Bridgestone Arena: further development of property

[ArchitectBarbie]

28 minutes ago, markhollin said:

Am checking around to see the status.  

Considering they just now decided to freeze our monthly payments for a hockey season that's still in question, they should have a good chunk of money to fund this project.  If they could fast track these improvements while the building was not being utilized that would be really smart - maybe they are.

[markhollin]

On 12/16/2020 at 11:08 AM, nightranger36 said:

Does anyone know if this is still going to happen or has covid changed things?

Regarding the south end expansion (club area and 1,200 more seats above the balcony) it appears that all of that is on indefinite hold until the team (which is funding all of it), can get through to the other side of the pandemic.   

They've obviously taken a big hit in revenue the past 10 months, and its only going to get worse as the upcoming season will most likely be shortened (56 games instead of 82---meaning just 53 home games) and no fans in the seats.

[markhollin]

Rotier's Restaurant will be revived in a small way with a hamburger stand featuring their iconic burgers at Bridgestone Arena. It will include a sign from their old Elliston Place location. 

"We wanted to reach out and see if there’s a way to keep that iconic hamburger place alive," said David Kells, executive VP for entertainment and venues for Bridgestone Arena and the Nashville Predators.

Rotier's general manager Jacob Crouse, the third generation member of the Rotier's family to run the restaurant, said he's excited to see what happens with the arena stand.

"I've been down there every day this week," Crouse said, adding that longtime employees Gene "Eddie" Cartwright and Pam Howse will join him in the arena.

"It’s going to be a good thing," Crouse said. "It’s just one item, so it should be simple. One good burger and we do it right.

"If it works out, there’ll be a future down there."

More at The Tennessean here:
https://www.tennessean.com/story/entertainment/dining/2021/05/21/bridgestone-arena-start-serving-rotiers-cheeseburgers/5171927001/

[markhollin]

Courtesy of zpierre509:

[nashvylle]

Screaming for a development. 

[Sean blackdog]

1 hour ago, nashvylle said:

Screaming for a development. 

[markhollin]

Today marks the 25th anniversary of Bridgestone Arena's first event, and Amy Grant Christmas Concert on Dec. 18, 1996. Since then, over 3,000 events have been staged there.

This fun feature in The Tennessean looks back on how the facility came to be--thanks mostly to the vision and drive of Mayor Phil Bredesen. Ideas had been kicked around for that site to become a Univ. of Tennessee Nashville campus, or even a new shopping center.  Thank the gods those ideas got squelched.  I am proud to have served on Bredesen's arena advisory committee from '93-'95 as we brainstormed and vetted all the possibilities for a coliseum like this. 

The article features 65 terrific photos of events in the facility over this past quarter century.

https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/2021/12/18/bridgestone-arena-history-nashville-predators-events-concerts-nhl-nba/6469179001/

Work is headed down the home stretch in this shot from Aug. 5, 1996.  Simply amazing the transformation of  Broadway and SoBro that has happened since then....

[nashvylle]

Just an absolute amazing vision from Phil Bredesen. 

[chris holman]

Truly a transformation from the 90's

[nashville born]

On 12/19/2021 at 3:17 PM, chris holman said:

Truly a transformation from the 90's

 

 

Is this image reversed?

[DDIG]

1 minute ago, nashville born said:

Is this image reversed?

Has to be. Or my brain is broken.

[chris holman]

11 minutes ago, DDIG said:

Has to be. Or my brain is broken.

I think it is lol

[smeagolsfree]

Your brain is just reversed, thats all. You’ll be fine, just take two aspirin and a shot of Jack and you will feel better in the morning..

[DDIG]

18 minutes ago, chris holman said:

I think it is lol

It was only a matter of time.

1 minute ago, smeagolsfree said:

Your brain is just reversed, thats all. You’ll be fine, just take two aspirin and a shot of Jack and you will feel better in the morning..

That's the problem, I've been taking the morning Jack shot but not the aspirin.

[nashscan]

13 hours ago, nashville born said:

Is this image reversed?

I showed this to my Preds obsessed co-worker last night.  The Plaza in the wrong place gave us vertigo.  

[Rob]

Just now, Rob said:

 

Much better

Edited December 21, 2021 by Rob

[chris holman]

[markhollin]

Another fun summary of Bridgestone Arena's 25th Anniversary from the Nashville Predators' website:

https://www.nhl.com/predators/news/a-vision-and-a-flush---celebrating-25-years-of-bridgestone-arena/c-329125392

[markhollin]

Courtesy of MyNashvillePhotos:

[markhollin]

Predators CEO Sean Henry talks about his continued vision for Bridgestone Arena over the next 30 years:

He wants Bridgestone to become a generational stadium, like Madison Square Garden

Bridgestone Arena was built in 1996 and has since been nationally recognized as a top stadium. The Predators moved in two years after completion and signed a 30-year extension to their lease in 2019.

In 2016, Henry and his team presented plans for an expansion of Bridgestone and its surrounding area, describing it as an extension of the Broadway experience.

On Wednesday he addressed that vision, which he still holds, comparing it to a Fifth + Broadway on Bridgestone’s side of the street, with expanded concourses and usable rooftop.

“The rooftop, the biggest rooftop in the city, now is the upper-level concourse. Imagine if you take the upper level concourse, which in most buildings this age are a little dark and narrow and limited on services, now was attached to one of the coolest places in the city,” Henry said. “That’s kind of how we are thinking."

In summer 2023, the other tenant leases on Bridgestone's property will be up, allowing development plan to take shape. Those other tenants will find a new location or become part of the new development.

Henry wants the arena to be an iconic destination and remain a core of Nashville's downtown through 2049 and beyond. “This is going to be the most modern building in America for the next 30 years, that is what our goal is.”

More at NBJ here:

https://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2022/03/25/predators-ceo-sean-henry-sees-bridgestone-arena.html

[cda]

On 3/3/2016 at 6:44 PM, grilled_cheese said:

The largest capacity NHL arena is the Bell Centre in Montreal at 21k.  Bridgestone is just above 17k and Nashville isn't going to sell out for an entire season unless the Preds win a couple cups so there is no benefit to adding more seating.

You do realize the Preds sold out 192 consecutive games. That comes out to 4 and half seasons of games. The only reason it ended was because of Covid at the start of this season. 

[samsonh]

13 hours ago, cda said:

You do realize the Preds sold out 192 consecutive games. That comes out to 4 and half seasons of games. The only reason it ended was because of Covid at the start of this season. 

You are responding to a 6 year old post. 

[Bos2Nash]

Very encouraged by the remarks of Mr. Henry. Greatly appreciate the underlining of the antiquated notion of needing a new arena/stadium every 20 to 30 years.

[grilled_cheese]

13 hours ago, samsonh said:

You are responding to a 6 year old post. 

Not shocking that a Habs fan is stuck in the past.

[nashvylle]

On 3/26/2022 at 4:55 PM, Bos2Nash said:

Very encouraged by the remarks of Mr. Henry. Greatly appreciate the underlining of the antiquated notion of needing a new arena/stadium every 20 to 30 years.

Question to the group - Bridgestone was built with steel, and Nissan with concrete, correct? And the proposed new Titans stadium would be with steel? 

Does steel last longer than concrete?