<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=49IEOa_19U57P8t00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=49IEOa_19U57P8t00" width="986" height="555" >JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. — Both local and state officials are asking Gov. Bill Lee to pitch in funding to renovate Johnson City's John Sevier building. It's the next step in the now 7-year effort to reopen a hotel in the landmark.The meeting with Gov. Lee came as the Johnson City Development Authority looks for ways to fund a $66 million renovation of the building. It's a public-private partnership, with the development authority taking on about $6 million to $10 million.They aim to use some city funding, financing, tax incentives, and perhaps state funding.“I think the math is just really hard to do with just private dollars, but it's also a project that we think to the city and to the citizens of Johnson City and Washington County and to the region, it's worthwhile to have some investment in it,” JCDA chair Jack Simpson said.Downtown Johnson City's largest building opened as a hotel in the 1920s and then was converted into low-income apartments in the 1970s. Now the plan is to turn it back into a hotel with restaurants and retail.“This is a hotel named for Tennessee's first governor, was a historic hotel, major rail stop, reputed to have connections to Al Capone, a lot of cool lore attached to the building,” Simpson said.Washington County, Tennessee mayor Joe Grandy joined the meeting in Nashville to seek state support.“Johnson City is the financial engine of Washington County, so it's important to the entire county for Johnson City to be successful, vibrant and financially sound,” Grandy said.Grandy said the group was told the state budget will be tight this year, but there wasn't a firm yes or no.“At this point, we don't know if the governor, the state will be able to help us out with this project, but we certainly hope so,” Simpson said. “Anything they do would help us get to that budget, that goal that we're aiming for.”</div></body>

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JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. — Both local and state officials are asking Gov. Bill Lee to pitch in funding to renovate Johnson City's John Sevier building. It's the next step in the now 7-year effort to reopen a hotel in the landmark. The meeting with Gov. Lee came as the...

Johnson City Development Authority seeks state support for John Sevier hotel project

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JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. — Both local and state officials are asking Gov. Bill Lee to pitch in funding to renovate Johnson City's John Sevier building. It's the

Johnson City Development Authority seeks state support for John Sevier hotel project

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