TSU Land Gift Has President Pitching May Town Center

Tennessee State University president Melvin Johnson is out stumping for a controversial development in the now-rural Bells Bend area.

The May family, which owns the property, gave TSU 250 acres for a research park and sustainable agriculture program earlier this year. The land sits adjacent to the planned May Town Center, which amounts to an office park and residential complex rivaling the size of downtown Nashville.

TSU’s Johnson made his most recent pitch to the Nashville Black Chamber of Commerce. He says he’s comfortable talking up May Town.

“The donations are separate and apart from the May Town Center, but as you can see, it’s vibrancy, its efficacy, all of that is tied to the development of the May Town Center. That’s why it’s so important to us.”

May Town developer Tony Giarratana says the new link between TSU and his project should help appease the Metro Council and the Planning Commission, which have yet to sign off.

TSU President Melvin Johnson will lead a delegation to the research triangle in North Carolina next week. He says patented intellectual property and the companies that spinoff from innovations produced by TSU could become a new source of revenue for the school.

The gift from the May family was announced in February. See the story.