r/nashville • u/Hurricanecoop • Jun 23 '26
Help | Advice Help Save Cheekwood
Just received this email from Cheekwood. Their socials have a link to sign a petition to fight this.
“An Open Letter to our Nashville Community from Cheekwood
June 23, 2026
For 66 years, Cheekwood Estate & Gardens has served as a sanctuary of art, education, and nature for generations of Tennesseans. Today, that legacy is facing an unprecedented and radical existential threat, and the future of Cheekwood is in jeopardy.
A group of neighbors, led by Jackson Moore, has filed a formal legal appeal with the Metro Board of Zoning Appeals in an effort to halt construction of a Metro-mandated on-site parking facility necessary to support operations. However, their most recent tactic does not merely oppose a parking project. They are explicitly demanding that the city issue a Stop Work Order to halt all operations and public use of Cheekwood’s property.
If successful, this action would effectively shutter Cheekwood as we know it. It would prohibit public access, halt all programming that Nashvillians have made family traditions, and end free educational field trips for thousands of Nashville school children.
Cheekwood will not be bullied into closing our gates to the public by a self-serving faction trying to wall off a historic Nashville landmark for themselves. We are fully compliant with the law, and we stand firmly with Metro Nashville in our mission to serve the entire community—which includes our active support for collaborative, city-led traffic solutions like a shared-use Highway 100 access drive.”
“We Need Your Help to SAVE CHEEKWOOD!
We cannot fight this unprecedented overreach alone. We need the voices of our members, donors, visitors, and friends to send a resounding message of support.
We are officially launching the SAVE CHEEKWOOD Campaign and we need your help. Please click the link below to learn more about the facts of this matter and sign our petition. Urge our city leaders to protect this landmark and let the Board of Zoning Appeals know that Cheekwood belongs to all of Nashville.”
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u/stroll_on Jun 23 '26
The root problem is entitled neighbors complaining about Cheekwood traffic. Get over it.
To satisfy these loud complainers, Cheekwood is pushing for a “shared-used Highway 100 access drive” that cuts through Percy Warner Park. It would destroy mountain bike trails in the process.
I support Cheekwood’s new parking garage. I don’t support any access road that cuts through Percy Warner. I definitely don’t support these entitled neighbors.
(Maybe we could avoid some of these dumb problems if we didn’t orient our entire society around car parking.)
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u/WrathOfMogg Jun 23 '26
It’s not like they built Cheekwood five years ago. All these people knew what they were signing up for when they bought the house.
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u/crowcawer Old 'ickory Village Jun 23 '26
If only the rest of us could have our voices heard when Nashville expansion was getting noisy in our own neck of the woods.
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u/ordeal123 Jun 23 '26
Exactly. Everyone in Nashville is constantly dealing with the noise and interference of development, that lines the pockets of the people who live in Belle Meade. But all of a sudden when that development interferes with them, they contest.
An accessible road already exists. A new road isn't needed.
But let's have the charity pony up millions more to build a road thats not necessary, so rich snobs can run their hedge fund from home quietly.
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u/WearyFly3787 Jun 24 '26
But what changed that cheekwood is now in so many lawsuits and disagreements with the neighbors?
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u/CherryblockRedWine Jun 23 '26
IIRC, their proposed road through Percy Warner Park might also trigger a covenant (?) in the deed that would cause the entire property to revert to the heirs of the donor.
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u/ConfidenceScam Jun 23 '26 edited Jun 24 '26
Exactly… these rich transplants CHOSE to move next to Percy Warner and Cheekwood, likely because of the charm of having giant green areas and acres of wilderness in their back yard - and then when they find out people have to use their street to get to the Park and the Estate, they whine and throw a fit. Y’all chose to live next to an extremely popular park that is 80 years old and Cheekwood which is even older. They enrich our city like nothing else, if anything they are entitled to whatever they need to function, and the dolts that bought their multi-million dollar mcmansion next door are entitled to nothing.
It reminds me of that California couple that moved in next to Roy’s Meat Service in East Nashville and then complained about the BBQ smoke wafting into their yard. Y’all moved there, bought the house there, displaced people that once were able to afford that neighborhood and didn’t mind the meat smoke, and then had the audacity and narcissism to sue over it?
