New Titans Stadium

[markhollin]

Nissan Stadium renovation talks between Mayor John Cooper's administration and the Tennessee Titans have expanded in recent weeks to include the possibility of building a new stadium.

Why it matters: A new stadium would be a dramatic centerpiece in the team's broader plan to transform the riverfront in East Nashville with an ambitious mixed-use redevelopment project.

• The emergence of a possible new stadium resets negotiations that have been underway for months.

Driving the news: Renovation talks recently took a turn as the two sides discovered the price tag for necessary upgrades at Nissan had unexpectedly skyrocketed.

• The Tennessean reported earlier this month the price tag for renovations to the 23-year old Nissan Stadium were $600 million, but a Titans spokesperson says actual cost is now estimated to be nearly double that.
• The Titans confirmed that due to the rising cost estimates, "we need to take a step back and re-evaluate if a stadium renovation is the most responsible option forward and explore other paths."
• "For example, the stadium's structural frame was built with concrete and needs to be largely replaced with steel. The mechanical, plumbing, and electrical systems need to be completely replaced. The window system throughout the building is so antiquated that it is not even manufactured anymore."

What he's saying: Cooper acknowledged in a statement that "revised cost estimates require us to closely review whether a new stadium would be a better long-term financial decision."

• "We won't settle for anything but the best-case scenario for Nashville," Cooper says.

Between the lines: Under the current lease between the Titans and the Metro Nashville Sports Authority, the city must pay for maintenance and keep the stadium in a condition that matches similar venues across the country.

• That obligation puts the city on the hook for millions of dollars in improvements. The Titans are owed at least $25 million in stadium repairs that have already taken place.
• The Titans say they are committed to a new stadium lease that removes "Nashville’s general fund from (the) stadium business once and for all."

What we're watching: A series of unknowns remain as discussions of a new stadium begin.

• Officials did not say if a new stadium would be indoor with a dome, if it would include a retractable roof or if it would be an outdoor venue.

The intrigue: An indoor stadium would position Nashville to host the Super Bowl, the NCAA Final 4 and winter-time concerts. This would increase the overall tax benefit to the city, but also drive up the stadium costs.

• Talks between the Titans and Cooper were progressing well, but it's unclear how the prospect of a new stadium changes the timeline for hashing out a deal.
• The initial plan was to take advantage of a state law passed last year by using some of the sales tax dollars generated at the new development to help pay for the stadium upgrades.
• That part of the plan would remain the same. But it's possible the Titans will have to put more skin in the game to make the financing work.

Flashback: Titans lead owner Amy Adams Strunk previously said she didn't want a new stadium and favored fixing up Nissan instead.

• But for tourism industry stakeholders, there has been some consternation that an outdoor stadium would limit Nashville's ability to host the Super Bowl.
• The NFL's premiere event is typically played indoors or in warmer weather cities than Nashville, though there are exceptions, like New York in 2014.

By the numbers: Allegiant Stadium, the Las Vegas Raiders' home field, opened in 2020 and cost about $2 billion.

• The Minnesota Vikings' U.S. Bank Stadium, which opened in 2016, cost $1.1 billion. 

No word on possible location, although the parking lot to the east of Nissan Stadium would seem to make the most sense.

More at Axios:

https://www.axios.com/local/nashville/2022/02/17/tennessee-titans-new-stadium


And at The Tennessean here:

https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2022/02/17/nissan-stadium-nashville-renovations-paused-construction-costs/6835417001/


And behind the Nashville Post paywall here:

https://www.nashvillepost.com/sports/titans/report-titans-discussing-building-new-stadium/article_a62ca86c-9035-11ec-aac4-57e7bfd5917c.html

[CandyAisles]

Been waiting on this.  Opens up a lot for us as a city.

[PruneTracy]

21 minutes ago, markhollin said:

• The Tennessean reported earlier this month the price tag for renovations to the 23-year old Nissan Stadium were $600 million, but a Titans spokesperson says actual cost is now estimated to be nearly double that.
• The Titans confirmed that due to the rising cost estimates, "we need to take a step back and re-evaluate if a stadium renovation is the most responsible option forward and explore other paths."

That makes a lot of sense, I know that many building material suppliers are offering a massive discount for new stadiums only.

[satalac]

Actually surprised at this news, but would love to see an indoor stadium with a retractable roof here. The money it could attract would be substantial. 

