Soccer in Nashville

[smeagolsfree]

3 minutes ago, Bos2Nash said:

Is the circled area below Phase 2? It appears the other portions have all been built and I presume the Wedgewood Ave Extension would also be in phase 2, no?

I agree that these preliminary plans need to be flushed through with relative haste. The preliminary plans have to have some real definition prior to the public process starting or else it will stall out and die. If Phase 2 is really what is circled above, the racetrack MUST have a plan of action because Phase 2 is removing the staging area for most of the racing events, so those folks would have to move to the infield of the racetrack. I would think once they get a plan setup and the public process going, Phase 2 will make it's way into the Captial Spending Plan along with a Bond deal for the SMI group. There is no way SMI is going to front 100% of the cost if the city just posted 225 million in bonds for the soccer stadium and SMI is asking for roughly 1/4 of that number. Yes, SMI should be responsible for all the debt servicing and should have the same cuts going back to the city as the soccer stadium, but the city set a precedant and now must live with it. What makes this deal sweeter than the soccer deal is it hasnt been reported that SMI is asking for land in which they build and profit off of other then their events. A deal for the speedway is much more logical than the deal for soccer or a new MLB stadium.

You have to remember the Speedway is a lot more historical than the buildings that were taken down for the construction of the stadium. The land on which the race track sits will be a lease and can be broken. If someone wants to do improvements to the property, then they should foot the bill, but it will still remain the property of Metro .

[Bos2Nash]

Just now, smeagolsfree said:

You have to remember the Speedway is a lot more historical than the buildings that were taken down for the construction of the stadium. The land on which the race track sits will be a lease and can be broken. If someone wants to do improvements to the property, then they should foot the bill, but it will still remain the property of Metro .

All the more reason Metro should be fronting money. Historical structures are harder to renovate and upgrade, the stadium was allowed to wipe the slate clean (courtesy of the city fronting monies to move the entities that used the buildings) and move forwards with new, exactly how they wanted it. Also, the stadium is the property of the Stadium Authority - ala Metro - yet Metro still fronted the money. I'm not saying SMI shouldn't financially be invested, but why must they front all the money when the soccer team didnt have to? Both the shiney new soccer stadium and the historical racetrack fall under the same category of sports and entertainment facility. If Metro does one financial deal for one and not the other it is hypocritical and is in complete bad faith. I've been saying this right along, the race track should get the exact same framework deal as the soccer stadium, except they are looking for less money and not asking the city to pay for re-locating any of their structures.

[smeagolsfree]

But with this plan a lot of the race track will come down including the track itself and most of the grandstands from what I understood. Its almost a total rebuild.

[Bos2Nash]

17 minutes ago, smeagolsfree said:

But with this plan a lot of the race track will come down including the track itself and most of the grandstands from what I understood. Its almost a total rebuild.

If that is the case the city is handing the Save the Fairgrounds people a new lawsuit with a lot more leverage. Any plan that includes tearing down the whole racetrack should be a non-starter. The racetrack has too much historical signifiance within the racing community to do that.

My understanding of the Post article (didn't watch the meeting) is there are multiple concepts, but the one being discussed in the article is more about expanding the seating capacity then re-working the track. Even from those way-too-early renderings that magiaclly appeared it didn't show a complete re-working of the track, just updated infrastructure and fan faciliites. 

[smeagolsfree]

Yea, once the questions started coming out, the more they were saying this and that would be demolished. I just think there are a few people that may be a little too eager to get this done quickly including the mayor.

[Bos2Nash]

There definitely needs to be some eagerness to upgrade the facility now while the stadium is under construction, because once the other projects start the racetrack will essentially just be pushed out (IMHO). If Grandstands in Turn 1 are really that important that will have to be worked through with the parking structure that is going directly adjacent there. If the city waits too long or aren't "eager" enough it is going to be alot harder and honestly a lot more expensive.

