Whether you’re in favor of building a stadium or not, it’s hard to deny that great city parks are better long term assets.
Building an epic city park enriches an entire city equally, unlike stadiums that simply enrich billionaires and developers.
A city park never threatens to pick up and leave the city. City parks never charge money to use them. City parks encourage recreation, peaceful enjoyment and fitness. City parks are open everyday. City parks don’t become obsolete. City parks don’t require 20 acres of hardscape parking. City parks are available in all seasons.
Every activity that can be done in a stadium can also happen in a city park on a more positive recreational level. Contrary to popular belief, city parks also draw more thoughtful and resilient development on their perimeters than stadiums ever could.
Great city parks take more effort, more imagination and the development will fill in more gradually but I believe it will be the better fit for Chattanooga in the long-run because great city parks are forever.
John Mathna