Plans to sell a Hamilton County building housing a business incubator program sparked tension at a County Commission meeting. The dialogue included business owners lambasting the county government and some county commissioners questioning whether a move to a different facility would be doable.
The commission Wednesday considered plans from County Mayor Weston Wamp’s administration to sell the Business Development Center on Chattanooga’s North Shore. Dozens of people in bright orange shirts showed up in support of businesses working out of the incubator that, in their view, would be displaced by the sale.
The commission will vote May 6 on whether to solicit proposals for a sale.
The incubator program at the county’s Business Development Center allows local businesses to pay subsidized rent for three to five years while growing operations, depending on whether the business is granted an extension. It’s run by the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce. There are 34 businesses using the incubator.
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