Subcommittee ratifies 25-year lease with Army Corps for Stones River hunter education center at Percy Priest

The State Building Commission Executive Subcommittee ratified an existing lease between the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers covering approximately 146 acres for the Stones River Hunter Education Center at J. Percy Priest in Davidson County.

"This lease covers approximately 146 acres and are located on the East of State Highway 71 and North of U.S. Highway 109 in Antioch," TWRA Executive Director Jason Maxedon said. He told the subcommittee the lease is a 25-year agreement running from May 1, 2023, through April 30, 2048, with no rental cost because the use is mutually beneficial for both agencies.

Maxedon said TWRA has occupied the property under Corps agreements since 1998 and that a new lease was executed with the Corps in February 2025 but was not brought before the State Building Commission at that time; the ratification corrects that oversight. He said funding to operate the site comes from TWRA's 25–26 operational budget and that TWRA intends to bring a capital project to repair a berm and add shooting lanes, with construction anticipated to be funded from the agency's operational budget.

Maxedon also noted TWRA receives federal apportionments for sport-manufactured funding (described in the meeting as a 90/10 federal apportionment program), and that about 10% of certain project costs would come from operational funds while federal funds cover the remainder. Subcommittee members said better communication about upcoming capital projects would be helpful. The subcommittee moved, seconded and ratified the lease by voice vote.