NASHVILLE, TN – Mayor Freddie O’Connell has directed the Metro Department of Law to file a new lawsuit against the State of Tennessee over a second attempt to take over control of the Metro Nashville Airport Authority Board (MNAA). Today, the MNAA Board voted to join the litigation. Following the 2023 passage of legislation that attempted to seat a new state controlled MNAA Board, Metro sued to stop the takeover and won a summary judgement which was then unanimously upheld by a three-judge panel of the Tennessee Court of Appeals (see attached timeline). That case is currently before the Tennessee Supreme Court. In 2026, following the two defeats in court, the state passed new legislation that gives the state authority over the Metro Nashville Airport Authority and four others statewide.
“I have asked Wally Dietz, our Director of Law, to explore all possible steps to keep the Metro Nashville Airport Authority under local control,” Mayor Freddie O’Connell said. “We are asking the court to protect our legal rights because federal law says the FAA will not approve a change of sponsor if the current board does not consent to the change. This is a classic bait and switch by the state which wrote in its 1969 law that the state would not take over airports transferred to authorities. The success of our airport under local control is unquestioned, and in their quest for absolute control, state lawmakers have — we believe — again violated federal law.”
Director of Law Wally Dietz added the following, “Federal law was passed in 2024 to address precisely this situation. Put simply, the state cannot take over our board without our consent. We are asking the court for an injunction blocking the implementation of the state board to avoid chaos at this critical asset Nashvillians rely on.”
Metro’s suit is expected to be filed today or tomorrow.
