By Michelle Price
Special to the UCBJ
COOKEVILLE – Putnam County has given a second 120-day extension on the option to purchase the Putnam County Fairgrounds property according to Putnam County Mayor Randy Porter. Project developer, Baker Storey McDonald Properties of Nashville, now has until mid-July to get a firm commitment on the property.
“To get this last extension, the developer had to get at least one large retailer that said Cookeville was a market they were looking at to locate a store. They have two of those,” said Porter. “At the end of this option, they will have to have a company pretty much locked in with the intent to buy before the option could be extended again.”
In June 2021, the Putnam County Commission approved the sale of the current fairgrounds property for $12.42 million on the condition that the developer come to terms with a “major retail” store that would locate in Cookeville.
Baker Storey McDonald is the developer behind the Food City shopping center on East 10th Street that is set to open on April 6.
