Tennessee State University is considering selling off property near the John C. Tune Airport for $15.5 million.
In June, the board of the historically Black public university in Nashville approved moving forward with a deal with the Metro Nashville Airport Authority, which operates Tune. While the deal still has several hurdles to clear, including state and university approvals, the board heard more details and discussed updates during its regular meetings from Sept. 10-11. The 25-acre property was appraised at $15.5 million, according to materials presented to the board. The airport, which primarily serves private aviation, sits roughly three miles west of TSU's North Nashville campus.
Trustee Charles Traughber, who sits on the finance committee,
asked if there is a way for the university to open the property up to bidding in hopes of getting more money for it. TSU President Dwayne Tucker said the funds can only be used for capital improvements on campus, and that he was in favor of selling it for the appraised $15.5 million.
Will Radford, assistant vice president for TSU's campus planning, design and construction department, emphasized the immediate needs facing the university when it comes to housing and deferred maintenance. While he acknowledged TSU may have room to sell it for more, he also said the $15.5 million price tag has its appeal.
"A $20 million number in two years is not the same as a $15 million number in 30 days," Radford said. "I would say that is a motivating factor for TSU."
When asked by another board member if he believed the property should be sold, Radford said: "Without question."
TSU presses forward with financial turnaround plans
It's not the first time the board has heard proposals on selling the cluster of buildings off Cockrill Bend Boulevard. In May, the board heard a proposal from an outside firm on what selling the property would entail, along with leasing or selling parts of its downtown Avon Williams campus. Most recently, the board approved moving forward with the airport deal during its June 23 meeting.
The discussions come after years of financial turmoil and rapid-fire leadership changes at TSU. Tucker, who was appointed to the role in December 2024, has since ushered in a $96 million agreement with the state and put the university on a five-year financial turnaround plan.
After the deal was inked, TSU broke ground on a massive agricultural complex and a state-of-the-art engineering building. It's also made progress on its enrollment goals, ended its 2025 fiscal year with a $12.8 million surplus and projects each following year until 2030 will also see surpluses. That's a stark contrast from previous projections that showed mounting deficits for the university in those years.
Meanwhile, debates continue over the state underfunding TSU over the course of several decades. In 2023, the administration of then-President Joe Biden said that added up to $2.1 billion. Many in the TSU community, including previous President Glenda Glover, have pushed for the state to restore that money. But over the last few years, Tucker has worked to shift the narrative to a different number: $544 million. That amount was the upper end of underfunding revealed by a state Office of Legislative Budget Analysis in 2021.
What's next for the TSU airport property
While the deal is still pending, the goal is to move it forward within the year, the materials showed. The money will go toward improving TSU's residence halls. It would also ease upkeep costs and free up resources for the school's main campus.
The matter now heads to the State Building Commission, which is expected to take it up during its regular Sept. 21 meeting. The TSU board is set for its final meetings of the year from Nov. 5-6. More information on board meetings, along with agendas, minutes and other materials, can be found at TNstate.edu/board.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee State University considers selling plot near JC Tune airport
