(The Center Square) – The Memphis Area Transit Authority won the Pork of the Year Award for 2025, squealing past a Nissan Stadium project that puts taxpayers on the hook for upgrades, according to a poll by the Beacon Center.
The transit authority spent money on a new downtown office and purchased a branded suite for Memphis Grizzlies’ games at a hefty price tag, even though it was facing a $60 million deficit, according to a report from WREG.
The Beacon Poll pitted the spending against upgrades to the Tennessee Titans’ current Nissan Stadium requested by the National Football League as construction continues on a $2.3 billion stadium funded by taxpayers.
The two projects were close – 35% of respondents voted for the Memphis project, while 34% voted for the Nashville project. A $1.5 million incentive doled out to a Lebanon restaurant came in third with 24% of the votes.
“While all three of the finalists deserved the Pork of the Year award, Tennessee voters agree that the way MATA ran an enormous deficit while spending money on luxury expenses that only benefitted their board members was both distasteful and unethical, ignoring their duty to regard taxpayers’ interests. In order to recoup this irresponsible spending, the city must consider cutting bus and trolley lines, punishing the people who rely on public transportation the most.”
