KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Knox County is providing new details on an effort that could bring the Tennessee Smokies baseball team back to Knoxville.
On Tuesday, the Knoxville City Council approved its measure to create a sports authority in Knoxville. The Knox County Commission is set to take up its portion of the measure next week.
If created, the sports authority would pave the way to cover financing and construction of a new baseball stadium in Knoxville's Old City.
Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs said while the project isn't guaranteed yet, he envisions the stadium to serve as a multi-use venue to bring in new business and events.
"My interest in the stadium is not just baseball, but also the development which will come with the stadium. We will contractually require that development to take place alongside the stadium construction," he said Friday.
Some of the extra developments being considered would include allowing the stadium to host concerts and other sporting events beside baseball.
Jacobs said the project will not place any new tax burdens on the people of Knox County.
Smokies team owner Randy Boyd has signaled he's ready to consider moving the club from Sevier County back to Knoxville. In the past few years he has assembled acreage in and around the Old City for future developments.