Soccer in Nashville

[UTgrad09]

Councilman Colby Sledge is scheduled to be on 104.5 The Zone at 12:15, I believe.

 

If there is any silver lining to the timing of this stadium issue, it's that this is happening during a relatively dead sports period (since the Preds and local college basketball teams are struggling, too). So stations like 104.5 are looking for good content. 

And for those that don't know, 104.5 is a powerhouse sports talk station. It's one of the largest by market share in the country. It will do way more to inform people of what is going on than any Tennessean coverage.

[nashvylle]

Agree @UTgrad09

The silver lining of the stadium debacle is the percentage of Nashvillians knowing Nashville has a MLS team has increased 3x. 

[Hushpuppy321]

If Stadium deal doesn’t work can’t Ingram & Nashville, SC just play at the football stadium?  

[nashvylle]

1 minute ago, Hushpuppy321 said:

If Stadium deal doesn’t work can’t Ingram & Nashville, SC just play at the football stadium?  

MLS said no. 

[Hushpuppy321]

Just now, nashvylle said:

MLS said no. 

Wow, didn’t realize that.  How’s that fair?  MLS has permitted others (Seattle, etc.) to play at football stadiums.  If this March 31st deadline passes without resolution/start of demolition/construction anyone think MLS will actually pull the team from Nashville and refund Ingram’s Expansion Fee payment?

[nashvylle]

Just now, Hushpuppy321 said:

Wow, didn’t realize that.  How’s that fair?  MLS has permitted others (Seattle, etc.) to play at football stadiums.  If this March 31st deadline passes without resolution/start of demolition/construction anyone think MLS will actually pull the team from Nashville and refund Ingram’s Expansion Fee payment?

Seattle, Atlanta, and now Charlotte all play in or will play in NFL stadiums, but the owner of the MLS team is also the owner of the NFL team they share the stadium with. Titans and NashvilleSC have separate owners. NashvilleSC is going to pay like $10MM in rent for Nissan each year...

I do think it's possible MLS could pull the team, and I don't expect MLS to refund the expansion fee (metro would be sued by Ingram). 

[UTgrad09]

Just now, Hushpuppy321 said:

If Stadium deal doesn’t work can’t Ingram & Nashville, SC just play at the football stadium?  

One of the stipulations for Nashville bring awarded a team was a plan for a soccer specific stadium.

So while the answer to your question is technically 'yes,' it comes with the caveat that if Nashville had proposed that the team play at Nissan Stadium, they likely wouldn't have been awarded the team.

[Hushpuppy321]

2 minutes ago, nashvylle said:

Seattle, Atlanta, and now Charlotte all play in or will play in NFL stadiums, but the owner of the MLS team is also the owner of the NFL team they share the stadium with. Titans and NashvilleSC have separate owners. NashvilleSC is going to pay like $10MM in rent for Nissan each year...

I do think it's possible MLS could pull the team, and I don't expect MLS to refund the expansion fee (metro would be sued by Ingram). 

Damn - guess it’s a high stakes game of chicken.  Hopefully the Mayor will blink instead of going headlong into disaster for Metro.  Just how awful would it be for Nashville to lose the team and then the Government (taxpayers) be sued and eventually on the hook for hundreds of Millions in Damages.  And all for nothing....

Not familiar with local politics in Nashville but I’m sure that he’ll (Mayor) be persuaded to relent.  If not they’ll be retribution at the ballot box for sure.  Gotta love the slow grinding wheels of democracy ...

[nashvylle]

Just now, Hushpuppy321 said:

Damn - guess it’s a high stakes game of chicken.  Hopefully the Mayor will blink instead of going headlong into disaster for Metro.  Just how awful would it be for Nashville to lose the team and then the Government (taxpayers) be sued and eventually on the hook for hundreds of Millions in Damages.  And all for nothing....

Not familiar with local politics in Nashville but I’m sure that he’ll (Mayor) be persuaded to relent.  If not they’ll be retribution at the ballot box for sure.  Gotta love the slow grinding wheels of democracy ...

I am afraid Cooper is not going to budge .

[Hushpuppy321]

1 minute ago, UTgrad09 said:

One of the stipulations for Nashville bring awarded a team was a plan for a soccer specific stadium.