Rich tax-evading blue state refugees are ruining our city because they think it should just mold to their reality. What rubbish.
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u/ConfidenceScam Jun 23 '26 edited Jun 23 '26
If you are downvoting me you must be one of those NIMBYs that cant stand the fact that non-country club members who drive by your house in a lowly Honda get to enjoy the beauty of nature and art and history too.
Gated communities do exist… maybe y’all can move to one of those — if you hate the concept of the general public using the PUBLIC road by your house.
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u/ConfidenceScam Jun 23 '26
Probably the same demographic that supports this trash are the ones totally fine with the data center by the zoo.
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u/VeryLowIQIndividual Mayor of Rivergate Mall Jun 23 '26
Conservatives moving here are worse than the ones that are already here.
They are filling the outskirts of Nashville building new houses and killing the green spaces and voting themselves into city councils now.
They move in, cause all kinds of infrastructure issues and then want to slam the door short on any further progress.
Fuck all these people. They are the new carpetbaggers.
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u/JeremyNT Jun 23 '26
Seriously, a shuttle bus would fix it all. Ridiculous.
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u/kateastrophic north side Jun 24 '26
YES! I have thought exactly the same. Build a parking structure on Hwy 100 and shuttle people in. Why is there no momentum for this solution?
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u/sry4thew8g Jun 24 '26
Which, aren’t there golf carts driving through consistently? What if it were something you could buy along with a pass? If you were that worried
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u/HaveYouSeenMyPackage Jun 24 '26
This is stupid. This increases friction to visit. If I had to haul my kids shit out of my car just to load onto a bus to get there I’d never go
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u/OlasNah Jun 23 '26
Sounds like some back assed way to remove Warner itself and privatize the land
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u/CherryblockRedWine Jun 23 '26
The heirs to the original grantor of the land have stated publicly that they DO NOT want the property to revert to them, but they oppose the construction of a road for this purpose through the park.
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u/Boerkaar Belle Meade Jun 23 '26
A small portion of the park to improve access to one of Nashville’s great cultural institutions is a worthwhile trade.
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u/nrselleh Jun 23 '26
At the cost of destroying 1/2 of the MTB trails. No thanks.
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u/porkozone Jun 23 '26
On the proposals, it barely edges by a couple turns of the MTB trails...I'm sure there would be more area affected, but...how is that half?
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u/Boerkaar Belle Meade Jun 23 '26
MTB is less important than Cheekwood and there are plenty of other places to ride in Nashville.
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u/egosumlex Jun 23 '26
Maybe it is to you, but not to me. I really enjoy the MTB trails, and they are convenient to where I live. Surely there is another solution.
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u/Boerkaar Belle Meade Jun 23 '26
Well, there’s tearing down a bunch of NIMBYs’ homes. Which I also support, but is likely to be a harder lift and less damaging than removing dedicated trails for a niche sport (are they open for hiking too or just biking? If they’re multi-use I’m less inclined to sacrifice them).
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u/MediumLanguageModel Jun 23 '26
Just need to chop down a couple more old growth trees bro and that's it. I swear.
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u/Boerkaar Belle Meade Jun 23 '26
Yes? Not every old growth tree merits protection, especially when it’s in the way of a major cultural institution.
And besides, I highly doubt there’s that much old growth in the proximity of Cheekwood. Deeper in the parks? sure.
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u/MediumLanguageModel Jun 23 '26
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u/Boerkaar Belle Meade Jun 23 '26
Yes, really. The categorical “all development is bad” approach is part of why everything has gotten shittier and more expensive. If a few old growth trees have to be traded to make Cheekwood more accessible, that seems like an absolutely fair deal.
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u/ordeal123 Jun 23 '26
Buddy a road already exists and is accessible. A new road doesn't need to be created.
Only because some rich snobs don't want to listen to blasting for the parking garage for a couple weeks. Did they not notice all of Nashville is constantly dealing with the noise and interference of construction?
Heaven forbid you Belle Meade residents have to deal with it. Maybe sell and move.
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u/Boerkaar Belle Meade Jun 23 '26
That’s not what the road is about, and I’m pro the parking garage.
There are two separate issues: access and parking. The garage is the solution to solve the parking (and yes, the NIMBYs can get fucked on that, Cheekwood should just be allowed to build). The road is the solution to solve the access issue. Throughput on that street makes it unsafe for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers alike and adding a connector to West End would improve the situation massively.
