NASHVILLE – Republican gubernatorial candidate Zach Wamp’s campaign charged today that Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam, a GOP rival, and other Haslam family members mixed personal and city funds in a downtown Knoxville redevelopment project the mayor has touted in his campaign.
The issue, which involves the Regal Riveria Cinema, represents a “serious breach of ethics,” Wamp spokesman Sam Edelen said in a news release.
The campaign said Mr. Haslam “never mentions that he co-mingled and co-invested as much as $2 million of his own money, as well as $750,000 each from his father, Jim Haslam, and brother, Jimmy Haslam.”
The project also involved $4 million in taxpayer funds from Knoxville and another $3 million in government grants and tax credits to underwrite the development.
The Wamp campaign said the project is “now 100 percent privately owned by Haslam, his family and co-owners.”