NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Hundreds of protesters took part in a protest near the construction site of the Music City Center late Thursday morning.
Darryl Kemper is unemployed and attended Thursday's protest in downtown Nashville.
"I want one of those tower crane jobs, I am a local worker," Kemper told Nashville's News 2.
Stacey Adkisson of Harriman, Tennessee is an out-of-work carpenter.
"We don't need people coming in here from out of state taking our work," Adkisson said.
The protestors at Thursday's event were workers primarily from three local unions who feel shut out from the jobs at Nashville's half-billion dollar convention center construction project.
They made their voice heard from the Nashville courthouse where the project was approved by the Metro Council a year ago to the downtown site where the convention center is taking shape.
Wayne Wells, president of a Mid-State Operating Engineers Union was asked if he believed the overwhelming number of workers at the MCC project were not from Nashville.
"I know they are not, I know they are not," Wells said
Music City Center officials told Nashville's News 2 that 60% of the workers are local workers.
"Based on November certified payroll here, I would say we have 60% local workers," Project Spokesperson Holly McCall said, adding, "This is the most ambitious project Nashville has ever done, we have to have the best people from all over the country work on this as well as our good local workers."
The Music City Center is scheduled to open in 2013.
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- Aug. 24, 2010: Omni to build $250M convention center hotel
- March 22, 2010: Official groundbreaking held for Music City Center
- March 11, 2010: Music City Center creates construction jobs
- March 9, 2010: Blasting begins for new Music City Center
- Feb. 26, 2010: Convention center construction hits full throttle
- Feb. 8, 2010: Crews tear down first building in Music City Center's footprint
- Feb. 7, 2010: Auto shop relocates to accommodate convention center
- Feb. 4, 2010: Find alternative parking during downtown construction
- Jan. 21, 2010: Proposed Music City Center plans first conventions
- Jan. 20, 2010: Music City Center, Medical mart concerns addressed
- Jan. 20, 2010: Convention center given green light: Now what?
- Jan. 20, 2010: Convention center approval clears way for medical mart
- Jan. 19, 2010: Convention center approved, plans move forward
- Jan. 19, 2010: Council approves convention center financing package
