Soccer in Nashville

[nashvylle]

2 minutes ago, bigeasy said:

Very nice @nashvylle!!    I doubt some of those additional areas for parking would ever be used, esp the businesses since games could be going on during their business hours. Also, Coca-Cola is a fenced in lot.

 

 

most of the games are on weekends, so not during their business hours. I would be surprised if local businesses didn't jump at the opportunity to get parking revenue for games, just like businesses near Titans and Predators do. 

[SumnerCountian]

That is some enlightening analysis. Given those numbers it would seem that there is really no way Metro can lose. Or at least that is the way my pea brain interprets the bottom line numbers. Thanks for sharing.

[japan]

Sounds like Swope is proposing some way to protect the racetrack, flea market and state fair for 30 years.  He is going to have a press conference tomorrow.  Sounds like maybe his vote hinges on this proposal.

[titanhog]

19 minutes ago, japan said:

Sounds like Swope is proposing some way to protect the racetrack, flea market and state fair for 30 years.  He is going to have a press conference tomorrow.  Sounds like maybe his vote hinges on this proposal.

The state fair is the one element of the fairgrounds that just doesn't make sense.  Even if the MLS stadium wasn't involved, that fair needs to go somewhere else...even if it's in middle TN.  I've been to state fairs elsewhere...and our state fair doesn't even compare to some county fairs.  It's actually a disservice to the state of TN to not move it and improve it elsewhere.

[nashvylle]

25 minutes ago, japan said:

Sounds like Swope is proposing some way to protect the racetrack, flea market and state fair for 30 years.  He is going to have a press conference tomorrow.  Sounds like maybe his vote hinges on this proposal.

Where did you see he was having a press conference? Thanks 

[japan]

1 minute ago, nashvylle said:

Where did you see he was having a press conference? Thanks 

Email conversation.

[nashvylle]

16 minutes ago, japan said:

Email conversation.

Anything more specific? I hope it’s not - unless track gets 30 year contract no one should vote on this..

[DMilner]

I just don't see that the state fair will stay. This is from just last year:

The fair will remain at the fairgrounds for the next two years. The commission will take some time to get feedback from every county in the state. The commission will then make a recommendation for a new location to the governor and general assembly.

The idea of moving the state fair has been a controversial one for years. Many disagree about whether the state fair actually needs a larger location in order to be successful.

“Being good stewards of the fair, Tennessee deserves a great state fair,” said Tennessee State Fair Manager Scott Jones. “In order to produce the state fair of the caliber we deserve, we need 300-plus acres at least.”

[nashvylle]

I think the charter mandates a fair every year, but doesn’t dictate whether it’s a State fair or Regional fair. 

[titanhog]

28 minutes ago, nashvylle said:

I think the charter mandates a fair every year, but doesn’t dictate whether it’s a State fair or Regional fair. 

Heck...put the Red Groomes carousel out there and call it a "fair" 

[PaulChinetti]

50 minutes ago, nashvylle said:

I think the charter mandates a fair every year, but doesn’t dictate whether it’s a State fair or Regional fair. 

Yeah it just says it has to be a "divisional" fair whatever that means. And that's the thing it's up for interpretation for sure. 

Also the current state fair's contract is over after this year. With the Fair Manager wanting a larger location I can definitely see it moving. 

Hell one of the pro-people said something about the Wilson County fair being way better and everyone laughed because they know it's true.

[nashvylle]

Put the state fair on Nissan Stadium parking lot. 

[Guest]

I have stayed out of the fray because (1) I support the Nashville MLS expansion/stadium plan and (2) I have to pick my battles on the board, but IMO the only reason there is substantive opposition that could derail the Fairgrounds is because of the hubris of the proponents of Nashville MLS (ownership group and Mayors office).

Let me explain. There is a large segment of movers and shakers in Metro who have wanted to develop the fairgrounds for over a decade. They see the large land mass as derelict or at least underused. The initial attempt by Karl Dean resulted in a 2011 county-widereferendum. The result is very similar to the recent mass-transit referendum .... close to 70% voted against the will of mayor. The result of the Fairground referendum was to amend the Metro Charter to continue existing activities at the fairgrounds site. Cut to five years later and Mayor Barry announces a plan to build a MLS stadium at the fairgrounds which will displace the fair by 2019. We can all agree or disagree as to the wisdom of the referendum, but the will of the people must be acknowledged....right? I mean if I earned a living ... maybe a meager living, or my entire community involved the track and flea market and my church down the block...I would be up in arms. And it seems like any information announced by both the Nashville MLS ownership group and Metro is settled before sitting down with this already burned fairgrounds group instead of attempting to bring them to the table and coop some of the opposition through engagement. 