So while the answer to your question is technically 'yes,' it comes with the caveat that if Nashville had proposed that the team play at Nissan Stadium, they likely wouldn't have been awarded the team.

Damn - I guess all the other expansion teams recently (last 10 years) awarded with soccer specific stadiums have/had similar requirements.

Just now, nashvylle said:

I am afraid Cooper is not going to budge .

If he doesn’t - and greater Nashville misses out, then what a colossal A-Hole of a Mayor the Metro Government has.  How’d someone like this get elected??  He’s gotta understand that Major League Sports are / can be a type of economic development tool.

[DDIG]

4 minutes ago, Hushpuppy321 said:

Damn - I guess all the other expansion teams recently (last 10 years) awarded with soccer specific stadiums have/had similar requirements.

If he doesn’t - and greater Nashville misses out, then what a colossal A-Hole of a Mayor the Metro Government has.  How’d someone like this get elected??  He’s gotta understand that Major League Sports are / can be a type of economic development tool.

He doesn't want economic development. His base is people who are mad that Nashville has grown and that people are moving here.

He's also a bitter asshole and will do what he can to stop soccer if only to screw over John Ingram.

[Hushpuppy321]

9 minutes ago, DDIG said:

He doesn't want economic development. His base is people who are mad that Nashville has grown and that people are moving here.

He's also a bitter asshole and will do what he can to stop soccer if only to screw over John Ingram.

If that’s truly the case then it’s looking pretty dark for Soccer in Nashville.  Can Metro Council do something about this ignorant mayor?  In Charlotte where I live we have a Weak Mayor and Council/Manager form of government.  Nashville have a Strong Mayor?

[MLBrumby]

34 minutes ago, DDIG said:

He doesn't want economic development. His base is people who are mad that Nashville has grown and that people are moving here.

He's also a bitter asshole and will do what he can to stop soccer if only to screw over John Ingram.

Remember... his brother Jim Cooper, Nashville's US Congressman for more than a decade, is even more of a bitter a--hole. Just remember that in the primaries and/or general election this year. 

[PruneTracy]

1 hour ago, nashvylle said:

The silver lining of the stadium debacle is the percentage of Nashvillians knowing Nashville has a MLS team has increased 3x. 

See, and people on here were complaining last year that NSC wasn't doing enough public outreach. Now they're getting free advertising.

[DDIG]

59 minutes ago, Hushpuppy321 said:

If that’s truly the case then it’s looking pretty dark for Soccer in Nashville.  Can Metro Council do something about this ignorant mayor?  In Charlotte where I live we have a Weak Mayor and Council/Manager form of government.  Nashville have a Strong Mayor?

Nashville is typically strong Mayor, but around the time of Megan Barry she started shifting some power to the council. Cooper so far has acted without much regard for the council so I imagine he seeks to take back the reigns. The budget process is going to be a mess though.

[GreenHillsBoy]

2 hours ago, MLBrumby said:

Remember... his brother Jim Cooper, Nashville's US Congressman for more than a decade, is even more of a bitter a--hole. Just remember that in the primaries and/or general election this year. 

Enough of the Jim Cooper bashing, who the hell is your Congressman in Chattanooga?  Jim Cooper is an honorable man and has been elected overwhelmingly so I am pretty sure the voters like me are perfectly fine with him and need no lecturing from someone outside the city. 

[MLBrumby]

Wow! Do you have a personal link to Jim Cooper? I have stated several times why I don't like him with details of my personal encounters. It's not that I'm just spouting off.  Even before this debacle with his brother became public and before he became mayor, I stated how unimpressed I have been by his surly entitled behavior. More to the point however, I think he has been extremely ineffective as a representative from Nashville/Middle Tennessee.  I mean, he couldn't even get funding for the federal courthouse when his own party controlled Congress. That site languished for DECADES! Take it for what it is. Not to guild the lily, but I've stated here before that I work with lobbyists in the healthcare field.  And many people who have dealt with him on this topic, regardless of their party affiliation, have voiced similar opinions on Jim Cooper. One of his own party's leaders somewhat famously stated during his attempt to rewrite healthcare laws in the 1990s (during the Hillary Clinton healthcare commission) when asked if Cooper's proposal had a chance: "Jim's like a bump on a log. In fact, a bump on a log would actually get more done for his constituents." 

