Handgun carry in a convention center

[Guest lefty21]

Sorry if this has been answered...is is legal to carry in a public place like the Nashville Convention Center or Gaylord Entertainment Center?

Also, does anyone have a good web site that spells out the TN carry law?

[DaveTN]

It is illegal to carry in either if they are posted.

Does the city own the NCC? If they do it is illegal to carry.

39-17-1311. Carrying weapons on public parks, playgrounds, civic centers and other public recreational buildings and grounds. —

(a) It is an offense for any person to possess or carry, whether openly or concealed, with the intent to go armed, any weapon prohibited by § 39-17-1302(a), not used solely for instructional, display or sanctioned ceremonial purposes, in or on the grounds of any public park, playground, civic center or other building facility, area or property owned, used or operated by any municipal, county or state government, or instrumentality thereof, for recreational purposes.

( (1) The provisions of subsection (a) shall not apply to the following persons:

(A) Persons employed in the army, air force, navy, coast guard or marine service of the United States or any member of the Tennessee national guard when in discharge of their official duties and acting under orders requiring them to carry arms or weapons;

( Civil officers of the United States in the discharge of their official duties;

© Officers and soldiers of the militia and the national guard when called into actual service;

(D) Officers of the state, or of any county, city or town, charged with the enforcement of the laws of the state, in the discharge of their official duties;

(E) Any pupils who are members of the reserve officers training corps or pupils enrolled in a course of instruction or members of a club or team, and who are required to carry arms or weapons in the discharge of their official class or team duties;

(F) Any private police employed by the municipality, county, state or instrumentality thereof in the discharge of their duties; and

(G) Also, only to the extent a person strictly conforms the person's behavior to the requirements of one (1) of the following classifications:

(i) A person hunting during the lawful hunting season on lands owned by any municipality, county, state or instrumentality thereof and designated as open to hunting by law or by the appropriate official;

(ii) A person possessing unloaded hunting weapons while transversing the grounds of any public recreational building or property for the purpose of gaining access to public or private lands open to hunting with the intent to hunt on the public or private lands unless the public recreational building or property is posted prohibiting entry;

(iii) A person possessing guns or knives when conducting or attending “gun and knife shows†when the program has been approved by the administrator of the recreational building or property;

(iv) A person entering the property for the sole purpose of delivering or picking up passengers and who does not remove any weapon from the vehicle or utilize it in any manner;

(v) A person who possesses or carries a firearm for the purpose of sport or target shooting and sport or target shooting is permitted in the park or recreational area; or

(H) A registered security guard/officer, who meets the requirements of title 62, chapter 35, while in the performance of the officer's duties;

(2) At any time the person's behavior no longer strictly conforms to one (1) of the classifications in subdivision ((1), the person shall be subject to the provisions of subsection (a).

c) (1) Each chief administrator of public recreational property shall display in prominent locations about the public recreational property a sign, at least six inches (6?) high and fourteen inches (14?) wide, stating:

MISDEMEANOR. STATE LAW PRESCRIBES A MAXIMUM PENALTY OF ELEVEN (11) MONTHS AND TWENTY-NINE (29) DAYS AND A FINE NOT TO EXCEED TWO THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($2,500) FOR CARRYING WEAPONS ON OR IN PUBLIC RECREATIONAL PROPERTY.

(2) As used in this subsection ©, “prominent locations about public recreational property†includes, but is not limited to, all entrances to the property, any building or structure located on the property, such as restrooms, picnic areas, sports facilities, welcome centers, gift shops, playgrounds, swimming pools, restaurants and parking lots.

(3) The legislative body of any municipality or committee appointed by the body to regulate public recreational property may exempt public recreational property located within its jurisdiction from the requirements of subdivision ©(1).

(d) A violation of this section is a Class A misdemeanor.

[Acts 1989, ch. 591, § 1; 1990, ch. 1029, § 9; 1993, ch. 480, §§ 1-3; 1996, ch. 1009, § 23.]

The GEC is private. I guess it would depend on if it is posted or if they are serving alcohol.

39-17-1305. Possession of firearm where alcoholic beverages are served. —

(a) It is an offense for a person to possess a firearm within the confines of a building open to the public where liquor, wine or other alcoholic beverages, as defined in § 57-3-101(a)(1)(A), or beer, as defined in § 57-6-102(1), are served for on premises consumption.

( A violation of this section is a Class A misdemeanor.

© The provisions of subsection (a) shall not apply to a person who is:

(1) In the actual discharge of official duties as a law enforcement officer, or is employed in the army, air force, navy, coast guard or marine service of the United States or any member of the Tennessee national guard in the line of duty and pursuant to military regulations, or is in the actual discharge of duties as a correctional officer employed by a penal institution; or

(2) On the person's own premises or premises under the person's control or who is the employee or agent of the owner of the premises with responsibility for protecting persons or property.

[Acts 1989, ch. 591, § 1; 1990, ch. 1029, § 4; 2001, ch. 345, § 1.]

[Fallguy]

I am a interested in this...I am going to concert at the Sommet Center which is the new name for the GEC (I think). Haven't been there in years so I don't know if they sell beer, if there is a search before entering or anything like that.

As far as a website on Carry laws....there is no one good site except looking up TN code yourself.

You can do that here. Laws about carry permits and places off limits are in Title 39, Chapter 17, Part 13.

[Guest ACMM]

The Sommet center has checks for external bags/purses only. I don't know if they are posted, but I do know they serve alchohol at all the sporting events. I assume they would for a concert also.

[Fallguy]

Thanks...