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ALCOA, Tenn. (WVLT) - The City of Alcoa is set to open a Costco and a Holiday Inn, and while some people are excited for the additions, others are concerned about all the extra traffic.

The city said roads in the development area, known as Spring Brook Farm, already has pre-designed roads to help ease with traffic flow.

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“One of the most important points is that traffic control isn’t something being added later — it’s already built into the current roadway design," the city’s Facebook page states.

However, some residents took to social media to express their concerns, including parents who are worried about the extra traffic near Alcoa Middle and Alcoa High, which are just down the road from the development.

“I love Costco in general. I love all the bulk products, and I’m glad it’s going to be over here because it’s already like a 40 minute drive, and it’s going to be a lot easier,” Kelsie Peabody said.

Tesla Boulevard is meant to be the main road for people to use to access Alcoa Highway, and the city wants people to use this road to get to and from the plaza instead of using the roads through the school areas.

“The roadway network through these corridors has been deliberately downsized to discourage traffic and reduce the feeling of a pass-through zone. Primary commercial streets are built to carry traffic, while secondary roads are one lane in each direction, which naturally lowers traffic volumes and speeds and supports a more formal “campus” feeling around the school," the city continued.

“Depending on where the road comes in and out of Costco, I don’t see a big problem with the high school traffic,” Sheila Almond, a local resident, said.

The city said Costco is working with them to delay their opening times for school drop offs. Additionally, they will add a traffic light at Tesla Boulevard and Faraday Street, according their Facebook post.

The City of Alcoa held a commissioner’s meeting Tuesday night to hear public opinion.

The Alcoa Board of Commissioners took some heat Tuesday from constituents upset over developments near the Alcoa schools, particularly regarding a proposed hotel and Costco.

Within the last few weeks, developers across the road from Alcoa High School, 524 Faraday St., began posting signs advertising a new Holiday Inn Express set to open near the corner of Marconi and Tesla Boulevard. First reported on by The Daily Times in December of 2024, planning commissioners last reviewed site plans for the development in June, and City Manager Bruce Applegate told city officials the same month that land development would likely begin within the next 12 to 24 months.

Many residents who spoke Tuesday, said they hadn’t realized just how close to the schools the new hotel would actually be until signs started going up.

“From my room, I can see the hotel, and I fear that there will be people at that hotel who can see our student population and, considering that safety is such a massive factor that we deal with in schools these days, that gives me a lot of angst if I’m being honest,” said Amy Williams, an Alcoa High School alumnus and teacher.

Williams wasn’t the only teacher to bring up concerns about the proximity. Keenan Sudderth, also an Alcoa alumnus and teacher, confirmed he, too, can see the hotel development from his classroom.

“A hotel is not a passive neighbor. It brings transient populations, unfamiliar traffic patterns and increased movement at unpredictable times of the day — all within steps of where our children walk, learn and play,” said Sudderth. “Schools are supposed to be protected environments, and zoning within those should buffer them, not expose them.”

Sudderth acknowledged that his and others’ concerns may have come “too late in the game” but took issue as well with the manner in which the board had conducted itself.

“Many times I’ve heard people and elected officials say that citizens kind of show up late to the game. Respectfully, I disagree. It is a game that’s often played in a venue we cannot access; we’re invited to attend commission meetings, but sometimes they occur at this hour of night, when many of us are coaching teams, helping our kids with homework, working second jobs or sitting in the bleachers supporting our community. Participation should not require the sacrifice of family responsibilities.”

He and several other speakers called for increased transparency and accessibility from the board and other local governmental bodies, suggesting the city look into implementing a livestream option or record and post meetings online.

Other speakers, including a group of AHS students, voiced concerns about the proposed Costco development’s impact on traffic, safety and noise levels.

“One of our concerns is that we’ve heard that this Costco will be taking part of our practice field that we use throughout the week,” said Micah Larson, a band lieutenant and junior at AHS. “For us, that’s our space. We really appreciate that space, and the dislocation of that space will really affect how we’re going to be able to practice every day.”

Salvaging as much of the band’s practice field as possible, Applegate said, has been an ongoing project as city staff, school staff and development partners work through different grading proposals in the area which should also help alleviate some of the increased noise.

“The sad thing that I’m realizing is you have all these leaders in the community, and we’re just realizing this is happening, and that’s a problem,” said Tiffany Martin. “I’ll do my very best to be at the meetings from now on because, to be honest, it’s disappointing what all has come to light over the last week.”

Martin didn’t pass all the blame off onto commissioners, adding that she “should have been more involved” but hadn’t because she “trusted that our children would be looked after.”

Commissioners Josh Blair and Tracey Cooper later referred back to Martin’s and others’ comments on community safety, urging those gathered to believe that all decisions made by the board were made with the whole of Alcoa in mind.

