Mayor Tim Kelly said construction of a new Chattanooga Lookouts stadium at the U.S. Pipe/Wheland Foundry could be a "transformational project."
He said over $1.5 billion in development is expected at the now-blighted site at the city's "front door."
The mayor is asking the state to kick in $20.8 million for the Lookouts stadium. That is based on the $13.5 million he said Knoxville was given by the state on a similar project, plus $7.3 million for remediation of the brownfield site.
He said Major League Baseball may pull Minor League Baseball from the city unless the Lookouts get a more adequate stadium than AT&T Field.
The project could be "an economic driver" for the city, he said.