Commissioners Approve Events Center Name

Putnam County Commissioners voted Monday night to name the new fairgrounds the Putnam County Events Center.

Mayor Randy Porter said the name will be featured on a large sign along Tennessee Avenue, for which design has just begun. Porter said the county is exploring grant opportunities to construct the sign.

“Each facility, each property back there will have its own name, convention center or whatever,” Porter said. “But for the whole piece of property to be the event center, there’s going to be an opportunity, if the commission wants to look at it at some point, of some corporations or companies that may want to buy the naming rights for some of those buildings or for the barn or for their arena or something.”

Porter said he has already been approached by several companies interested in exploring a naming rights agreement. The Convention Center is in the final stages of construction. Two Tennessee Avenue parking lots are paved. Grass is being sowed on the midway. Construction of the arena will begin in days.

“At some point, if things move forward with the plan, there’ll be a covered arena, there’ll be a cattle barn, there’ll be all kinds of buildings,” Porter said.

In other business, Commissioners approved the transfer of a cargo van from the Sheriffs Department to the Upper Cumberland Regional Airport. Sheriff Eddie Farris said he wished he had a better vehicle to help the airport, but knew any vehicle would help the airport’s work. Commissioners also approved the sell of equipment by both the maintenance and fire departments.