Soccer in Nashville

[Melrose]

A couple things don't make sense in that rendering.  First, the Wedgewood Avenue extension  will run between the north end  of track  and the new expo buildings over to Craighead, so that rendering with new buildings effectively in the middle of the new Wedgewood doesn't work.  Second,  those bleachers running around the southwest corner would  have to eliminate the new athletic fields right there, so could happen, but there is not room for both things as the rendering suggests.

[Bos2Nash]

1 hour ago, PruneTracy said:

The problem with the Fairgrounds Speedway is that the track layout itself (low-banked half-mile) is unremarkable. The Superspeedway in all of its cookie-cutter badness at least has a concrete surface that throws a metaphorical wrench in the car setups. Arguably much of NASCAR's decline in the past decade comes from overscheduling cookie-cutters, well that's not going to change if they go from a dozen races at 1.5-mile D-shaped ovals to a dozen races at half-mile ovals. The locals will enjoy it, just like they enjoy it at local races, but to the TV crowd it's just a replay of last week's race. Short-track excitement can only take you so far and part of the reason they remain the more popular races in the current schedule is that there are only a few of them.

(Now if the Fairgrounds Speedway went back to the 60s-era 35-degree banking, that might be different)

I think ultimately NASCAR is going to have to move to more varied tracks and locales. Part of that means experimenting with new tracks and reconfigurations of existing tracks (or DIIIIRRRRRTTTTT). But in Nashville's case, where you have an opportunity to take advantage of a very popular destination, you could do something that has never been done at the Cup level.

(Hey, if we can cut down cherry trees for a draft, we can manage this)

I agree that a large downfall is the cookie-cutterness of many of the tracks. The most boring races to me are the likes of Vegas (which just got a second date on the schedule by taking one away from New Hampshire), Chicagoland, Texas. All essentially the same track just in different regions. I don't see dirt as a viable option for the Monster Energy level or even the Xfinity level cars. In terms of operational costs for the teams as well as the horsepower that are in the cars I don't think it would work. Trucks is great and having them do that as their own Mid-Summer special brings a special atmosphere to that series. 

As far as the urban ring... I am not totally against it, but it would be a logistical nightmare!! Many of our roads are not wide enough to safely put these heavy vehicles down them at 150 mph. Even Indycar would be a tough sell in my opinon (although I wouldn't mind seeing them come to Nashville either). Also, the cars are not built to run on these types of courses, so it would just be very hard overall for Nascar, the teams and especially the city of Nashville.

Want a good example of what NOT to do, look up the failed Boston Grand Prix. The city botched it, but IndyCar as a series demands A TON of money to run events.

1 hour ago, nashvylle said:

um... this image looks awesome. Not sure if it's legit, but does have Populous at the bottom....

https://nascar2nashville.com/?fbclid=IwAR0TE-eoixNZ0qMvbcV1wqCCJAFYTYBHapq8CqnIxOIKPNhFl8rOzU9LD-c

WOWZO!!! This would be incredible! Can't help but be a little giddy yet sad at the same in seeing that this was initially a design option.

One hell of a pretty picture though. This would be an incredible upgrade - well north of the 50 million. I also think this rendering (i know very early phase) does not have the 2 mixed use buildings behind the track. Although it looks pretty phenomenal space for fans to interact between the sport venues. My critique of the improvements would be the pit road entrance is not really a viable option for Nascar. Also the tunnel (hidden about 3/4 of the way down the backstretch) is unrealistic for haulers to move through. 

[hirtme]

On 4/1/2019 at 1:23 PM, tragenvol said:

Nice April Fool's.  Yeehaw!

https://www.nashvillesc.com/news_article/show/1008869

Like:  The club will be deciding on a title sponsor for the scoreboard, and the early nominees include Pedal Taverns, Nashville’s Tourist Murals and a Tall Construction Crane.

 

[nashvylle]

First images for St. Louis’ proposed stadium- looks very nice.

 

 

[MidTenn1]

The St. Louis stadium is awesome, but I saw where the city delayed a vote on an integral part of the funding plan. From Soccer Stadium Digest....

Quote

There is some uncertainty over proposed St. Louis MLS stadium funding, as aldermen did not vote Monday on a related proposal to expand the city port authority’s territory.

…...

Under the current proposal, funding for the facility would be aided by a three-percent stadium-only tax that includes a one-percent on-site sales tax levied by the St. Louis Port Authority. In order to have it included in the final plan, however, the St. Louis Board of Aldermen would first have to approve an expansion of the authority’s territory from its current boundaries–19 miles of Mississippi River front–to cover the entire city, effectively including the proposed stadium site in the process.

The legislation to expand the authority’s territory did not go before the St. Louis Board of Aldermen on Monday as its 2018-19 session drew to a close, as there was not enough support to allow the bill to be brought up for final approval. City officials emphasized that this does not end discussions of stadium funding, but the city and leaders of the MLS bid might explore alternatives.

That seems to move Sacramento back to the front.  Also from SSD...

Quote

After seeing several key pieces fall into place in recent months, Sacramento MLS expansion bid boosters are eagerly awaiting the league’s decision.

In March, MLS commissioner Don Garber indicated that St. Louis and Sacramento are the two front-runners for the league’s 28th team, but did not give a firm timeline for when a decision could be made. However, the news came at a point where Sacramento was looking to build momentum after billionaire supermarket magnate Ron Burkle was announced as a new lead investor in January.

It would be nice to have Nashville's midwestern peers (Columbus, Cincinnati and ,yes, St. Louis) in the league as rivals.

