The Hamilton County State Legislative Delegation said the new mental hospital will not be at Lincoln Park.
State Senator Bo Watson, chairman of the delegation said, "The Hamilton County State Legislative Delegation working with the Tennessee Department of General Services ruled out the re-location of the mental health facility to the Lincoln Park area in the earliest stages of the planned re-location. Any suggestion that the facility should be re-located to this site has been made by the editors of the Chattanooga Times Free Press, writers of letters to the editors of the Chattanooga Times Free Press, writers of opinion letters to Chattanoogan.com, some members of the Friends of Moccasin Bend National Park, posts to various social media platforms, and possibly other sources.
"The Hamilton County State Legislative Delegation has never recommended the Lincoln Park area as a site for the State’s regional mental health facility, and the Delegation does not consider the site to be a feasible location for the facility due to a number of factors not least of which is the Lincoln Park neighborhood and cost estimates.
"The Delegation is committed to an open and transparent site selection process, however, until specifics regarding a site are determined, the Delegation cannot be prepared to engage in the public discourse. When a site is selected as a possible location, the Delegation and the State of Tennessee will engage with the community as suggested in the statement by the Lincoln Park Neighborhood Association and by the public notice requirements of the State of Tennessee."