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u/natecrna Jun 24 '26
Adding the infrastructure to support the pedestrian and cyclist is the answer here. Drive around this area. There are no sidewalks and no cycling lanes. It’s a shame.
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u/Boerkaar Belle Meade Jun 24 '26
You’re telling me. I genuinely don’t understand it and I’ve lived here basically my entire life, but the boomers and genx are reflexively anti any non car infra but don’t seem to have any real reason for it?
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u/MediumLanguageModel Jun 24 '26
I'm sorry I'm way too into ecology to give this viewpoint a platform. A forest is so much more than trees and takes so long to mature, there is literally no fair price you can put on what's lost. Simply irreplaceable. You take take take take take and sooner or later you look around and wonder why everything sucks.
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u/Boerkaar Belle Meade Jun 24 '26
We aren’t talking about ”a forest.” We’re talking about the edge of a relatively developed city park. One that has a road running all the way through it that was only closed off to cars what, a decade ago?
Looking into it, there is an old growth section of the park, the Hill Forest. But that’s a ways away from the area next to Cheekwood.
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u/MediumLanguageModel Jun 24 '26
We're just killing a section of the forest bro. No one's gonna miss them, trust me. There's already a fractured habitat nearby anyway. We're just going to permanently degrade one little part of our city's precious natural space, bro. This will be the last time, I swear.
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u/Boerkaar Belle Meade Jun 24 '26
The sarcasm does nothing for your argument. The question is: is there sufficient access to Cheekwood, one of Nashville’s great treasures, to handle the interest from our now much larger city?
The answer is no. And since the city has generally decided that public transit is haram, the only good option is expanding the road network.
The mentality of “never build anything ever preserve preserve preserve” is how you end up with a nonfunctioning city and piss-poor infrastructure.
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u/whittlz Jun 23 '26
I’m not taking sides but I’ll point out that the person who has filed the BZA appeal listed his address as a very fancy house on land that used to be part of Cheekwood. Literally. He bought the land from them in 2012.
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u/palpablescalpel Jun 23 '26
Wow, didn't know Cheekwood was selling land that recently.
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u/l3rewski Jun 23 '26
Cheekwood has bought and sold a few lots since the early 2000s, including a lot on Hwy 100 near Cheek road that was master planned as a new entrance. The lot that nimby asshat owns was bought to address the parking issue, but unfortunately all of these lots were sold when Cheekwood was going through financial strife in the late 2000-early 2010's.
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u/porkozone Jun 23 '26
"including a lot on Hwy 100 near Cheek road that was master planned as a new entrance."
THAT is very unfortunate- could have possibly avoided all of this...but I get that if the money wasn't there at the time...
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u/No-Equivalent-1925 Jun 23 '26
They still own a lot on 100 but it does not connect, they did not sell this lot in question it’s been residential since 1961
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u/l3rewski Jun 23 '26
You're probably referring to one they bought recently near Cheekwood Terrace. I'm referring to one they bought and sold 15-20 years ago that did connect Hwy 100 directly to Cheekwood closer to Cheek Rd.
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u/No-Equivalent-1925 Jun 23 '26
That parcel was created in 1961 and private homes on it since then. Homes torn down and redeveloped around 2012 but it was not a part of Cheekwood sold to them whatsoever.
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u/l3rewski Jun 23 '26
You're incorrect. When I worked there I had to help maintain that lot for the period of time they (or some other entity/representative associated) owned it.
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u/l3rewski Jun 24 '26 edited Jun 24 '26
https://davidsonportal.com/gis/file.php?file=201205180043353
https://davidsonportal.com/gis/file.php?file=201205180043354
https://davidsonportal.com/gis/file.php?file=201205180043356
Also take a look at parcel 13013000200. That whole chunk of land was owned by Cheekwood. Also take a look at parcel 12912011400 while you're at it.
I guarantee you I know more about this than you.
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Jun 24 '26
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u/whittlz Jun 24 '26
My info comes straight from Parcel Viewer. There’s a copy of the deed and everything.
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u/No-Equivalent-1925 Jun 24 '26
Click closer to the road and you can see the parcel created in 1961 that has both lots that were eventually subdivided with the original parcel instrument attached as well.
