A Compliment From A Visitor

[ATLBrain]

I wanted to let you all know what a partner in my firm told me about his trip to Music City last weekend. He was favorably impressed by your town.

This guy was raised in Indiana and has lived in Atlanta for the last 20 years. His nephew and wife moved to Franklin last summer. He went up there with his family for Thanksgiving weekend.

I mention his background only to make the point that he has gone back and forth b/n Indianapolis and Atlanta for years (and therefore passed through Nashville often). Also, those two cities are his reference points. However, he hasn't spent much time in NSH, except for Legal Conferences at Gaylord Opryland. This last point is important because up until this past weekend, he didn't think much of NSH. All he had seen was the Briley Pkwy corridor. So it wasn't the best view of the city.

Fast forward to now. He was wowed by the hustle and bustle downtown and the beautiful neighborhoods (in the dead of winter!). Not a country music lover, he went to several venues (Tootsie's, Roberts, Coyote, City Hall, and McGuiness? - he couldn't remember the name- and the GEC for a hockey game), and had a great time. He said the city was definitely an up and comer and he can't wait to go back again.

Like me, he's something of an amateur city planner/critic. He said the potential for a lot more great things is there. I told him of the future projects that I knew about. Before I could even mention the new Convention Center, he asked if there would be one downtown someday. He can't stand Opryland b/c it's so isolated. I told him about the proposal and of course, no timetable yet.

He did say that the city needs to embrace the river (as we've discussed here). I told him about the ballpark and adjoining apartments. Also, he said that the James Robertson parkway was hideous. I told him it was the first urban renewal project in the country... to which he replied "that figures."

Just thought you guys would be interested to know about these remarks.

[smeagolsfree]

Thanks for passing this along. Its great to hear form someone with an out of towners perspective. What is really interesting, is his comments about the Opryland CC. I could'nt agree more about it not being isolated. There is nothing to do there unless you want to shop at Oprymills and that is a hideous thought, especially for a male conventioneer, with the exception of Bass Pro.

I am glad to see we have earned another fan out there. It looks as if our secret is getting out.

[blokey]

What is this proposal about Opryland????

[smeagolsfree]

What is this proposal about Opryland????

I think he was talking about the new proposed convention center downtown and nothing with Opryland

[ATLBrain]

Right... the proposal for downtown.