Putnam Sports Complex Awaits State Contract

Putnam County Sports Complex expansion project must wait for the state to award the contracts.

Parks and Recreation Director John Ross Albertson said he met with TDEC on October 2.

“The biggest thing that we found out from our October 2 meeting is that the state is not going to officially award contracts likely until February or March. Of course, that is a little later than what we had anticipated for sure,” Albertson said. “We had definitely wanted to try and get the project moving along as fast as we could. But of course, we will have to wait until we can get those approved contracts in place so we can start spending money.”

Putnam County must wait until next year in order to begin the bidding process for the Sports Complex expansion. (Photo: Visit Cookeville TN)

Albertson said the county will need two more meetings with TDEC.

“I can say, once we are awarded the contract at that point we are hoping to be ready to send it out for a bid within that week. And to get it out to all the contractors and everybody to ultimately decide who is going to be completing the project,” Albertson said. “Then once that happens then it will be moving in through the process of breaking ground and getting it done.”

Albertson said he hopes the project will be finished by the end of next year.

The county already conducted a number of studies on the land, including an environmental study, Albertson said.

“We have already done quite a bit of investigation into it, any environmental issues and anything of that nature,” Albertson said. “Because, of course, we have been working on this process for several years on our end. We are well aware of some of the issues we have to do to try to get this ball rolling.”

Putnam County received a $333,500 grant in July to pay for part of the project.

Park of the expansion involves removing a concrete slab and asphalt to build the new soccer field.