Glad you asked about our congressman in Chattanooga because he serves as a great contrast to Jim Cooper.  He is Chuck Fleischmann, whom I've also met several times. He has a reputation as one of the most accessible  reps in Congress. But most importantly to me/many is that he actually had a career in business before entering politics. He didn't come from the elite DC world. In fact, I first met Fleischmann one Saturday morning while swimming laps at the local YMCA. We were actually sharing a lane. He flies (coach) back to Chattanooga every weekend. His kids attend local schools here (I understand that Cooper's attended private Eastern boarding schools).  When I first met Chuck, I didn't even know who he was, as it was shortly after he won the seat after Zach Wamp. I've given several accounts of how Jim Cooper is never as pleasant as Fleischmann was every time I've encountered him. And to the point of effectiveness, Fleischmann was able to pull what considered a miracle in politics in DC today. As a member of the minority, he was able to get funding to resume construction of the Tennessee River Chickamauga locks.  

[smeagolsfree]

https://www.newschannel5.com/news/racing-officials-mayor-meet-with-Gov-Lee-to-discuss-fairgrounds-ask-for-funding

Just went live on 5.

[BnaBreaker]

10 minutes ago, smeagolsfree said:

https://www.newschannel5.com/news/racing-officials-mayor-meet-with-Gov-Lee-to-discuss-fairgrounds-ask-for-funding

Just went live on 5.

Well... I suppose it is encouraging to hear soccer included in their supposed vision for the fairgrounds... but I'm still not confident that Cooper doesn't have ulterior motives here.

[PaulChinetti]

Is Nascar going to have to go through the process like MLS did, first question. Second question, is Nascar going to cover the entire debt service of any bonds they get? If the answer to either of those is no, then Nascar is a non-starter to me and the MLS stadium has to start immediately, as it was approved. No loss of parcel 8C.

[DDIG]

All of Cooper’s shortcomings in leadership and communication are on full display.

[UTgrad09]

2 hours ago, smeagolsfree said:

https://www.newschannel5.com/news/racing-officials-mayor-meet-with-Gov-Lee-to-discuss-fairgrounds-ask-for-funding

Just went live on 5.

Quote

 

"The city of Nashville is putting in a ton of it’s own money; so I don’t feel badly about ever showing up and asking the state for participation. Between the revenue bonds and the land and the GO bonds and the building expo, we’re well over $300 million from the city’s perspective," said Mayor Cooper.

To clarify, $225 million is made up of bonds the city received for Nashville Soccer Holdings, which the city and taxpayers will not be responsible for, since it will be paid back in full.

 

An accountant, Cooper is not.

 

Thank goodness News Channel5 and some other news sources are starting to clarify things since there is a lot of misinformation out there.

[MLBrumby]

Right!  I think with the 'old school' politicians... they get away with their old school tactics only as long as the local media yokels let them. I could be wrong, but I don't get the sense that the local yokels have any extraordinary love for John Cooper. 

[downtownresident]

1 hour ago, UTgrad09 said:

An accountant, Cooper is not.

 

Thank goodness News Channel5 and some other news sources are starting to clarify things since there is a lot of misinformation out there.

Cooper went to the state because he knows Metro Council is a definite “no” for any plan that involves city money, especially after this fiasco. 

 

Edit: Also, the idea that Cooper has gone to Gov. Lee and the state ECD after the Microsoft fiasco hat in hand asking for money for Nascar has had me both chuckling and sad at the current state of affairs in the Mayor's office. 

 

Speaking of local news clarifying misinformation, this thread from News Channel 5 reporter Jesse Knuston serves a nice take down of a SOF talking point re: "Plan B site."

 

Edited February 12, 2020 by downtownresident

[grilled_cheese]

8 hours ago, PruneTracy said:

See, and people on here were complaining last year that NSC wasn't doing enough public outreach. Now they're getting free advertising.

This is not out of the realm of possibility.  Get publicity.  Stir up the "natives".  No publicity is bad publicity.  etc