The Fairgrounds site was selected by MLS not the local ownership group and definitely not through some Metro-wide community engagement sessions . It was selected for several reasons - (1) obviously the required acreage (2) urban location (3) proximity to soccer supporting population centers (Murfreesboro, Wilson Co., Antioch, Brentwood), (4) and perhaps the biggest, the light-rail Transit route which was to have a stop at the Fairgrounds. 

I want the MLS team in Nashville, I want them at the fairgrounds as MLS will walk away from all other sites in Metro, but this entire process has been mismanaged from the start.

Edited August 30, 2018 by Guest

[BnaBreaker]

18 minutes ago, nashville_bound said:

I have stayed out of the fray because (1) I support the Nashville MLS expansion/stadium plan and (2) I have to pick my battles on the board, but IMO the only reason there is substantive opposition that could derail the Fairgrounds is because of the hubris of the proponents of Nashville MLS (ownership group and Mayors office).

Let me explain. There is a large segment of movers and shakers in Metro who have wanted to develop the fairgrounds for over a decade. They see the large land mass as derelict or at least underused. The initial attempt by Karl Dean resulted in a 2011 county-widereferendum. The result is very similar to the recent mass-transit referendum .... close to 70% voted against the will of mayor. The result of the Fairground referendum was to amend the Metro Charter to continue existing activities at the fairgrounds site. Cut to five years later and Mayor Barry announces a plan to build a MLS stadium at the fairgrounds which will displace the fair by 2019. We can all agree or disagree as to the wisdom of the referendum, but the will of the people must be acknowledged....right? I mean if I earned a living ... maybe a meager living, or my entire community involved the track and flea market and my church down the block...I would be up in arms. And it seems like any information announced by both the Nashville MLS ownership group and Metro is settled before sitting down with this already burned fairgrounds group instead of attempting to bring them to the table and coop some of the opposition through engagement. 

The Fairgrounds site was selected by MLS not the local ownership group and definitely not through some Metro-wide community engagement sessions . It was selected for several reasons - (1) obviously the required acreage (2) urban location (3) proximity to soccer supporting population centers (Murfreesboro, Wilson Co., Antioch, Brentwood), (4) and perhaps the biggest, the light-rail Transit route which was to have a stop at the Fairgrounds. 

I want the MLS team in Nashville, I want them at the fairgrounds as MLS will walk away from all other sites in Metro, but this entire process has been mismanaged from the start.

Ya know what, I think that's fair (no pun intended.)  I completely agree with you that the whole process was bungled by the MLS group from the very beginning.  If I was one of these folks who makes their living at the fairgrounds, and I was only informed about this whole situation after it was more or less a done deal, I'd probably feel like I had the wool pulled over my eyes too, and yeah, I'd also probably be angry... at least initially.  This entire thing could have been handled far more gracefully than it was.  That being said though, what bugs me is that it seems like many of the loudest anti-MLS voices are folks that have nothing to do with the fairgrounds and don't even live in Davidson County, much less in that particular neighborhood, who try to further their cause by trick the actual fairgrounds faithful using blatant disinformation and/or fear saturated in not-so-subtle prejudices.  And yes, I say this fully aware of the irony presented by the fact that I myself don't even live in the state.  haha...   One thing is for certain.  Neither side has really done themselves any favors throughout this entire process.   The anti folks should do a better job seeking out the facts of the matter before forming their opinions, but at the same time, the pro folks should be doing a MUCH better job actually disseminating the facts in the first place... really a 'chicken or the egg' sort of scenario there.

Edited August 30, 2018 by BnaBreaker

[PaulChinetti]

32 minutes ago, nashville_bound said:

Cut to five years later and Mayor Barry announces a plan to build a MLS stadium at the fairgrounds which will displace the fair by 2019. 

I want the MLS team in Nashville, I want them at the fairgrounds as MLS will walk away from all other sites in Metro, but this entire process has been mismanaged from the start.

I'll agree with you which is probably a first, because we agree on very little. 

I will  disagree with you on one thing, the State Fair Board, in my opinion, has had little interest in putting on any kind of respectable fair at the Fairgrounds for a few years now. The recent offerings should have shown that it's not long for the world and especially their recent comments of wanting double the space. Regardless of stadium/ no stadium, the Fairgrounds isn't going to miraculously double in size in the next year. 

Their contract is up after this years fair and from my understanding, there has not been much serious discussion of renewing their contract. I see the State Fair going away from the Fairgrounds and ending up in Wilson County or some other County with a much larger space for it. The Fairgrounds will start holding a much smaller fair which will be more like a small carnival that has more vendors, so basically another week of the Flea Market but with rides. 

 

Ok maybe one more thing...

