KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Following an open bidding process, Emerald Youth Foundation was selected and put forth a proposal to purchase approximately 13 acres of property from the City of Knoxville to develop a youth development complex in the Burlington community of East Knoxville. The project would represent a private investment of $20-$30 million in facilities and programs to serve children, youth and families from throughout East Knoxville and city neighborhoods.
Statement from Steve Diggs, President & CEO – “Over the last several weeks, in consultation with Mayor Kincannon, our leadership has spent time continuing to listen to and discern input from members of City Council and the community – from the East Knoxville neighborhood as well as the community at large. Unequivocally, Emerald Youth remains firmly committed to serving more young people and their families in East Knoxville. “To that end, we agreed to the following revisions and the contract has been updated accordingly as follows:
• Doubling the restriction period from 20 to 40 years, meaning that the property must be used for the purposes put forth in our proposal for a minimum of 40 years.
• The Right of First Refusal period has likewise been extended from 20 to 40 years.
• A perpetuity restriction period for the property where the sports fields are located, guaranteeing
they would be used for recreational use forever, instead of the original 20 years.
• A commitment to keep as many mature, existing trees as possible, formally stated in the
contract.
• A written commitment regarding accessibility by the community at large, including an open green space playing field. While this has always been both our intent and our practice, we
believe that formally codifying it in the agreement will ensure its continuation for years to come.
“The property at the Chilhowee Park Midway is key for this project. Not only is it walkable from AustinEast Magnet High School, but it is also accessible and walkable for the majority of young people in the surrounding East Knoxville neighborhoods. Further, it is strategically and accessibly located within a healthcare desert. One often-overlooked element of this project is the wellness center that will be operated by River Valley Health (formerly Cherokee Health Systems). In collaboration with the CEO of every major hospital system in the community, we have worked to consider how we might best serve East Knoxville residents and bring essential services to the heart of a part of our city where they are not in existence. “Finally and above all, we humbly pray that God’s will be done. Far too much hangs in the balance for our city’s young people for us to offer anything less than our very best – to giving this all we possibly have. And so, that’s what we are doing.” -Steve Diggs, President & CEO, Emerald Youth Foundation
Proposed Facility Details
The proposed complex would include both indoor and outdoor facilities and be located on the midway
property on the south side of Magnolia Avenue, generally bound by Magnolia, Martin Luther King Jr.
Avenue, Alice Street and North Beaman Street.
While design schematics are still in draft form as seen in the revised concept plan below, Emerald
Youth anticipates the complex could include the following:
• A 37,000 square foot indoor facility to include:
o College style academic learning center
o Community room or meeting rooms
o Basketball courts which can also be utilized for volleyball
o Performance training/fitness space
o Wellness center
• Synthetic turf sports fields that can be utilized for multiple sports offerings
• Outdoor basketball courts
• Outdoor pitching and hitting lanes
• A walking/running trail
• An outdoor pavilion
The facility in East Knoxville would replicate the proven model of the Haslam-Sansom Ministry Complex
in Lonsdale, which served nearly 1,000 young people last year through Emerald Youth programming
and hundreds more through other events and community organizations. The new complex would allow
Emerald Youth to expand its impact and serve hundreds of additional young people in East Knoxville
each year.
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About Emerald Youth Foundation
Emerald Youth Foundation (“Emerald”) is a Christian, urban youth ministry serving more than 3,000
children, teens and young adults each year in the heart of Knoxville, Tennessee. Emerald’s vision is
expressed in John 10:10: “I came that they may have life and have it to the full.” This motivates
Emerald and gives shape to decisions about the ministry’s work in city neighborhoods. Emerald’s
mission is to raise up a large number of urban youth to love Jesus Christ and become effective leaders
who help renew their communities. Since 1991, Emerald has worked to support Knoxville’s young
people and families and prepare generations of Godly community leaders. Emerald aims to help young
people develop along a trajectory that includes life-giving outcomes in faith, learning and health;
developing into and becoming community leaders; and securing gainful employment in work that allows
them to provide for themselves and their families. For more information, visit emeraldyouth.org.
