Metro officials are pressing forward with plans to redevelop Nashville's downtown riverfront, but some say a 30-acre scrap metal facility where abandoned cars and home appliances are recycled stands in the way of long-term improvement.
Earlier this year, Karl Dean became the third consecutive Nashville mayor to approach representatives from PSC Metals, a company backed by activist investor Carl Icahn, about moving the scrap metal facility off its prime spot on the east bank of the Cumberland River.
According to some of those present at the private meeting, Dean was flanked by his top aides and Cabinet members from Gov. Phil Bredesen's administration, including Matt Kisber, commissioner of Economic and Community Development.
During his time as Nashville's mayor in the 1990s, Bredesen built his legacy around revitalizing downtown. But despite bringing professional sports franchises and corporate headquarters to Music City, Bredesen was unable to turn around the city's riverfront, which has served as an industrial hub for generations.
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