NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is soliciting proposals for development and operation of a new commercial marina at Old Hickory Lake.

A Notice of Availability (NOA) was released to the public for solicitation of proposals at three competing sites in Sumner and Wilson counties on April 21.

A prior NOA was released to the public in 2007 but was canceled due to the significant economic downturn between 2008 and 2010 and decreased demand for boat slips.

Old Hickory Lake Resource Manager Dylon Anderson said increased tourism and a boating industry boom are contributing to the demand for boat slips to stay ahead of market capacity. He told News 2 the marinas currently on the lake have already tried to expand to make room for more boats.

“We did expand and we gave the people who were here already the opportunity to max out and now that we’ve done that, we’re kind of looking back at it and saying we still need that extra marina and that’s where the new NOA comes into play,” Anderson said.

“We have currently an abundance of individuals that are on a waiting list to get into these marinas and there’s just no capacity for them. So again, we have individuals at home with their boats sitting there waiting to get in onto our wonderful lakes,” added Management and Disposal Branch Chief Niikorley Norals.

Fisher Robert Geiger told News 2 he supported the idea of adding a new marina.

“There’s not that many better people than boat people,” Geiger said. “A lot of life lessons [are] taught at marinas.”

For questions regarding this NOA, please contact Niikorley Norals, Management and Disposal Branch chief, at 615-736-7881 or via e-mail at Niikorley.J.Norals2@usace.army.mil.

Applications must be submitted no later than 1 p.m. on Aug. 21.