me concerned," Gingrich said. "When folks see tax dollars being spent on stadiums and speedways, they worry about priorities. When a downtown that is supposed to be live work and play increasingly becomes difficult from both a live and play standpoint... that's a real issue. Once an industry loses the support of the city in which it resides, that is a big danger sign."
He asked what tourism 2.0 looks like for the next mayor, and said it needs more family, more diversity, and a more established brand.
Candidate Heidi Campbell said the problem with downtown is that it has very little to do with local Nashville that locals know and love. She doesn't want out-of-town developers and tourist attractions, but Nashville businesses and areas in Nashville that are struggling most.
"That also means investing in our arts. We have a lot of sports and that's a good thing, but we haven't put a lot of money and energy into our arts programs," Campbell said. "I think going forward we need to be focused on building a place to live more than a place to visit."
Candidate Freddie O'Connell praised Nashville as Music City, but not the version that is Broadway buses, Country Music Hall of Fame and other downtown developments.
"I want more ville, less Vegas, and that's what we're gonna work on when I'm mayor," O'Connell said. "The principal job of the mayor over the next four years is going to be to invest in ourselves because that goes back to the cost of living things. The cost of living and the quality of life are together."
If you would like to watch the whole debate, the video is at the top of this story, as well as on our Youtube page.
August 3 Election
Polls will open at 7 a.m. on August 3 and close at 7 p.m.
If you're voting on Election Day, you must go to your assigned voting location found at the Polling Place Finder. That spot may have changed since you last voted, so please make sure to double-check before heading out.
If you'd like a look at the sample ballot, you can download it here
Important note: You must present a photo ID issued by the federal or Tennessee state government to vote.
You can follow the latest election coverage on NewsChannel 5+ as our Election Night Special Coverage kicks off at 7 p.m. on Thursday
