MAYOR HIRES INDEPENDENT AUDITOR TO REVIEW CONTRACTS, SPENDING ON PREDEVELOPMENT OF CONVENTION CENTER PROJECT
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (August 17, 2009) -
Mayor Karl Dean announced today that Metro Government will be hiring an independent auditing firm to conduct a full review of the communications contract and related spending for the new downtown convention center, as well as a sample review of all other contracts and spending on predevelopment activities for the project to date.
Today’s announcement follows Dean’s decision earlier this month to have the Finance Department review the communications invoices already paid and future invoices for all vendors for the convention center project.
“Questions about spending on this project are valid and deserve to be answered,” Dean said. “When you’re dealing with public money on a public project, the public deserves to know how every dollar is spent. Music City Center is the largest development ever undertaken by Metro. It’s vital to our city’s future economic growth. We need to move forward with this project in a way that allows the public to have full confidence in how it’s being managed.”
Already the Finance Department has:
- Requested a full accounting of all contracts, amendments and payments to date
- Requested a list of all unpaid invoices
- Requested MDHA return $1.6 million advanced for August invoices
- Started working to identify and assign personnel to oversee and control all future spending until transitioned to the staff of the Convention Center Authority
In addition, Dean’s administration filed legislation last week to create a Convention Center Authority. Allowed under the Convention Center Authorities Act of 2009 passed by the Tennessee General Assembly earlier this year, the Convention Center Authority will provide strong public oversight through a nine-member board appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the Metro Council.
For media inquiries contact:
Janel Lacy
(615) 862-6020
janel.lacy@nashville.gov