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Putnam County Commission votes overwhelmingly to commit $2 million to new Tech football stadium
Rendering of new Tech football stadium.
The Putnam County Commission voted overwhelmingly to commit $2 million toward the
construction of Tennessee Tech University’s rebuilt football stadium at the commission’s
Feb. 20 meeting.
The commission voted 18-6 to authorize $100,000 annually in support of the stadium
over 20 years, marking supermajority support on the county’s legislative body.
Tech previously announced plans to completely rebuild the west side of Tucker Stadium,
home of Tech’s Golden Eagle football team since 1966, to offer new amenities, suites
and upgraded seating, among other improvements. Demolition is slated to begin this
spring with construction on the new stadium set to follow in the fall.
Likewise, Tech is constructing a state-of-the-art, 40,000-square foot football operations
center complete with a new locker room and meeting rooms, players’ lounge, theater-style
auditorium, sports medicine center and turf practice field, underscoring Tech’s commitment
to its student athletes.
Commissioners vocally expressed their support for the new stadium and its projected
impact on the Upper Cumberland economy.
“Tennessee Tech is our school,” said District 3 Commissioner David Gentry during the
meeting. “Any kind of improvement they make would be good for this community.”
“We get a lot of opportunities to make decisions about spending money, but this is
the first time since I’ve been on the commission that we have a chance to make a real
investment,” added District 5 Commissioner Vinnie Faccinto prior to the vote. “I think
we would be very short sighted to turn it down myself.”
Tech President Phil Oldham thanked the County Commission for its strong vote of confidence.
“Tennessee Tech University values our enduring partnership with our county and city
officials who work every day to make this a welcoming and vibrant community for our
students, faculty, staff, guests and their families,” said President Oldham. “Budgetary
choices are seldom easy, and we know this was no exception. We appreciate the commission’s
recognition of the importance of first-rate athletic venues to a strong university
and the importance of a strong university to a healthy community and growing local
economy.”
Oldham continued, “This stadium has always been about more than just playing ball.
It’s about the future of Tech, the future of the Upper Cumberland and investing in
spaces that boost our region’s competitive edge and give our surrounding communities
an exciting new place to gather.”
As a leading economic driver for the region, Tech’s economic impact on the Upper Cumberland
alone topped $860 million in the last non-pandemic year, according to the university’s
annual footprint analysis.
In remarks to commissioners, President Oldham noted that a new football stadium can
further stimulate the local economy by positioning Tech – and, by extension, Putnam
County – to host TSSAA Blue Cross Bowl games, conferences and live entertainment events
that are currently out of reach in the existing facility.
The commission’s supermajority support for Tech’s new stadium marks just the latest
surge of momentum for the university’s NCAA Division I athletics program since the
hire of head coach Bobby Wilder last December.
Most recently, the university announced a $1 million pledge to Tech athletics from alumni and Board of Trustees members Fred
Lowery and Tom Jones, $500,000 of which will directly support the new stadium.
“It’s a great time to be a Tennessee Tech Golden Eagle,” concluded Tech Athletic Director
Mark Wilson. “Under the leadership of Coach Wilder, and with support from our county
and local partners, football is ascendant at Tennessee Tech University. Our student
athletes have always been a cut above – having just recorded their 30th straight semester
with a 3.0 or better GPA – and now we’re giving them the tools to once again bring
home championship titles right here to Putnam County.”
Learn more about Tennessee Tech athletics at www.ttusports.com.