After being as involved in this process as much as I have been. I am 90% sure there is no "better" way to go about this process. This is the most stubborn group of people I have ever met in my life. The article the other day that had the red-shirt crowd complaining, was that this had been planned for a year before it was announced was the icing on the cake. If it would have just been blindy announced then they would have complained that it wasn't planned at all before it was announced, it's a no win situation in that regard. But yes the PR could have been handled a lot better and A LOT earlier post announcement.

Edited August 30, 2018 by PaulChinetti
addition

[nashvylle]

I bet since the mayors office knew the anti crowd would have complained before the announcement for a year... is why they didn’t announce they were even looking at the fairgrounds.

The city has a right to increase revenue on land they own. I pray all of this MLS is approved AND the flea market / racetrack are very successful too.  

I do think that the soccer fans will spillover into the racetrack and flea market. 

[volsfanwill]

4 hours ago, PaulChinetti said:

Yeah it just says it has to be a "divisional" fair whatever that means. And that's the thing it's up for interpretation for sure. 

Divisional as in the 3 grand divisions of Tennessee. It's actually not open to interpretation at all.  Legally Tennessee has 3 grand divisions. Memphis has a fair for all of West TN. Knoxville has one for east TN, the TN Valley fair held in chilhowee Park. 

[jmtunafish]

6 hours ago, volsfanwill said:

Divisional as in the 3 grand divisions of Tennessee. It's actually not open to interpretation at all.  Legally Tennessee has 3 grand divisions. Memphis has a fair for all of West TN. Knoxville has one for east TN, the TN Valley fair held in chilhowee Park. 

Sort of.  The Mid South Fair is now held in northwest Mississippi.

[DMilner]

Nancy Amons is here sensationalizing things again.

 “There’s been a lot of promises the last few months that if a new soccer stadium is built at The Fairgrounds Nashville, Nashville’s beloved flea market would continue in a new building.

The News4 I-Team confirmed that buildings at the fairgrounds could be torn down right away if a package of stadium bills passes Metro Council on Tuesday night.”

https://donotlink.it/eak9

[PaulChinetti]

8 hours ago, volsfanwill said:

Divisional as in the 3 grand divisions of Tennessee. It's actually not open to interpretation at all.  Legally Tennessee has 3 grand divisions. Memphis has a fair for all of West TN. Knoxville has one for east TN, the TN Valley fair held in chilhowee Park. 

Sorry, I get the divisions, size wise, that's where the divisional part is open to interpretation. The referendum doesn't state, how large or anything specific about what the divisional fair has to look like.

@DMilner ugh, she is the worst. It's almost like she is working for the other team at this point. If the language is that vague, then the Council amends it, boom done. You would think Glover and/or Cooper the great  crusading Fairground knights would have brought this up by now, oh wait they are too busy grandstanding to actually read anything.

[DDIG]

38 minutes ago, DMilner said:

Nancy Amons is here sensationalizing things again.

 “There’s been a lot of promises the last few months that if a new soccer stadium is built at The Fairgrounds Nashville, Nashville’s beloved flea market would continue in a new building.

The News4 I-Team confirmed that buildings at the fairgrounds could be torn down right away if a package of stadium bills passes Metro Council on Tuesday night.”

https://donotlink.it/eak9

BELOVED! Ask how many ACTUAL tax paying Nashvillians would call the flea market beloved. 

[nashvylle]

2 hours ago, DMilner said:

Nancy Amons is here sensationalizing things again.

 “There’s been a lot of promises the last few months that if a new soccer stadium is built at The Fairgrounds Nashville, Nashville’s beloved flea market would continue in a new building.

The News4 I-Team confirmed that buildings at the fairgrounds could be torn down right away if a package of stadium bills passes Metro Council on Tuesday night.”

https://donotlink.it/eak9

Hopefully there is enough time to make a slight amendment to correct this. 

[nashvylle]

From Colby:

From CM Freeman yesterday:

Ladies, gentlemen, friends, & neighbors - I beg of you to contact me via email or phone to express your thoughts on the MLS @ the Fairgrounds proposal. Make sure you include a verifiable address. If you call and get my voicemail, PLEASE leave a message w/your address.
IF you've already contacted me - there's no need to repeat. Post on social media aren't enough. This is a BIG deal! Social media post are tough to sort as there are a lot of threads and side conversations.

[email protected]
615.512.0121

Even if you aren't in his district, I would leave a voicemail anyways showing your support. 

Edited August 30, 2018 by nashvylle

[e-dub]

Is he looking to hear from people int he 16th district or from Nashvillians  everywhere in the city?

[Guest]

I copied him on an email I sent to Freddie in Hist 19.... can not hurt.