Nashville Mayor John Cooper announced that the Metro Council has approved $10 million in American Rescue Plan dollars for Fisk University to establish an entrepreneurship center at Burrus Hall. This will be Nashville’s first public-private partnership with its oldest institution of higher learning.
The center, which was inspired by the late Nashville entrepreneur and business icon Darrell Freeman, will be a resource for emerging business owners to access resources, make connections to investors, and take classes. It will also help bring opportunities to communities that have not benefited from Nashville’s growth.
Mayor Cooper stated that “for too long, Nashville paid wealthy, out-of-state corporations to bring jobs here instead of creating and growing businesses by investing in local entrepreneurs already living in our city.” He added that with the creation of the entrepreneurship center at Fisk University, the city is “investing in our own residents’ futures by transforming this historic building into an innovation and entrepreneurship center to create the next generation of Nashville’s business leaders.”
Mayor Cooper expressed his gratitude to the Metro Council, the Director of Economic Growth and Small Business Development Latanya Channel, Fisk University, and everyone who has worked to make this dream a reality.