[Melrose]

19 hours ago, smeagolsfree said:

Yea, once the questions started coming out, the more they were saying this and that would be demolished. I just think there are a few people that may be a little too eager to get this done quickly including the mayor.

It certainly sounded like in response to the question during the Fair Board meeting, the representative from mayors office  confirmed that under the  plan they are talking about,  the existing grandstands would be torn down entirely,  as well as the existing track and track surface would be razed .  So the whole existing facility would be torn down, which would then be replaced by a new facility, which would have a larger footprint with the new, additional bleacher capacity to the south....  

[smeagolsfree]

3 hours ago, Melrose said:

It certainly sounded like in response to the question during the Fair Board meeting, the representative from mayors office  confirmed that under the  plan they are talking about,  the existing grandstands would be torn down entirely,  as well as the existing track and track surface would be razed .  So the whole existing facility would be torn down, which would then be replaced by a new facility, which would have a larger footprint with the new, additional bleacher capacity to the south....  

Thank you. I could not remember the entirety of the quote, but I thought that is what my ears heard.

[Titans10]

[markhollin]

Stadium update: girders connected along south end; driveway wall along Bransford Ave. entrance complete.

Looking north from Craighead St., 1/2 block east of Bransford Ave:
 

Looking east from Bransford Ave., 1/2 block north of Craighead St:

[MidTenn1]

Future outdoor NHL games??

[markhollin]

[henburg]

Our new away shirt has leaked, and it's pretty sharp looking-

 

https://broadwaysportsmedia.com/nashville-sc-2021-away-kit-leaked/

 

[nashvylle]

I really like the creative logo and, like a lot of people, really dislike the octagon. Some day I hope it’s forever gone. 
 

 

[titanhog]

[MidTenn1]

A timeline of the FIFA 2026 world Cup host city selection process. 

 

 

 

I still suspect the recently released improvements to Nissan Stadium were intended for the FIFA selection committee, but they may need to start pouring concrete by Q3 to demonstrate a commitment to the proposal.

[MidTenn1]

And it looks like the Sacramento MLS expansion franchise is in trouble......from ESPN.

[titanhog]

9 hours ago, PHofKS said:

And it looks like the Sacramento MLS expansion franchise is in trouble......from ESPN.

Remember when we were mentioned as a possible site for expansion…but Sacramento was a shoe-in?  Then…we’re the first to get one…and Sacramento still is on the outside looking in.

[nashvylle]

Having gone through the political mess with our stadium I feel awful for their fans and pray they get a team. It does seem the mayor and league are willing to work it out / understand 

Edited February 28, 2021 by nashvylle

[henburg]

Yeah, their situation is sad. They're a team who's had one of the largest, most loyal fanbases in the USL ranks, yet they've been repeatedly passed up in recent years for comparitvely unproven markets like Austin, St. Louis, and Charlotte. Their fans deserve a chance to join the Major Leagues. 

Edited February 28, 2021 by henburg

[MLBrumby]

I did a little work in Sacramento a few years back. My first time and went there several times for over a year. While I found its location very appealing, I must say I was disappointed in the city as a whole. It has some very attractive parts, but downtown is rundown, and did not have truly urban vibes. I realize a lot of that owes to its farm roots, but I never thought it would make a very good sports town. Even the ownership of its sole professional team is skittish on whether they want to keep it there or not. 

[nashvylle]

54 minutes ago, henburg said:

Yeah, their situation is sad. They're a team who's had one of the largest, most loyal fanbases in the USL ranks, yet they've been repeatedly passed up in recent years for comparitvely unproven markets like Austin, St. Louis, and Charlotte. Their fans deserve a chance to join the Major Leagues. 

MLS needs very wealthy owners for the league to be successful, however. Sacramento just needs an investor to join, which I imagine will happen when Covid is under control. 

[nashvylle]

[smeagolsfree]

Now its starting to look like something!

[nashvylle]

I really want the racetrack to be renovated into a top NASCAR track... The whole area with MLS/NASCAR would be really cool.