BlueCross’s $299 Million Cameron Hill Headquarters Goes Back on Chattanooga’s Tax Rolls as 15-Year PILOT Ends
The $299 million BlueCross headquarters on Cameron Hill is going back on Chattanooga’s tax rolls after its PILOT tax abatement ended. The site went off the rolls in 2010, and BlueCross has been shopping the property with many employees now working from home.
One of downtown Chattanooga's biggest properties is about to start paying full property taxes again. The $299 million BlueCross headquarters on Cameron Hill is going back on the tax rolls after the completion of a PILOT tax abatement, Chattanoogan.com reported Nov. 2.
The site, where BlueCross built an extensive headquarters and parking garage, went off the tax rolls in 2010. Its return comes as the company has been shopping the property, with many employees now working from home and the headquarters under-utilized.
For homeowners, the change is a reminder of how large tax deals work, and why what happens to a building this size matters to the neighborhoods around it.
How the PILOT ended
PILOT stands for payment in lieu of taxes. In this case, the city's Industrial Development Board held the property during the abatement period.
Charita Allen, of city economic development, said BlueCross met all the requirements for keeping the PILOT through a 15-year period. The city Industrial Development Board has been holding title to the property, and that title will be returned to BlueCross.
BlueCross Cameron Hill at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Property | BlueCross headquarters and parking garage on Cameron Hill |
| Value cited | $299 million |
| Off the tax rolls | Since 2010 |
| Incentive | PILOT tax abatement; requirements met over a 15-year period |
| Title holder during PILOT | City Industrial Development Board, returning title to BlueCross |
| Current status | Headquarters under-utilized; BlueCross has been shopping the property |
Source: Chattanoogan.com, Nov. 2, 2026.
What is still unknown
The report does not give an assessed value for the property once it returns to the rolls, a tax bill, or a buyer. Those are the numbers to watch. A sale or a new use for a campus this large could shape downtown traffic, office demand and nearby development for years.
The Industrial Development Board has been in other recent headlines over incentive deals. For background, see Chattanooga IDB Votes 6-1 to Issue Default Notice on The Bend's $115M TIF.
Also next week: $150 million in EPB bonds
The City Council's proposed agenda for Tuesday, Nov. 10, which starts at 3:30 p.m., includes a supplemental resolution for City of Chattanooga Electric System Revenue Bonds, Series 2026A, and Electric System Variable Rate Revenue Bonds, Series 2026B. It would authorize up to $150,000,000 in aggregate principal amount. The resolution would also authorize EPB officers to execute documents needed to issue or remarket the bonds.
Other Nov. 10 items
- A Green Grants Project Agreement with Patch Kava Bar and Backyard Garden for a water quality retrofit project at 1132 E. Main Street, not to exceed $111,500.
- A change to the on-call demolition services contract with Tower Construction, LLC, adding $300,000 for two commercial structures, for a revised amount not to exceed $700,000.
- Annual inflation adjustments of the financial assurance for city landfill permits at Birchwood and Summit.
The Nov. 10 rezoning hearing
The council will also hold a public hearing Nov. 10 at 3:30 p.m. in the City Council Assembly Room of the John P. Franklin Sr. Council Building, 1000 Lindsay Street, on several rezoning requests. On many of them, the Planning Commission and city staff disagree:
| Case | Location | Request | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-0124 | 2105 Hamill Road and 5020 Old Godsey Lane | RN-1-6 to C-C | Approval by Planning Commission, denial by staff |
| 2026-0119 | 1244 Gadd Road | RN-2 to RN-3 | Denial by Planning Commission and staff |
| 2026-0112 | 8212 Shallowford Road | RN-1-6 to TRN-1 | Approval by Planning Commission, denial by staff |
| 2026-0125 | 3147 Broad Street | CMU-1 to C-C | Approval by Planning Commission, denial by staff |
Source: City of Chattanooga proposed council agenda for Nov. 10, 2026. For more on the hearing, see Hamilton County Plans a Roundabout at East Brainerd Road and London Lane as Chattanooga Sets a Nov. 10 Rezoning Hearing.
Dates to know
- Tuesday, Nov. 10, 3:30 p.m.: City Council meeting and rezoning public hearing, 1000 Lindsay Street.
- Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 21–22: Ice on the Landing opens with the Chattanooga Market's Holiday Market at the First Horizon Pavilion, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. The rink is the centerpiece to over 150 vendors, artisans and food trucks.
- Tuesday, Nov. 24: Ice on the Landing reopens for its full 10-week season, running through Jan. 31, 2027. Skating is $12 for children 12 and under and $14 for all others, including skates and a 60-minute session.
Holiday season on the riverfront
Ice on the Landing is back for its 13th season of outdoor holiday skating, with 140 by 50 feet of real ice at the First Horizon Pavilion. The rink says the pavilion offers plentiful parking and a high overhead covering that protects skaters from wet weather.
The weekly Giveback Day program returns too. On those days, Ice on the Landing partners with local nonprofits and shares 20 percent of its skating revenue between 5 and 9 p.m. Lessons from instructors certified by the ISI Ice Skating Program are offered on Saturday and Sunday mornings and Monday afternoons.
What it means for Chattanooga homeowners
Big properties and the tax base
When a large property comes back onto the tax rolls, it adds to the base the city and county draw from. It does not set your tax bill by itself, but it is part of the larger picture of how local governments fund services.
Downtown and the West Side
If you own near Cameron Hill, watch for news on a buyer or a new use for the campus. A large office building that changes hands can bring new jobs, new housing or long stretches of vacancy, depending on what comes next.
Know your own numbers
Big headlines do not change what your home is worth overnight. Recent sales near you do. For the latest local market numbers, see Chattanooga-Area Inventory Hits 4,106 Homes in September as Days on Market Climb to 56 and the Median Holds at $340,000, How much is my Chattanooga home worth in 2026? and How fast do homes sell in Chattanooga?.
Thinking of selling in Chattanooga?
If you are weighing a move, start with what your home would sell for today. Request a free home valuation, or ask for a cash offer if you want a quick, simple sale. Our proven system is built to sell Hamilton County homes, and you can compare both paths with no obligation.
Is the BlueCross headquarters in Chattanooga going back on the tax rolls?
Yes. Chattanoogan.com reported Nov. 2, 2026, that the $299 million BlueCross headquarters on Cameron Hill is going back on the tax rolls after the completion of a PILOT tax abatement.
How long was the BlueCross Cameron Hill site off the tax rolls?
The site went off the tax rolls in 2010. Charita Allen of city economic development said BlueCross met all the requirements for retaining the PILOT through a 15-year period.
Who held title to the BlueCross headquarters during the PILOT?
The city Industrial Development Board has been holding title to the property, and that title will be returned to BlueCross.
Is BlueCross selling its Cameron Hill headquarters?
Chattanoogan.com reported that with many employees now working from home and the headquarters under-utilized, BlueCross has been shopping the property. No buyer was named.
What EPB bonds are on the Chattanooga City Council agenda?
The proposed agenda for Nov. 10, 2026, includes a resolution for Electric System Revenue Bonds, Series 2026A, and Electric System Variable Rate Revenue Bonds, Series 2026B, authorizing up to $150,000,000 in aggregate principal amount.
Source links
- Chattanoogan.com — $299 Million BlueCross Headquarters Going Back on Tax Rolls (Nov. 2, 2026)
- City of Chattanooga — Revised Council Agenda, Nov. 3, 2026, with proposed agenda for Nov. 10, 2026 (PDF)
- City of Chattanooga — Rezoning public hearing notice, run Oct. 19, 2026 (PDF)
- Chattanoogan.com — Ice On The Landing Opens Nov. 21 (Nov. 2, 2026)
More from Kings of Real Estate
Related local news:
- Chattanooga IDB Votes 6-1 to Issue Default Notice on The Bend's $115M TIF
- Hamilton County Plans a Roundabout at East Brainerd Road and London Lane as Chattanooga Sets a Nov. 10 Rezoning Hearing
- Chattanooga-Area Inventory Hits 4,106 Homes in September as Days on Market Climb to 56 and the Median Holds at $340,000
- How much is my Chattanooga home worth in 2026?
- How fast do homes sell in Chattanooga?
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