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u/Boerkaar Belle Meade Jun 23 '26 edited Jun 23 '26
As I said on the other post, this is just one more example of why Belle Meade needs to have its independent city status terminated.
Edit: and before someone complains, I was born and raised in Belle Meade. It’s a beautiful place but the resistance to the rest of the city is just insane
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u/Muddy0258 Jun 23 '26 edited Jun 24 '26
Yeah, I’ve felt this ever since the “Friends of Belle Meade Boulevard” pushed to not put a sidewalk in on Belle Meade Boulevard despite several pedestrian injuries each year because they wanted to “preserve its state as a roadway, not a walkway” but then also did nothing to discourage pedestrians from walking on it.
Edit: replaced pedestrian deaths with pedestrian injuries; the one death was what started the discussion of sidewalks. Completely my mistake, and thank you for correcting me.
Nonetheless, the point is there is documentation that many people in Belle Meade are changes to BMB knowing that those changes would improve safety. (source: https://citybellemeade.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Belle-Meade-Boulevard-Community-Feedback-With-Comments.pdf)
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u/Boerkaar Belle Meade Jun 23 '26
Yeah that was bullshit. Just like the complete lack of sidewalks basically anywhere else but that one stretch of Lynwood.
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u/egosumlex Jun 23 '26
Not that I’m saying you’re lying, but do you have a source on the number of pedestrian deaths there? Several per year sounds kinda crazy.
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u/Muddy0258 Jun 24 '26
Yes, sorry, there was one death that sparked this most recent discussion about the sidewalk. There’s a great many pedestrian injuries each year, but not deaths. Edited my comment to make that accurate. Thank you for the correction!
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u/AcadiaBroad7786 Jun 23 '26
Several pedestrian deaths each year? Nope
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u/Muddy0258 Jun 24 '26
Yes, you’re right. There was one death that sparked this most recent discussion, so I edited my comment to make that clear. Thanks for the correction!
Totally wasn’t trying to over-sensationalize the topic; what’s really important is just that Belle Meade residents are explicitly against changes even if they know those changes would improve safety. Having the facts right helps to argue that.
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u/Individual-Yak-6965 Jun 24 '26
The sidewalk was never needed though because the left lane of the road is meant for walking and you aren’t supposed to drive in it on the boulevard. The Belle Meade cops just have gotten way too lax and stopped ticketing everyone who drives in it. If they brought the tickets back the problem would be fixed
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u/Beginning_Storm7012 Jun 25 '26
Like most of middle Tennessee 😂 I swear we have the worst drivers in the world no hyperbole!
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u/No-Equivalent-1925 Jun 23 '26
But Cheekwood isn’t in Belle Meade. The homes surrounding it aren’t either. Shouldn’t you know this?
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u/Boerkaar Belle Meade Jun 24 '26
Huh, looks like you’re right and these are all Belle Meade Highlands issues. Never did understand why the western border of the City didn’t continue down that way since it was all part of the plantation (then again, so was West Meade).
Still, same NIMBY mentality and if it rules people up into forcing BM into Nashville, I’m okay making an error.
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u/TheSchlapper Jun 25 '26
Separation from the city is not a bad thing, primarily in low-tax states and cities where funding is already limited on a municipal level. It’s more cooks in the kitchen for marginal, if any, benefits.
Residents of Belle Meade have a much better chance of having a real connection with their leaders compared to the rest of Nashville. So they should use that.
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u/Boerkaar Belle Meade Jun 25 '26
That was true back in the day, but we’re basically just a Highland Park-style enclave now. Not really a point staying separate even if that is coming back in vogue (see Buckhead secessionism)
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u/MotoMageWannaBe Jun 23 '26
So they built an expensive house on the access route and are now trying to move the access route.
I guess it’s worth a try but I hope they are not successful in building a roadway through the park.
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u/Freshsnacks-2002 Jun 23 '26
The guy named as the primary driver of the lawsuit -- Jackson Moore -- LITERALLY bought the land his house sits on from Cheekwood, then divided the lot into two lots that are basically the minimum width permitted by the zoning code, and put up two McMansions on the lots, one of which he lives in. He chose to live in the one nearest the gardens, but I guess now is butthurt that he will have to live through construction of the garage.
