‘Cultural Incompetence’ – says Mayoral Candidate about Mayor Briley’s decision to remove cherry blossom trees for NFL Draft

State Representative John Ray Clemmons, who is Running to be the next Mayor of Nashville, said Saturday the decision by Mayor Briley’s administration to allow the removal and destruction of over 21 cherry blossom trees to accommodate the NFL Draft event in downtown Nashville displayed ‘cultural incompetence.’

NFL to pay Metro $10K to cut down 21 cherry blossom trees for NFL Draft, says tree group

According to the Nashville Tree Taskforce, the donors of the beautiful cherry blossom trees on 1st Avenue at Riverfront Park downtown were notified Friday 21 of the trees would be removed in exchange for $10,000, due to a deal between Metro Nashville & the NFL, which is hosting the draft at the location in late April.