Reflecting On The Leslie Town Centre As It Approaches 20 Years

The Leslie Town Centre approaches 20 years as the Putnam County Chamber of Commerce’s home and community hub.

Dwight Henry served on the Cookeville City Council during the inception of the Centre. He said city leaders at the time wanted to fill a need in the community that would provide the chamber with more space as well as more opportunities for community events.

“We were very limited back in those days there was a Holiday Inn there on Jefferson where a lot of events were held but we didn’t have a space that was big enough, visible enough,” Henry said. “We were very lacking and once the Leslie Town Centre was constructed, it provided those kinds of opportunities too.”

Henry said there were many pieces that had to align in order to get the project underway. He said there needed to be a council that would consider the idea, the funds available, and the opportunity for regional and statewide events that could be held in such a facility.

However, early discussions were not without some points of contention, including opinions on spending and the site’s location. Henry said it was long-time Chamber Director Eldon Leslie who suggested it be built where it currently sits downtown.

“Which was an area with not a lot of activity and not a lot of development and some of us said, ‘Well Eldon why would we put it there,'” Henry said. “And he said if you’ll put it there it will drive, it will cause a lot of other things to start happening, it will give impetus to a lot of other things and it has.”

Henry said once the Leslie Town Centre was built, the old part of downtown was revitalized. He said seeing it now, 20 years later, he is filled with pride at the thought that he had a part in bringing the project to fruition.