If the Sounds Stadium is dead, build condos.

[doormanpoet]

It seems this deal is at a stalemate again and I was speculating why.

I wonder if the Sounds simply are not profitable enough for the new stadium. Maybe they cannot get the bank financing they need? I know minor league in places like Jackson, Birmningham, Huntsville and Louisville do well but those cities do not have pro sports.

Memphis seems to do okay, but did not Autozone build that?

I don't know how these other cities pulled off building nice stadiums, but Purcell does not want to put the taxpayers of Davidson County in charge of maintaining yet another stadium. Taxpayers have already bought the GEC and the Coliseum.

The city IS getting a new civic park in front of the Metro Courthouse.

The Sounds Stadium at Greer is in very bad disrepair, but that area is growing and being refurbished. Maybe they should rebuild where they are.

What are your thoughts?

[cheeriokid61]

If they were to rebuild and spend the same amount of money either way, they should build downtown. If they want to do some (major) renovations, then that will be fine with me, too.

[Hankster]

I just returned from Memphis, and saw the AutoZone Ballpark. It is truly fabulous. The area around the ballpark is booming. There is lots of entertainment, restaurants, and shopping, much of it new investment.

There are 70 home games in a AAA baseball season, and imagine what having 10,000 or so people that many times coming to downtown Nashville would be like. The entertainment and retail that exists would blossom even more. Nashville is already a "happening city" and having the Sounds stadium built downtown so close to the entertainment district (just as AutoZone Park) will make it an even more "happening city." I will be so disappointed if this deal doesn't go through. But, if it doesn't, I do hope that the residential and retail portion of the project can be built. My fear is that the 700,000 people that will come to the downtown baseball stadium is a major part of the deal. Without the ball park, maybe the residential can get built. However, I imagine much of the retail portion of the project would disappear.

[Nashvillain]

Personally, I don't want the stadium downtown. It's a waste of valuable space. You always hear about what an asset an arena or stadium is to an area but that usually comes from the boosters trying to build it. I've read articles maintaining that they don't do anyting for the area. They may boost jobs but they're low wage jobs anyway and they're seasonal. Speaking of which, when the sport is out of season the stadium just sits there. What has Greer stadium done for south nashville? Are there resturants or retail in the area? The only thing on Chestnut street is a park, some old warehouses and wholesale type businesses and an artist's co-op that i'm not sure is still operating. And what's going on in east nashville around the coliseum? Besides a sea of asphult. Any economic boom in edgefield and lockeland springs owes more to their pre-existing architectural quality and insurance money from the tornado than to the stadium. I would rather they improve greer and let rolling mill be developed along other lines than have the city make another huge concsession to developers for a stadium.

[it's just dave]

I watch the current boom in the city and none of it revolves around a baseball stadium although I think that might be a cool idea. But, on the other hand, I'd just as soon have a beautiful, functional and full residential component with the retail geared toward the residents. We definately already know what it's like to have thousands of people downtown. With hockey back we have 41 home games that could possible dump 15,000 into the GEC area each night. Baseball would be a nice addition, but developing a city with people comes first. I'm not so sure I'd want to live next to a ballpark that's going to shoot fireworks off 70 nights a year. But I'd rather live on Rolling Mill Hill than the Thermal Site anyway, so I'd at least have one helluva view of the show.

This piece of land is not going away, and it is one of the most valuable parcels in the city's downtown arsenal. Baseball, or not, something viable will happen there. I don't mind it sitting empty for a while anyway. Beats the heck out of looking at that old Thermal plant for as long as we did. I like grass.

[Lexy]

I watch the current boom in the city and none of it revolves around a baseball stadium although I think that might be a cool idea. But, on the other hand, I'd just as soon have a beautiful, functional and full residential component with the retail geared toward the residents. We definately already know what it's like to have thousands of people downtown. With hockey back we have 41 home games that could possible dump 15,000 into the GEC area each night. Baseball would be a nice addition, but developing a city with people comes first. I'm not so sure I'd want to live next to a ballpark that's going to shoot fireworks off 70 nights a year. But I'd rather live on Rolling Mill Hill than the Thermal Site anyway, so I'd at least have one helluva view of the show.