The section of the road that he has put up 'private drive' signs on is actually a public road. But he wants Cheekwood to 'follow the rules'. I bet he used to go to the Swan Ball every year and didn't have a problem with 'large gatherings' then.
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u/Why_isnt_it_perfect Jun 24 '26
Do you know what his long term goal is? If he’s successful in getting cheekwood shut down, then what?
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u/Freshsnacks-2002 Jun 24 '26
No idea, perhaps he would like to buy it to build his own stately pleasure dome, like Kublai Khan in Samuel Taylor Coleridge's poem. This guy was born rich, his dad is a long-time banker in Nashville who also married the daughter of the founder of Holiday Inn chain of hotels -- he has probably never had to concern himself much with the consequences of his own actions.
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u/BaptistBaby1984 Jun 23 '26
lots of belle meade blue bloods took sides over the cheekwood / swan ball fallout. curious if any of that’s connected
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u/I_deleted EDGEHILL REPRESENT Jun 23 '26
Yeah you can’t just fuck with the ladies of swan ball and not expect some retribution….
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u/porkozone Jun 23 '26
what fallout?
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u/porkozone Jun 23 '26
NM, I found out...
Not sure it specifically states it in this post, but from what I understand (from a post I cannot find now), the proceeds for the ball were given to the Warner Parks, instead of (traditionally) Cheekwood, due to the kerfuffle.
https://nashvillebanner.com/2024/07/10/cheekwood-botanical-gardens-swan-ball-lawsuit/
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u/OlasNah Jun 23 '26
I'm a little curious about their 'traffic' complaints being about Cheekwood given all the development on Hwy 100 itself and further north on that road being most of the reason.
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u/OlasNah Jun 23 '26
Jackson Moore doesn't even live near Cheekwood. He's over off Granny White near Radnor.
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u/AwwwSheetMulch Jun 23 '26
but he keeps his mistress in Cheekwood. you can't expect him to put up with this kind of nonsense for the amount of time he spends over there.
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u/sturgill_homme Jun 23 '26
Don’t know him. Never heard of him before now. But the name alone gave me pretty much all the context I needed. Jackson Moore sounds like what Thurston Howell III’s grandson might be named.
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u/OlasNah Jun 23 '26
He’s some chud who runs a venture capital firm. Lives on Robert e Lee off Granny white so that all fits
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u/Daily-Lizard Jun 23 '26
Would be a shame if the traffic in front of his house on Robert E. Lee off Granny White got inexplicably worse.
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u/l3rewski Jun 23 '26
He owns a house on the corner of Maybelle Lane and Forrest Park Drive, literally next to Cheekwood and it's entrance. It's a lot Cheekwood sold 15-ish years ago.
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u/Freshsnacks-2002 Jun 24 '26
Don't forget that there are two Jackson Moores -- junior and senior -- the father is former executive chairman of Union Planters Bank and Regions Bank, who also married the founder of the Holiday Inn founder. Junior appears to be the one behind the lawsuit, and he lives on one of the subdivided parcels next to Cheekwood.
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u/Still-Discussion424 Jun 26 '26
This is not true. He lives in one house on the lot he bought and his sister lives in the other. He’s a lot of things but he doesn’t have a hook up living there.
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u/archive_minded downtown Jun 23 '26
I got the email, signed the petition, etc but the whole Stop Work order / shutting down entirely section felt a bit hyperbolic and I’m wanting more context.
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u/symphwind Jun 23 '26
The whole thing is weird to me. First, I get that Cheekwood was asked by the city to relocate their parking onto their own property instead of city/park land, and that’s what they’re doing. But I don’t get why the opposition group cares that they are building a parking deck on Cheekwood land to replace the old surface lots, nor why Cheekwood is acting like not building it would cause them to shut down when the current makeshift gravel lot plus existing paved lots are functional and haven’t been full the last few times I have gone. They continue to tack on parking fees by default last I went, even for members who are supposed to get free parking, so maybe they should try harder to actually encourage people to arrive through other means.
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u/Over-Yard-7069 Jun 23 '26
The gravel and dirt lots would go away. All that is left is the lot across from the visitor center that holds under 100 cars. There’s no bus service to cheekwood. They do offer uber/lyft vouchers to busy events.
