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Metro Nashville to Sue Tennessee Again over Airport Authority Control
The airport authority joined Nashville’s lawsuit as the city seeks to stop a state law that would give Tennessee control of the board.
The Metro Nashville Airport Authority Board voted Wednesday to join a lawsuit against Tennessee, aiming to block a new state law that shifts appointment power to state leaders before it takes effect July 1.
Following the board's vote, Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell directed the city's legal challenge, arguing Senate Bill 2473 violates federal law and is a "classic bait and switch," O'Connell said.
Citing the 2024 FAA Reauthorization Act, Metro Legal Director Wally Dietz argued that federal law prohibits states from taking over airport authorities if the board objects, addressing "precisely this situation," Dietz said.
Attorneys Phillip Cramer and Campbell Haynes were retained by the board to pursue this litigation, with officials approving a $100,000 budget to seek a preliminary injunction that would preserve the status quo.
While state officials claim the change ensures broader regional representation for the airport, which generated $13.8 billion for Tennessee in 2024, local leaders argue the takeover constitutes illegal state overreach.