Minor league ball park may uproot historic Cannonsburgh Village near downtown Murfreesboro

Developers propose building a minor league baseball park in downtown Murfreesboro, Mayor Shane McFarland confirmed.

"The city has been approached by a group that wants to bring an Independent MLB (Major League Baseball) affiliated AA Minor league baseball team to downtown Murfreesboro," McFarland said in a statement emailed to The Daily News Journal.

The mayor and other members of the Murfreesboro City Council are scheduled to discuss the proposal during an 11:30 a.m. Sept. 14 meeting at Murfreesboro Airport.

City officials have not discussed financial agreements or final location other than in the historic Bottoms area that includes Cannonsburgh Village, an historic parks and recreation property off Front and Broad streets near Murfreesboro City Hall. The older, preserved buildings at the village, including a small church, came from various locations within Rutherford County. The city relocated the buildings that dated back to the 1800s and early 1900s during the nation's Bicentennial anniversary celebration in 1976.

A "Save Our Cannonsburgh" Facebook page came out with Murfreesboro resident Steve Cates suggesting that a group of business investors are proposing to bring a minor league baseball team to the property.

The village has served various annual events, including previously for Uncle Dave Macon Days music festival that relocating to Shelbyville this year and the BoroPride LGBTQ+ festival that's moving this year's event to Tennessee Miller Coliseum, a Middle Tennessee State University property in north Murfreesboro.

Mayor McFarland said the rumors circulating about the village include incorrect information.

"I would not be supportive of demolishing Cannonsburgh, but I do think it would be productive to talk about the current use and if it could be relocated (just like it was relocated in 1976) to an area that makes more sense for people to use the facilities inside existing parks and recreation property," McFarland said.

City officials have concerns about existing conditions at Cannonsburgh Village, the mayor said.

"Reality is that over the years, the Cannonsburgh area has become a haven for homelessness and illegal activity," McFarland said. "The city and (Murfreesboro Police Department) have put much effort to curb those types of activities.

"The Cannonsburgh Greenway trailhead has become one of our least used facilities because of those concerns," the mayor added.

The baseball park proposal is coming to the council after the majority of the elected officials approved a mixed-use residential and commercial Keystone development that's also in the historic Bottoms area. The Keystone project will surround Murfreesboro City Hall and Linebaugh Library. The planned development includes plans for 239 apartments, 80 to 100 condos, a hotel with 80 to 150 hotel rooms, bottom floor retail spaces, and 780 parking spaces, including 715 in two garages.

The city is also working on a daylighting of Town Creek project that's also in the historic Bottoms area. The project brings the creek from underground pipes to the surface. This project includes trails by the creek that lead to Cannonsburgh Village and the city's Stones River Greenway.

The council also plans to build a pedestrian bridge over Broad Street by Church Street from the area where Keystone development is located to the Town Creek project.

The mayor supports the possibility of bringing the baseball park to the city.

"I believe this type of development would provide a catalyst to kick off the Bottoms area along with the new Town Creek project," said McFarland, who has coached youth baseball in Murfreesboro.

"It's no secret," McFarland said. "I am a baseball guy. I think the Murfreesboro community and surrounding communities would support a family friendly environment where you could come enjoy a reasonable priced entertainment facility and support downtown businesses all at the same time."

City officials will have more discussions before deciding on the proposed ball park, the mayor said.

"But if you don't have the discussions and dream big, you don't ever get the chance to see what could happen," McFarland said. "If we didn’t entertain different proposals, the community wouldn’t have the majority of the things we enjoy in Murfreesboro now.  Some of those proposals happen and some don’t."

Murfreesboro Councilman Shawn Wright said he wants to learn more details about the proposed minor league ball park before taking a position.

“I want to sit down with the developers and get their plan and expectations, and make sure the taxpayers are protected," Wright said.

Note: This story will be updated.

Reach reporter Scott Broden with news tips or questions by emailing him at sbroden@dnj.com. Follow his tweets on the X social media platform @ScottBroden. To support his work with The Daily News Journal, sign up for a digital subscription.

Meeting time and location for ball park proposal

The Murfreesboro City Council is scheduled to consider developers proposal to build a minor league ball park in downtown area during an 11:30 a.m. Sept. 14 meeting at Murfreesboro Airport.

Source: Murfreesboro Mayor Shane McFarland

This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: Minor league ball park may uproot historic Cannonsburgh Village