[titanhog]

It’s time to go retractable roof.  And…it’s time to architecturally design something that would work for a plethora of Nashville entertainment events and use this building all year round, similar to Bridgestone.  Think outside the box.

Plus…the city / Titans can offset the cost with all of the tax $$ brought in from the development around the stadium.

Edited February 17 by titanhog

[MLBrumby]

Agreed! I think with the success of lower Broadway and everything it's spawned around it, the city sees a blank canvas around Nissan Stadium.  So leveraging its potential cannot be fully considered without weighing the costs/benefits of a retractable roof.  I'd expect they'll look at what (if any) additional events they'd attract with that facility and all the dollars to follow.  I'm just astounded by the incredible rise in the cost of the renovation. 

Edited February 17 by MLBrumby

[DDIG]

It makes sense to me. Nissan is a dump, if you are going to already be spending close to a billion to make it viable, just start from scratch. Generational opportunity to do it right and with a dome or retractable roof Nashville will absolutely be hosting Final Fours, College Football Playoffs in addition to Super Bowls.

[NashRugger]

If a brand new facility costs $1/2 to $1 billion more than renovating an existing facility, one that hinders the city from hosting the Super Bowl, it just makes sense to go with a new facility. 

Now, that said, how much would Nashville taxpayers be on the hook for is the big question.

[Licec]

Whose going to pay for it.

[markhollin]

Amy Adams-Strunk and her siblings that co-own the team are worth a TON of money.  Maybe not as much as some NFL owners, but still wealthy to the point that they could amass at least half of the cost for a new stadium with other investors to make it all work out quite nicely for all involved in the long term--especially if they got to share in the pie of any sports village attractions/hospitality around the new structure.

Once the new football coliseum was finished, they could implode Nissan Stadium, and THAT is where an MLB baseball stadium could go (with whatever ownership group is behind that franchise ponying-up the bulk of the cost provided they also get some attractions built immediately around their ballpark). 

All of the land in that area is controlled by the city via the Nashville Sports Authority, so they hold the keys to that extremely valuable real estate and whoever is going to build whatever on the acreage.

[MLBrumby]

24 minutes ago, NashRugger said:

If a brand new facility costs $1/2 to $1 billion more than renovating an existing facility, one that hinders the city from hosting the Super Bowl, it just makes sense to go with a new facility. 

Now, that said, how much would Nashville taxpayers be on the hook for is the big question.

Seems to me that will be the guardrails to the whole discussion. Won't it be interesting if John Cooper turns out to be the key to getting a deal with the team?  

Also, one of the things that NFL (and other) teams are looking at is an open concourse that runs completely around each level of the stadium.  It's proved popular with baseball, and then a handful of football stadiums built in the past 20 years. And now, with all the "extracurricular" attractions teams want to bring to the games, they've found that they need easy access to view the games from the concourses.  It's sort of bassackward to say they want people to mingle away from their seats, but COVID (with vendors being restricted from the seats) and the rising non-food/drink concessions that are popping up in stadiums these days the present enclosed layout of Nissan does NOT accommodate that. Right now, it's only at the endzones of Nissan.  True for a lot of stadiums.  Likewise, I think several team executives saw Sofi stadium and came back wondering how they could turn a sow's ear into a silk purse. 

Edited February 17 by MLBrumby

[WebberThomas4]

Offer Icahn a stake in the franchise in exchange for the PSC site/clean-up. 

[donNdonelson2]

10 minutes ago, WebberThomas4 said:

Offer Icahn a stake in the franchise in exchange for the PSC site/clean-up. 

I don’t think the owners would want to give up any percentage of their ownership. They already have access to property through the sports authority.

[PaulChinetti]

Oh well, this is interesting. (Grabs popcorn)

I’d like to see a similar deal to what happened with the NSC stadium. 

Edited February 17 by PaulChinetti
Addition

[Skyscrapergeek]

Ooooo domed stadium AND new tallest! Pete, you’re up. 

[WebberThomas4]

51 minutes ago, donNdonelson2 said:

I don’t think the owners would want to give up any percentage of their ownership. They already have access to property through the sports authority.