“First off, I want to thank everyone for being out here tonight. I see a lot of familiar faces out there: there’s friends, there’s family, there’s people I’ve broke bread with in this room and people I’ve sweated with and froze to death at sporting events with,” said Blair. “This community has been very good to me and my family, and I want you all to understand, and I hope that you would never question, my commitment to the safety and the betterment of this community.”

Blair, who still has one child in the school system, called Alcoa Schools the city’s “crown jewel, and the reason I moved here 13 years ago.” He and Cooper later recognized the system at work, praising the high school students who came out to participate.

“I’m ecstatic to see these seats full; I’m even more ecstatic to see students here,” said Cooper. “And I want everyone in this room, everyone in Alcoa, to know that this board is always available to you. It is not hard to find us, and we will spend all the time you want listening and talking with you. We may not always agree, but I will always listen to you.”

The board passed all agenda items with unanimous consent, including the two items related to the Costco and Warner Avenue development. Legal counsel for the city added that development on the hotel would likely be difficult for the city to stop at this point and likely open them up to serious lawsuits.

The Board of Commissioners also released a statement on Wednesday, stating “The City Commission and City Manager’s Office are appreciative of the feedback received concerning topics on the Springbrook Farm development including traffic, speed of growth, and student safety. The Commission represents citizens across the community, and it is necessary that our residents who are passionate about our community and the Alcoa City School (ACS) system have a platform to share their input. The Commission is committed to working with the ACS Board to evaluate the feedback received tonight to determine future actionable changes regarding improvement of city operations, infrastructure, and development. The City Commission is thankful for the citizens who showed up tonight and provided input, and we will continue to work with city staff and the ACS Board on actionable items that address these issues.”

The TSSAA football playoffs continue with the Division I second round and Division II quarterfinals on Friday, Nov. 14.

The game quality increases in the second weekend of the playoffs, and the format adjustments have created some unique second-round matchups.

Riverdale-Maryville in Class 6A and Alcoa-Upperman in Class 4A are among the top matchups in Division I, while Division II will slim down to the semifinals by the end of the night.

We'll have updates and final scores from all 60 games across the nine classes, along with next week's pairings.

The Tennessean will have updates throughout the TSSAA football playoffs. Follow along as game highlights, stories and final scores come in from all the games.

TSSAA football playoffs scores, live game updates from second round in Tennessee high school football playoffs

Next week's TSSAA football playoffs matchups

Friendship Christian loses in 2OT to Providence Christian

Providence Christian stops FCS on a two-point conversion try in double overtime to advance to the DII-A semifinals, 41-40.

No Nashville Christian-FCS rematch in Chattanooga next month.

CPA upsets Ensworth

Ensworth is 1-and-done in the DII-AAA playoffs, as CPA holds the ball for the final 5:30 and beats the Tigers 17-15.

CPA will face Brentwood Academy in the DII-AAA semifinal next week.

Powell upset by Lincoln County

Lincoln County beat Powell 39-37, setting up a matchup in the Class 5A quarterfinals with Sevier County.

Collierville, Antioch trade the lead, early 4th quarter

CPA takes 17-9 lead over Ensworth, early 4th quarter

TSSAA football final scores

TJ Ward TD run lifts Nashville Christian ahead of Jackson Christian to open second half

TSSAA football halftime scores

Some halftime scores....

Collierville leads Antioch at halftime

TSSAA football final scores

We have the first final score of the night: Greeneville 35, White County 7. Greeneville will play Anderson County, who has a large lead against Stone Memorial, in the 4A quarterfinals.

DII-AAA football updates

A few updates for some DII-AAA quarterfinal games:

TSSAA football scores, updates

All games have started across the region, so let's do some score updating:

Ensworth 7, CPA 7 in the first half

BGA closing in on DII-AA semifinals

BGA leads 35-7 and will face the Boyd Buchanan-GCA (Franklin) winner next week.

Jared Curtis responds

Nashville Christian down early to Jackson Christian

TSSAA football scoreboard, first half scores

Some first-half score updates:

BGA's Maddox Porter is really, really good

Jace Ballard TD catch on a nice throw puts GCA even with BGA

BGA scores on third offensive play

Fletcher Fields takes a toss out of shotgun for a 70-yard touchdown run on the third offensive play of the game, and BGA leads 7-0.

Underway in East Tennessee!

East Tennessee games are under way with the 7 p.m. ET/6 p.m. CT start times.

PrepXtra is out at Grace Christian Academy in Knoxville, where BGA faces GCA in a DII-AA second-round matchup.

TSSAA football predictions for this week's game

A list of game predictions for tonight's games:

Knox News | Tennessean | Commercial Appeal | Jackson Sun | Daily News Journal | A pick for every second-round game

TSSAA football playoffs schedule today

Among the top games for Friday, Nov. 14 across the state and its nine divisions:

Watch TSSAA football games on NFHS Network

To subscribe to the NFHS network, click here. Cost to subscribe for a year is $79.99. Monthly subscriptions are $13.99 per month. A subscription to the NFHS network gives full access to live regular season and postseason sports events across the country.

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