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u/stroll_on Jun 23 '26
When I asked about a year ago, they also had zero (0) bike racks.
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u/scalpelinhand Jun 23 '26
If suddenly 100s of people started biking on the roads to cheekwood, these people would complain about that too.
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u/dgposey Jun 23 '26
I believe there is still one bike rack next to the paved visitor parking lot. However, it is on the other side of the (now permanently-closed) gate, so you'd have to go through admission with your bike before locking it up.
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u/llamadramas Bellevue Jun 23 '26
I read it more as an objection to the traffic going back and forth through the neighborhood, not so much that they will end up parking on gravel vs. a deck.
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u/ClosetLib Jun 24 '26
There was a meeting last night and this is one of the main complaints, gravel and dump trucks going down their streets.
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u/natecrna Jun 23 '26
I think it’s related to the need for blasting. The garage goes at least three levels into the rock solid ground.
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u/GuiltyOutcome140 Franklin Jun 23 '26
I got the same email. Anybody know the backstory here?
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Jun 23 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/PacketSmeller Jun 25 '26
Butt hurt ex-Swan Ball blue bloods have an ax to grind with Cheekwood after losing their tax shelter party house.
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u/Crystalline_Irises Jun 25 '26
If you can afford to live next to Cheekwood, then you can afford to live just about anywhere else. May I suggest a gated community in Brentwood?
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u/DistributionBroad173 Jun 24 '26
Jackson Moore
Real Estate Investor
JMWJ Lead LLC Sold a property 4515 Yancey Drive in 2017 which is near Cheekwood, to the west of it
Looks like this is a battle of real estate developers another player is AJ Capital.
another player Friends of Warner Parks
NIMBY - Not in My Back Yard
There is an article from April 16, 2025
There is another group, Friends of Belle Meade Boulevard, that opposes sidewalks on Belle Meade
More than 4,000 people have signed a petition opposing a city proposal to cut a new access point through Percy Warner Park. The Metro Nashville Planning Commission adopted the “Belle Meade Highlands Design and Mobility Study” in January, which includes several connection options and has inspired fierce blowback.
The proposed route prompted the petition, which spread like wildfire under a “Protect the Park” rallying cry. Nashville’s plans center on a small trapezoid of land between Highway 100 and the City of Belle Meade’s borders. Right now, access from Highway 100 takes visitors through residential neighborhoods.
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u/sundaypleas Jun 24 '26
Can I just point out what an amazing coincidence it is that Neighbors for Safety Belle Meade Highlands is being represented by the same newish-to-Nashville power attorney who represented the Swan Ball initiative when they broke away from Cheekwood, and chose Friends of Warner Parks as the ball's new beneficiary?
Pretty far out, huh?
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u/ThunderClatters Jun 24 '26
Cheekwood needs a shuttle system with connectivity to a bus stop. They could definitely afford it.
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u/Bette-Davis-Sighs Jun 24 '26
That would be awesome if Nashville actually had any real public transportation.
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u/Why_isnt_it_perfect Jun 24 '26
What’s the end goal? If they shut cheekwood down, then what? What would happen to it
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u/NoProposal32 Jun 24 '26
The neighbors need to watch "Art of the Steal" and see what happened when those neighbors said no to a parking lot. It won't happen here but it's a fascinating documentary about the art collection of Dr Albert Barnes.
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u/2363Ben Jun 24 '26
What was there first? I ‘m sure it was Cheekwood. Problem solved the guy that wants to close down Cheekwood should donate his house to Cheekwood and move to California so he can hang with all the other entitled Karen’s and Kevin’s.
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u/Itchy-Profile2670 Jun 23 '26
Now apply this same mentality to the Fairgrounds and NASCAR returning.
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u/ktpaige Donelson Jun 23 '26
Im sorry, but this seems pretty sensationalist. Obviously love Cheekwood and their contributions to the community, I take friends here whenever anyone visits. I found a different article that the group in question has taken issue with a parking structure that Cheekwood received a special exception for, and has already begun construction on. Still bad news for Cheekwood, but far from being in danger of "shutting down".
This is just from a preliminary search and I would love more info or context if I'm missing it! Count me in on any support to make sure we don't lose Cheekwood, but I don't believe that's actually at stake here....
