Bartlett Advances TIF Plan to Save Quail Ridge Golf Course and Revitalize Key Corridors

Bartlett’s effort to protect green space and modernize aging commercial corridors just crossed a key milestone. The Board of Mayor and Aldermen approved the economic impact plan for a new Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district, pushing forward the proposal to preserve Quail Ridge Golf Course and fund long-overdue infrastructure upgrades.

The Public Safety and Greenspace Preservation TIF District will leverage future tax revenues generated by the $95 million Union Depot – 1st Addition mixed-use development. Instead of tapping the city’s paving budget or taking on new debt, Bartlett plans to use the TIF increment to improve traffic safety, upgrade public infrastructure, and acquire Quail Ridge as permanent green space.

Safety is a major driver behind the plan. Regional data from the Mid-South Safety Action Plan identified several Stage Road corridor intersections as high-crash hotspots. From 2021 to 2024, these areas recorded 654 accidents, reinforcing the need for targeted improvements in the project zone.

The revised Union Depot plan includes 40 townhomes and single-family homes, 360 loft units, and 90,000 square feet of commercial development, with a grocery anchor expected to take about 50,000 square feet. Developers reworked the site layout after concerns about building height and proximity to nearby neighborhoods, adding a village district and larger buffer areas.

The TIF vote wasn’t unanimous. Alderman Kevin Quinn opposed the measure, arguing that relying on projected tax increments to buy Quail Ridge introduces financial risk and could lead to future tax pressure. Supporters countered that the TIF provides a strategic, low-impact way to preserve the golf course and revitalize struggling commercial areas.

If approved by the Shelby County Commission in December, Bartlett will move forward with acquiring Quail Ridge, keeping it a public golf amenity managed by a private operator.

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