This piece of land is not going away, and it is one of the most valuable parcels in the city's downtown arsenal. Baseball, or not, something viable will happen there. I don't mind it sitting empty for a while anyway. Beats the heck out of looking at that old Thermal plant for as long as we did. I like grass.

I wanna see a downtown department store again!!! We have got to get an anchor type store down there to show other developers and stores that it IS a viable option to locate in the core.

[smeagolsfree]

One of the misconceptions that many people have about the stadium deal is when they see the amount of money being spent (some 230 million) and they think the city is the one footing the bill for the entire project. I have spoken to several people about that, who were against it and after I told them the city is not spending near that amount, they were in support of it. In reallity, the city is not spending much money at all and the huge amount is being put up by the developer. The land will be worth nothing as long as it sits empty. This project needs to move on soon. Too many bankers and real-estate brokers are behind this for it not to happen.

There are only a few outspoken naysayers of the project who want you to believe they are in the majority but are a small group of people who have a lot more bark than bite. Most are against it for different reasons and could not agree on anything, where as the people who do support the project, do so for the same reasons. If any of you were at the Sounds Forum, then that would be clear. I did communicate with Streuber Bros. and they were not discouraged by the few raising objections to the stadium.

If the stadium does not get built on that location, something needs to be done there soon. The property has been empty way to long. A green area on that space would be a big waste of space as well.

As far as rebuilding the stadium where it is now I think is out of the question because that location is part of the problem. It is a less than nice area of town, not very visable and a little difficult to get to if you do not know how to get there. The area it is in now is the reason there are no restaurants near. I would rather see the Cumberland Science Museum moved from there but they have spent too much money on it recently.

[sleepy]

AutoZone was built by the Redbirds Foundation which is a tax-exempt non-profit. They floated tax-exempt bonds to pay for it, and had to get a private IRS ruling to go forward. The city chipped in something like $10 million to reroute streets. I'm not sure if the Sounds owner would go that route, or if it's even possible.

And while AutoZone is a nice addition to downtown, much of the activity around there pre-dated the stadium, Peabody Place in particular. The only direct result of AutoZone was the Echelon apts., and more summer business at nearby bars and restaurants. So, I tend to agree with Dave that a downtown ballpark is nice, but not essential to redevelopment.

[smeagolsfree]

I agree as well that it is not essential to build a ballpark there, but it sure would be a bigger draw to downtown. I guess time will tell.

If anyone has taken a look over at Rolling Mill Hill, the bull dozers are really moving there. I guess that may be Direct Development working at the sites they have. I know Strueber has not moved any dirt on at least 2 sites they control. Guess they are waiting to see what happens on the ballpark. Too bad that may be slowing down parts of Rolling Mill.

[it's just dave]

Rolling Mill is in the same situation as the Gulch, the developers come after the infrastructure improvements and plans that the city is understaking are finished...then they'll build on that. Roads, water lines, underground utilities...all go with it. When the site is deemed ready, then we'll see the buildings begin. I would imagine that a great deal of what's up there is crap. Much of what is underground has been there since the late 1800s, so I imagine it's like starting from scratch. Even the 60s additions aren't worthy of modern infrastructure.

It's tough being patient. But it pays off.

[memphian]

I think the city needs to exercise it's eminent domain ability and clean some other blocks in that area up and put the stadium a few streets over. Why does it have to be on that parcel?

As for a downtown department store.... I'd love to see one too but we're pretty much stuck with having either a dillard's or a macy's - neither of which is awe-inspiring or would attract people to the core of the city. Now if some developer would revive the Caster-Knott or Cain-Sloan name and put in a single flagship store (no satellite locations) then you've created a special destination that caters to the needs of the nearby residents, workers and visitors. You'd have to have something pretty special down there in order to be successful and right now I don't think that product exists. Just my humble opinion though.

Whatever happens needs to happen because it is in the best interest of the city, not because it worked for Memphis or Louisville. Although I do like that Waterfront Park Plaza condo tower that Louisville has. Nice design.