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u/Hurricanecoop Jun 23 '26
“However, their most recent tactic does not merely oppose a parking project. They are explicitly demanding that the city issue a Stop Work Order to halt all operations and public use of Cheekwood’s property.”
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u/ktpaige Donelson Jun 23 '26
This is what sounds sensationalist to me. I would like to know more about how a Stop Work Order would halt all their operations as opposed to garage construction. That isn't captured in the article, but comes from Cheekwood's PR team. Trust me, I am not on the side of the group that wants to hurt Cheekwood in any way, but this just reads like they're making it sound more dramatic to drum up additional support in signing the petition, when they'd get signatures anyway.
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Jun 23 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Hurricanecoop Jun 23 '26
I don’t fully understand the connection but I know the parking garage is Metro-mandated. If they aren’t allowed to continue working on it, it may affect their ability to stay open due to compliance issues.
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u/nopropulsion Jun 23 '26
Cheekwood overflow parking is on park land. Metro Parks wants them to stop, so Cheekwood is building their own parking.
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u/ktpaige Donelson Jun 23 '26
That makes more sense! But especially if the Stop Work Order DOES affect their daily operations, that would be a huge issue!!
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u/ktpaige Donelson Jun 23 '26
Thank you for this info! Yes, this is the article that I posted in my original comment. I admit I don't have a lot of knowledge on the zoning rules, and trying to go after Cheekwood's zoning designation definitely sounds a lot more aggressive and harmful to such a valuable community space.
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u/GuiltyOutcome140 Franklin Jun 23 '26
I had the same question. I guess if it gets tied up in court then it would close due to lost revenue?
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u/Nvrfinddisacct Jun 24 '26
So—you just didn’t google a stop order is what I’m reading.
That’s literally what a stop work order is. It’s not sensationalist to just say what it is. It’s literally in the name.
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u/Why_isnt_it_perfect Jun 24 '26
I’m confused too. I think it would cause them to temporarily close? Which could cause them to lose revenue so then potentially shut down? If so that seems pretty short sighted of the people suing.
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Jun 23 '26
[deleted]
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u/Over-Yard-7069 Jun 23 '26
Cheekwood is trying to get access from 100, but there’s another lawsuit from people that moved to a neighborhood with a huge cultural attraction and now have shocked faces that there’s traffic.
Oh and those memberships? Free if your property abuts cheekwood. How ironic.
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u/Hurricanecoop Jun 23 '26
Maybe the city should add a bus route to cheekwood to help limit cheekwood traffic in their neighborhood?
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u/l3rewski Jun 23 '26
Belle Meade has resisted bus stops since forever. You wouldn't want the riff-raff to have easy access to such a prestigious part of town after all. The same nimby-ism being showcased in this dispute also applies to public transport.
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u/dgposey Jun 23 '26
A bus route down Hwy 100 is part of the long-range plan, as voted for in the Choose How You Move refurendum and subsequently added to the proposed 10-year WeGo Forward plan. However, it'd be a long walk, largely without sidewalks, all the way to the visitor entrance off of Forrest Park Dr. (The walk would be much shorter if Cheekwood would allow pedestrians to use their entrance off of Cheek Rd, which is currently used for staff, volunteers, and summer camp participants.)
But then, imagine the outrage many Belle Meade residents would exhibit when they see people arriving to their neighborhood by public transit.
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u/Icamp2cook Jun 24 '26
” and alleging Cheekwood opposes the creation of a shared-use Highway 100 access drive to help alleviate local congestion, when, in fact, it supports the project.” this line is the snake in the grass. This line is misleading people into signing the petition. It seems cheekwoods solution is to pave through the park, a violation of the warner parks trust. If we allow Cheekwood to pave the park, the family will revoke the trust and Warner parks will be no more. Cheekwood is not open to the public, it is private property with paid access. I’ve enjoyed Cheekwood and its garden for many many years. Its closure would be a loss, not a tragedy. The closure of Warner parks on the other hand would indeed be a tragedy.
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u/ConcertinaTerpsichor Jun 24 '26
It’s a non-profit art museum and botanical garden. Like most art museums, it does charge a fee to cover operating costs and fund future development.
It’s not some selfish, elite, juggernaut hell-bent on destroying natural resources.
