Tennessee Downs Auto Club is an elite automobile club track coming to Shelbyville.  

It is planned to be located on 185 acres at the corner of U.S. 231 and Eady Road and will consist of a 2.5-mile club track, member clubhouse, auto storage facility, condos, and conference center.  

Specifically, the proposal involves several different businesses such as engine manufacturers, upholstery shops, and restoration-type businesses for expensive collector vehicles, not typical mechanic shops for mainstream vehicles.  

The project plan says the vision is “to develop a multifaceted, membership driven complex for the sophisticated automobile enthusiast.”  

The location was determined based on the proximity to Nashville and Murfreesboro as well as the “significant economic development in area with Nearest Green Distillery and Shelbyville Airport.” The vehicles’ owners will be able to fly in and see their cars’ progress.  

Essentially, “Tennessee Downs is going to be an exotic car campus,” said Shelbyville Bedford Partnership CEO Shane Hooper at Thursday’s Chamber Luncheon.  

“We’re happy to have the possibility of that project being here because if any of you have been down to Amelia Island to the car show, that is what Tennessee Downs is attempting to do in the future.”  

Hooper said when towns bring in these kinds of projects, the people who come with them tend to not have children, so the school system is not flooded, while they also bring a lot of expendable income to spend here.  

“It’s not enough to just get people here. When people come here, we have to give them something to do while they are here,” Hooper said.   

The project will cost somewhere between $30 and $40 million to construct, according to owner Jeremy Carpenter. 

According to the project plan, the property was rezoned in September 2021 by the unanimous vote of 17 County Commissioners. The final plan will be coordinated with the planning commission. (contributed by dmelson@t-g.com.)  

At a July 2021 planning commission meeting, DHRK Enterprises had requested the rezoning of185 acres on Eady Road at U.S. 231 for a concrete plant in 2020. They said part of the land will be used as a campus for several automotive-related businesses.  

Planning Director Chris White told Bedford County Planning Commission members at the July meeting that the cars will be “very high-end classic and sports cars.” The cars’ owners were described as “very upscale.”  

Tourism will benefit as the public will be allowed to see the vehicles being worked on, White said.  

Those behind the businesses are extremely wealthy, “legitimate investors,” and very serious about the proposed campus, White said.  

He was told activities would compare to the famous Amelia Island concours events, held in Florida each year celebrating the world’s fastest and most expensive cars, as well as the Pebble Beach concours d’elegance.  

Other similar club tracks are located throughout the country, to name just a few, include Autobahn Country Club in Illinois, Motorsport Park in New Jersey and Apex Motor Club in Arizona.