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A resolution denouncing the State of Tennessee’s attempted hostile takeover of the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority.
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WHEREAS, Metro Nashville’s original charter created a department of aviation and made the Metropolitan Government responsible “for the operation, maintenance and control of the Nashville Metropolitan Airports and other airports owned or operated” by Metro Nashville (Metro Nashville Charter §§ 8.701, 8.702.1); and
WHEREAS, in 1969, the General Assembly passed the original Metropolitan Airport Authorities Act (the “Original Act” or “1969 Public Chapter 174”), which enabled any city or metropolitan government with a population over 100,000, or a county including such a city, to create a “metropolitan airport authority” that would be an “agency and instrumentality” of the “creating municipality” (Original Act §§ 2, 3, codified at Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 42-4-102(a), -103(6), -104); and
WHEREAS, the Original Act was not self-executing; local governments had to opt in. First, the local governing body had to adopt a resolution for a public hearing on creating an authority (Id. § 4, codified at Tenn. Code Ann. § 42-4-104(b)(1)). After a public hearing, the governing body had to pass a second resolution creating the authority (Tenn. Code Ann. § 104(c)(1)); and
WHEREAS, in 1970, Metro Nashville followed the statutory process and passed a resolution creating MNAA (Resolution 70-872). Then, Metro Nashville and its’ authority, the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority (“MNAA”), contracted to transfer ownership of the Metro Nashville airports to MNAA; and
WHEREAS, once established, Metro Nashville supervised MNAA through appointment and removal. Since 1970, Metro Nashville’s Mayor has appointed, and the Metro Council has confirmed, MNAA’s commissioners and could remove them for cause (Original Act § 5, codified at Tenn. Code Ann. § 42-4-105); and
WHEREAS, for financial reporting purposes, including to the Comptroller for the State of Tennessee, MNAA is a component unit of Metro Nashville; and
WHEREAS, MNAA’s success as Metro Nashville’s agency and instrumentality is well documented; in 2025, BNA served more than 25 million passengers; and
WHEREAS, in 2023, the State passed legislation to replace the Metro Nashville-appointed board with a majority state-appointed board; and
WHEREAS, that legislation was enjoined and declared unconstitutional by a three-judge panel and the Tennessee Court of Appeals; and
WHEREAS, in April 2026, the General Assembly passed SB2473 (as amended) (the “MNAA Change in Ownership and Governance Act” or “2026 Act”) that fundamentally altered the Original Act, which had created airport authorities as agencies and instrumentalities of their creating municipalities; and
WHEREAS, the 2026 Act changes the governance of metropolitan airport authority boards, like MNAA, by vacating the current boards on July 1, 2026, and reconstituting them with majority State appointees; and
WHEREAS, that change in appointment authority converts MNAA from a component unit of the Metropolitan Government to a component unit of the State of Tennessee; and
WHEREAS, the Metropolitan Government, as the creating municipality of the MNAA, was not consulted about the 2026 Act, and objects to the Act; and
WHEREAS, the 2026 Act is contrary to the wishes of the residents of Metropolitan Nashville.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT OF NASHVILLE AND DAVIDSON COUNTY:
Section 1. That the Metropolitan Council expresses its strong opposition to the MNAA Change in Ownership and Governance Act and reaffirms that the MNAA continues to be an agency and instrumentality of the Metropolitan Government, with a board appointed by local officials.
Section 2. That this resolution be delivered to the proper authorities at the Federal Aviation Administration.
Section 3. That this resolution shall take effect from and after its adoption, the welfare of The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County requiring it.