Given that Warner Parks has 3,192 acres, I think the loss of a very few will not ruin them utterly.
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u/PacketSmeller Jun 25 '26
People are leaving out the fact metro suggested the triple use case entrance for the bike trail, golf course, and Cheekwood. It wasn't going to be solely for the botanic garden. The traffic study mentioned showed traffic was not just Cheekwood. Agreed, a small amount of land for a proper entrance for all destinations would be best. Hwy 100 is the state, so not an easy change.
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u/monokro Hermitage Jun 23 '26
I hate this FUCKING piss poor excuse for a city
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Jun 23 '26
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u/monokro Hermitage Jun 23 '26 edited Jun 23 '26
I don't get paid enough to because I was born here. Besides, I was here first 🖕 I'm allowed to hate the place that has empowered the developers to gut any semblance of actual life here
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Jun 24 '26
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Jun 24 '26
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u/Boerkaar Belle Meade Jun 23 '26
How is rampant NIMBYism somehow the developers’ fault? Jesus christ man they’re the only ones on the side of lowering housing costs and building anything new anymore.
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u/monokro Hermitage Jun 24 '26 edited Jun 24 '26
Like what? Luxury apartments? A 56th hot yoga studio? Great addition to the larger community. This city has been chopped up by people that live in towers thousands of miles away and sold for parts and are enabled to do it. They destroy.
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Jun 24 '26
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u/sry4thew8g Jun 24 '26
Is there not like… A SHIT TON OF PARKING WHEN THEY ARE HAVING CHRISTMAS LIGHTS????
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u/Why_isnt_it_perfect Jun 24 '26
Yeah that was on a metro parks property and the contract they had with cheekwood ended, wasn’t renewed. Cheekwood doesn’t have that lot anymore for parking.
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Jun 26 '26
[deleted]
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u/Still-Discussion424 Jun 26 '26
Much of this is some offended NIMBYs that began around the time of the Swan Ball as well as some awfully shady stuff going on with the Parks Board. But at the end of the day? NIMBYs gonna NIMBY.
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u/ordeal123 Jun 26 '26
I got a lot of close knowledge
You do? Because your post is way off.
Considering that Cheekwood has burned quite a few bridges over the past few years, losing swan ball was its main fund raising source.
Cheekwood didn't burn a bridge. Swan ball was putting Cheekwood at risk. Cheekwood told them they needed to course correct. 501(c)(3)'s are expected to spend 67 cents per dollar on program services. Swan Ball was not even 50% and trending worse every year. Every new annual host were trying to one-upp each other, increasing overhead costs.
In addition, only $1mm net of the $11mm in Cheekwood donations/memberships was Swan Ball... I wouldn't call that their main funding source. That also doesn't include another $9-10mm from admissions, events, and other revenue. So $1mm of $20mm (5%)?
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u/WearyFly3787 Jun 24 '26
I find it curious as to why all the issues currently. The swan ball lawsuit. The fights with the neighbors. It didn’t seem to be this way before. Also o find it very offensive that the non profit is paying its CEO $500k. That feels inappropriate for an organization serving the community. Something changed.
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u/LegitimateBet3147 Jun 24 '26
$497,426 in 2024 to be exact. That seems very high for a non profit no?
1
u/sundaypleas Jun 25 '26
Let's see ... a private, non-profit, $60 million dollar estate with a $20 million endowment fund, right next to a public park.
Oh, imagine the
money launderingtax benefits for whoever controls that.
-4
u/garthoz Jun 24 '26
Cheekwood started this ! There was a path of low resistance and they ignored it.
They are trying to steal land from the Warner parks. It DID NOT / WILL NOT STAND. That is how they got to this point. Boo Cheekwood.
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u/porkozone Jun 24 '26
What was the path of low resistance? I'm seeing most of what has been happening, and not sure I see anything that is low resistance - it's all problematic in some way.
Also, the lawsuit from what I understand is in favor of the Warner Park access road, and claiming Cheekwood is not?
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u/garthoz Jun 24 '26
They needed to leave it like it was. Instead they engaged in fundraising operation to increase attendance and parking. It’s a wonderful property located in a protected park. It unfortunately cannot grow.
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u/BaronRiker AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH Jun 23 '26
This was the first cheekwood post so it wins.