Putnam Leaders Break Ground On $11.2M Expo Center
Putnam County officials broke ground Friday on a new 67,000-square-foot Expo Center designed to serve as a driver for tourism. County Mayor Randy Porter said the $11.2 million project is being funded primarily through an $8.75 million Community Development Block Grant for Disaster Recovery. Porter said the federal and state funding covers some 78 percent […]
Putnam Visitors Bureau Reinvesting Funding Into Tourism
The Cookeville-Putnam County Visitors Bureau plans to reinvest expanded funding from Cookeville into increased tourism efforts. Executive Director Shan Stout said the Bureau will receive $40,000 this year, up from $25,000 in years past. Stout said it will be used to help schedule events for the Expo Center, being constructed on Tennessee Avenue. “The processes […]
Porter: Putnam Getting Grants For Fairgrounds, EMS, Library
Mayor Randy Porter said the county will use capital project funding in the coming year to finish more of the new Putnam County Fairgrounds on Tennessee Avenue. Porter said a $500,000 grant meant for sports complex lighting will be redirected to the fairgrounds. Porter said the money will go towards building a new steel and […]
Conversations About New Cookeville Hotel Heating Up
Talks of adding a hotel near the New Putnam County Fairgrounds have picked up over recent months as the convention center nears completion. Putnam County Mayor Randy Porter said the discussions began some three years ago. He said that for many developers, the construction of the convention center and expo center were the keys to […]
New Fairgrounds Location Brings Opportunities Beyond The Fair
The new Putnam County fairgrounds location will have the potential to host more than just the fair. Mayor Randy Porter shared the first proposed plans for the facility with county commissioners Monday night. He said that the 160-acre location will house an expo center, a conference building, and venues for concerts and tournaments. “The premiere […]
Warren Expo Center A Priority For Agriculture Commission
The Warren County Agriculture Commission is working to regain its pre-COVID momentum towards building an expo center. Commission Chair Jon Flanders said creating a public/private partnership will be key to showing the community what an expo center could bring. Flanders said without an expo center there’s no starting point for major events. “Otherwise it’s just […]
