WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — Plans for a 325,000 square foot luxury outlet mall at the intersection of Interstate 65 and Interstate 840 were announced in January.
However, some residents, like Jason Cordova, said the plan shows how “seemingly, the town is tone-deaf to the rural nature” of the area.
“Find a grocery store,” Cordova said. “Find something that the community can all benefit from.”
The mall, called Nashville Premium Outlets, would include 75 retailers, restaurants and a hotel. Thompson’s Station mayor Brian Stover previously told News 2 the mall would provide an opportunity to raise enough sales tax revenue to fund the town’s first-ever police department.
However, Cordova said the development is like “trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.”
“[What makes] this so maddening for we the people here in Thompson’s Station is that the planning seems to talk about building new things…without putting the roads in first,” Cordova said.
Williamson County native Jane Sadler took her concerns about the proposed mall to the Williamson County Commission this week.
“The day I heard the announcement, I cried,” Sadler told commissioners Monday.
In an interview with News 2, Sadler also said she worries about the potential for an uptick in crime. Earlier this month, a fight led to a “rushed mass exodus” at Opry Mills Mall. Separately, on Feb. 4, a robbery at The Mall at Green Hills led to a deadly shooting.
“I’ve lived in this area all my life. I watched Hickory Hollow be the Belle of the ball. It was a great mall. Everybody loved to go to it, and I’ve watched what it became,” Sadler said. “And that’s sad. I don’t want that for my home.”
News 2 reached out to Stover about residents’ concerns. In an email to News 2, he said no development plans have been made yet. Stover said the mall’s developer, Simon, is aware of the significant infrastructure upgrades needed.
He added the town will make sure safety and security concerns are fully addressed. If the plan moves forward, construction for the mall could begin as early as 2026.
Stover’s full statement to News 2 can be read below:
“Simon is still in the due diligence phase for this project, and no development plans have been submitted to the Town of Thompson’s Station. Town Staff has had high-level and preliminary meetings with Simon to provide firm guidance related to the Town’s All Aboard Comprehensive Plans and our Land Development Ordinance, which set the Town’s expectations and standards for development. Town Staff also facilitated an initial meeting with TDOT Staff to establish the scope of this project’s required Traffic Impact Study.
Thompson’s Station has spent the past 5 years focused on updating, upgrading, and enhancing our land use, transportation, wastewater, growth, and development standards to ensure that any new development within the Town meets our high standards and reflects the character of this community. This long-term and community-based comprehensive planning process resulted in the All Aboard Plans, which were adopted in 2023. The All Aboard Plans were awarded the Outstanding Plan for a Small Jurisdiction by the Tennessee Chapter of the American Planning Association, reflecting the high quality of the plans resulting from the diligent work by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen, the Planning Commission, and Town Staff in establishing the Town’s comprehensive preservation, growth, and transportation policies.
The Town’s Major Thoroughfare Plan, which is part of the All Aboard Comprehensive Planning process, sets forth minimum upgrades required for Lewisburg Pike and the I-840 interchange required for this proposed development and any other development in the area. The Land Development Ordinance, which includes our zoning and development standards, was comprehensively updated in 2024 to increase the Town’s standards for all new developments. The Town’s development standards include some of the highest requirements anywhere in Tennessee.
As the project developer, Simon is aware that significant transportation, wastewater, and infrastructure upgrades are required as part of their proposed development. Thompson’s Station will hold Simon and any other developer in Town to the highest standards State law allows. Additionally, the Town, the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office, and Simon will work closely together to ensure that safety and security concerns are fully addressed. As I noted when this project was first announced, I’m excited about this opportunity for the Town. I look forward to working with the developer to ensure that this project aligns with the character of Thompson’s Station and our vision for the future.”