[nashvylle]

US hosts Gold cup game July 3rd at Nissan stadium. Praying for a good turnout as it will be a showcase (as is the nfl draft) for the World Cup. 

https://www.nashvillesc.com/news_article/show/1015357#.XMCESGkjUYs.twitter

[PaulChinetti]

Update at the Fairgrounds, one stable building up and the foundation laid for another. A retaining wall has started to go up, middle-is bottom by all the heavy equipment. Work going on inside the bigger buildings. Flea Market is happening this weekend also.

*definitely click to see this picture

Edited April 27, 2019 by PaulChinetti

[thenorthchannel]

49 minutes ago, PaulChinetti said:

*definitely click to see this picture

 

Whoa.  From Forest Hills to downtown.  

[BnaBreaker]

2 hours ago, PaulChinetti said:

Update at the Fairgrounds, one stable building up and the foundation laid for another. A retaining wall has started to go up, middle-is bottom by all the heavy equipment. Work going on inside the bigger buildings. Flea Market is happening this weekend also.

*definitely click to see this picture

Uh... wow.  You win, sir.  You win.  

[titanhog]

8 hours ago, PaulChinetti said:

Update at the Fairgrounds, one stable building up and the foundation laid for another. A retaining wall has started to go up, middle-is bottom by all the heavy equipment. Work going on inside the bigger buildings. Flea Market is happening this weekend also.

*definitely click to see this picture

Amazed by this entire photo...but love the wide angle of DT and West End  (if you have a way to cut and paste a high def copy of this...would be awesome and appreciated!)

 

Edited April 27, 2019 by titanhog

[e-dub]

Have you seen this one, @titanhog?

 

 

[titanhog]

1 hour ago, e-dub said:

Have you seen this one, @titanhog?

 

 

Yes...love that one, too.  But I love how he captured the entire skyline from downtown...through West end...and beyond on the fairgrounds shot.

[Bos2Nash]

On 4/27/2019 at 9:00 AM, PaulChinetti said:

Update at the Fairgrounds, one stable building up and the foundation laid for another. A retaining wall has started to go up, middle-is bottom by all the heavy equipment. Work going on inside the bigger buildings. Flea Market is happening this weekend also.

*definitely click to see this picture

Beautiful shot. I was driving by the site the other week and could not get over just how BIG these buildings are!! The photos almost don't do it justice because they truly are massive! 

[markhollin]

MLS has decided to give Nashville an All Star Game slot in as-of-yet-undetermined season.  Sites beyond the 2020 season have not been solidified.  It would seem that it would most likely be 2022 or beyond, once Nashville SC is in the new Fairgrounds Stadium. 

More at NBJ here:

https://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2019/05/03/nashville-to-host-mls-all-star-game.html?ana=e_me_set1&mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiTm1FeFpEVm1Zak15WVdOaSIsInQiOiIrR3R6dmI2dElcLytOTVZ2VjJtUm5pV0NLdk5xQVdrYXdsZk9aMjljWng0REJpdW9sa1pZdlRjemZWM1UyNWcwYU5SdlN2K2QreUQrMGFVWERcL0JBK21tR1FNMk9JMk5RNitocFNLQlNpQ1wvSEdPVEJCYXMzcEV6ZjY4ME5CSTE0WCJ9

[nashvylle]

I wonder if demand will be high enough to have the game at Nissan Stadium? 

[PaulChinetti]

https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2018/08/01/2018-mls-all-star-game-sell-out-will-break-asg-attendance-record - 72,317

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017_MLS_All-Star_Game - 61,428

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_MLS_All-Star_Game - 18,000

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_MLS_All-Star_Game - 18,671

Kinda looks like it's contingent on where it's at. And after the showing of the draft. I have to think they would want to have a blow out on broadway and have the game at Nissan. Have like a larger concert every night at the new stadium at the Fairgrounds, that would be cool. 

[PruneTracy]

20 minutes ago, nashvylle said:

I wonder if demand will be high enough to have the game at Nissan Stadium? 

The announced attendance has been a sellout at each venue in the past decade, so it would appear so.

Note also that teams who play in NFL markets have not always used the larger stadia to host the game. Since 2005, Houston and Chicago (once out of the two times they have hosted) have been the only ones to use the NFL stadium. Atlanta obviously shares their stadium with the Falcons. Chicago (once), Colorado (twice), Red Bull, Philly, KC, and San Jose all used the smaller soccer-specific stadium (I suspect Chicago only used Soldier Field because they are considering moving back there). Toronto could have also used the SkyDome and Orlando next year could use Camping World Stadium but they did/will not. Many of these stadia are much smaller than NSC's will be so that seems to indicate the Fairgrounds stadium will be used unless MLS comes to their senses.

If MLS continues their format of playing a UEFA club, the game would also result in an influx of European fans. Seems a good time to make a play for another transatlantic non-stop.

[nashvylle]

So would the activities be on Broadway and then the game at the fairgrounds? 

[PaulChinetti]

I would definitely think it would be at Nissan. Maybe with some smaller matches or even local matches at the Fairgrounds stadium. Or other activities there. 

[titanhog]

I'll say it again.  Wish they could have found a place for the stadium within the "loop."  

[nashvylle]

1 hour ago, titanhog said:

I'll say it again.  Wish they could have found a place for the stadium within the "loop."  

I wish it was next to Bridgestone, but as Nashville grows, what is considered “downtown” will certainly expand greatly. 

When Apple Music and soho house come to Wedgewood-Houston (before MLS), you know the neighborhood is strong and urban. 

[e-dub]

So Soho house is locked for the May Hosiery mill, then?

[smeagolsfree]

As far as we know, but you know how things change  in this city.

[nashvylle]

Great shots from @PaulChinetti

the stretch between the MLS stadium and downtown I believe will eventually connect and feel like one urban area. 

 

[PaulChinetti]

Thanks @nashvylle here's the full shot.