Tennessee City Denies Atheist Group's Claim That It's Donating $2M to Christian Youth Org
A city in Tennessee is denying an atheist group's claim that they are contributing $2 million to a Christian youth group's building project.
The Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation sent a letter of complaint, accusing the City of Knoxville of unlawfully donating $2 million to the Emerald Youth Foundation for their construction of a new 30,000-square foot multipurpose facility.
In their letter of complaint, FFRF Legal Fellow Ryan Jayne argued that city officials should avoid contributing to the foundation due to its explicitly Christian mission.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
"Regardless of any incidental secular benefits of the project, the City of Knoxville violates both the U.S. Constitution and the Tennessee Constitution when it endorses the project, donates land to the ministry in order to build the facility, or expends taxpayer funds toward the project," wrote Jayne.
"When the City conveys government property to a ministry, and contributes taxpayer funds toward a project that aims to convert area youth to Christianity, it unconstitutionally compels taxpayers to support that ministry and shows the City's preference for the ministry's religious message."
However, Eric Vreeland, deputy director of Communications for the City of Knoxville, told The Christian Post that the $2 million figure was not a donation, but rather centered on other projects meant to benefit the neighborhood where the Emerald Youth Foundation's proposed facility was going to be constructed.
Vreeland explained that the $2 million figure came from the estimated $1 million that had gone into "past property acquisitions" for the area and another $1 million for the planned investment in infrastructure for the neighborhood, which would not exclusively benefit the foundation's proposed multipurpose facility.
"It's not accurate to say that the city is proposing to donate $2 million toward construction of the facility, but we are proposing to be a partner in a private-public collaboration and commit to $1 million in improvements to public infrastructure," said Vreeland.
"The funding would be included in the 2017-18 budget if approved by City Council. Mayor Madeline Rogero proposed the funding last week."
Last month, Emerald Youth Foundation announced that it was undertaking plans to build a massive multipurpose facility for youth to be located in the Lonsdale neighborhood of Knoxville.
Emerald Youth Foundation President and CEO Steve Diggs said in a statement last month that his organization is meeting the demand for such a facility in that neighborhood.
"From the very beginning, this project has been about addressing a need that has been outlined by Lonsdale residents for many years," stated Diggs.
"Our hope and our prayer is that it will be a transformative addition to the neighborhood, and a transformative addition to the lives of the young people it will engage."
In a statement released last Thursday, FFRF said that there were other options when it came to constructing the multipurpose youth facility.
"If the Emerald Youth Foundation wishes to construct a sports and worship facility on city-owned land in order to further its religious mission, it must purchase that land at fair market value and fund the project itself," stated FFRF.
"Alternatively, Knoxville could partner with a secular group to construct a secular multipurpose facility at this location."
Regarding the FFRF's complaint, Vreeland told CP that they have received the letter and "we understand their concerns."
"The City regularly partners with faith-based organizations. We'll continue to gather community feedback as details are worked out on this proposal from Emerald Youth Foundation," added Vreeland.
"Any agreement that is finalized with EYF will be fully within the requirements for separation of church and state."
If all goes according to plan, the foundation and the city hope to have the Lonsdale multipurpose facility opened by late 2018.
