Governor backs TVA land deal

Developer John Thornton says he wants to build resort homes on 528 acres of TVA land in Marion County. In exchange, he is offering 1,100 acres of land he owns in Marion County.

Supporters say the proposal will help the county economically, while critics say TVA should not turn over land it took from the public years ago to benefit private interests.

In a two-paragraph letter dated May 2 and released this past week, Gov. Bredesen urged TVA directors to “give serious consideration to the approval of this proposal.”

The release had nothing to do with the governor’s visit to Thornton’s home in Chattanooga on Wednesday, said Lydia Lenker, a spokeswoman for the governor.

“It was coincidental,” she said. “The TVA proposal and the governor’s visit had nothing in common with this event.”

Lenker said there was nothing unusual about the governor meeting with people in the home of a Republican.

Brandon Born, president of Thornton’s Thunder Enterprises, said Bredesen visited Thornton’s home simply to meet people.

“It wasnt any kind of fund-raiser,” Born said. “He just wanted to come to Johns house to speak and share with a group of people whats on his mind, local politics and whats coming up.”

Born said he hopes the proposed land swap will be on the TVA board of directors’ agenda if the board meets in the later part of July.

Former Chattanooga Mayor Jon Kinsey helped set up the event and said the governors visit was planned almost two months ago.

“The governor is trying to stay in touch with business people and it was not a fund-raiser,” Kinsey said.