More wishful thinking than reality 

[Ramrod]

While everyone is dreaming about a new stadium I still like the idea of a guitar shaped stadium where the sound hole of the guitar could slide back providing the open air concept when needed. The neck of the guitar would extend across the river allowing for enclosed moving sidewalks to facilitate people movement to Broadway where they would enter/ exit through the tuning pegs. The extra backspace of the guitar could allow for enclosed training field(s) and Titan offices. It could also house the new Nashville Stars stadium and allow for separate dual stadiums paid for by both ownerships under one building. The strings of the guitar could be neon lighted and the stadium would become a landmark icon for Nashville. For those still laughing at this idea, it allows for event space for concerts; homes for two pro teams, and allows for the planned restaurants and shops being imagined by the planned redevelopment of the area. Heck, throw in a giant Ferris wheel and or a roller coaster and let the fun and games begin. This concept would be funded by the billionaires in large part and supplemented by Metro only to the extent they originally planned for the Titan stadium refurbishment.  Now let the replies and comments begin. Everyone has an opinion!
 

 

 

[Baronakim]

28 minutes ago, Ramrod said:

While everyone is dreaming about a new stadium I still like the idea of a guitar shaped stadium where the sound hole of the guitar could slide back providing the open air concept when needed. The neck of the guitar would extend across the river allowing for enclosed moving sidewalks to facilitate people movement to Broadway where they would enter/ exit through the tuning pegs. The extra backspace of the guitar could allow for enclosed training field(s) and Titan offices. It could also house the new Nashville Stars stadium and allow for separate dual stadiums paid for by both ownerships under one building. The strings of the guitar could be neon lighted and the stadium would become a landmark icon for Nashville. For those still laughing at this idea, it allows for event space for concerts; homes for two pro teams, and allows for the planned restaurants and shops being imagined by the planned redevelopment of the area. Heck, throw in a giant Ferris wheel and or a roller coaster and let the fun and games begin. This concept would be funded by the billionaires in large part and supplemented by Metro only to the extent they originally planned for the Titan stadium refurbishment.  Now let the replies and comments begin. Everyone has an opinion!
 

 

 

Tacky.

[UTgrad09]

Team up with Nissan and build a factory below the stadium so it actually produces cars as you watch the game.

[rolly]

That's gonna be nuts if they nuke Nissan, replacing it with a baseball stadium. And next door a retractable-roof modern-layout football stadium.   Wow. 

[Baronakim]

4 hours ago, rolly said:

That's gonna be nuts if they nuke Nissan, replacing it with a baseball stadium. And next door a retractable-roof modern-layout football stadium.   Wow. 

I think that if a new stadium and ball park were to be built, the parking should be underground below it similar to Nashville Yards.  Even building it up further to the level of the adjacent interstate would be feasible IMO as such parking would be needed for concert uses IMO, there is no excuse that would justify retaining huge surface parking lots.

 

[NissanvilleTitans]

Why are guitars tacky? Anytime anyone mentions making an iconic building in the shape of what put Nashville in the spotlight to begin with, someone says "tacky". I for one think the guitar building in Ft. Lauderdale is super cool. But here, where it makes sense, it's tacky? Not boxy enough for you? Buildings shouldn't be unique? Because I believe London would argue with you. Man, that rubbed me the wrong way. Great idea Ramrod.

[Bark At The Sun]

7 hours ago, Baronakim said:

I think that if a new stadium and ball park were to be built, the parking should be underground below it similar to Nashville Yards.  Even building it up further to the level of the adjacent interstate would be feasible IMO as such parking would be needed for concert uses IMO, there is no excuse that would justify retaining huge surface parking lots.

 

Where else in town would you be able to stage the Indy Car race..........the pits and the grandstands...........and 1/2 the track layout?   It seemed to do pretty good in its debut.

[CandyAisles]

To hell with it...bridge over the interstate.

[Nash_12South]

I do think, depending on a new location for a new stadium, parking could be a big deal. If it were built adjacent to the existing stadium, you'd need to figure out where to park those using the current surface lots. Going down with new parking would be ideal, but could you? Would any parking below 1-2 levels be prone to flooding? I do think the scrapyards would be a good site, but as some have pointed out, how long to get the site purchased and cleaned up?  I'd be in favor of fast tracking development of the parking lots along Woodland street with residential/retail and with really large parking garages. That  would allow for use of the existing parking for a new stadium. Most other sites would seem to add several years to getting it built.

Edited February 18 by Nash_12South