Nashville Bits and Pieces

[FrankNash]

Am I the only one that thinks Nashville should be the new headquarters for Live Nation. The old convention center site with signage facing Bridgestone would be ideal. Beverly Hills is great and all but, Nashville must be cheaper rent right?

[dxfret]

With the announcement of Alaska Airlines starting daily non-stop, year-round service from BNA to Seattle, there now only remains one significant gap in the MNAA's quest to have nonstop flights from Nashville to key domestic cities.  

 

The remaining gap is non-stop service to San Francisco (SFO) and the likely airline to fly that route is United Airlines.  At the moment United has a shortage of mainline aircraft, but the presence of Nissan and Bridgestone in Nashville should put pressure on United (or Virgin America) to launch a nonstop flight to SFO.  United operates a major international hub at SFO providing important connections to the Asia-Pacific region.  Southwest Airlines will resume its daily non-stop, year-round flights to Oakland (OAK) in June.  

 

I find it interesting that Los Angeles (LAX) is served with no less than 5 non-stop flights per day on 3 different airlines (American, Delta and Southwest).   One of the American Airlines flights is a red-eye.  That's a lot of capacity so the airlines must be doing quite well on the BNA-LAX route.

[nashmoney]

Am I the only one that thinks Nashville should be the new headquarters for Live Nation. The old convention center site with signage facing Bridgestone would be ideal. Beverly Hills is great and all but, Nashville must be cheaper rent right?

 

I agree. Especially since they have bought the controlling interest in Bonnaroo and expanded their local offices with a move to Edgehill Village

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/blog/2015/04/live-nation-buys-control-of-tennessees-bonnaroo.html

 

From the article:

This will be the second major move for Live Nation into the Nashville-area this year. The company won the contract to manage the new riverfront Ascend Amphitheater last year, and the inaugural season kicks off this July 30th with a solo concert by Eric Church. Live Nation, which has significantly beefed up its presence locally, has new office space in Edgehill Village.

Edited April 29, 2015 by nashmoney

[jdavidf]

With the announcement of Alaska Airlines starting daily non-stop, year-round service from BNA to Seattle, there now only remains one significant gap in the MNAA's quest to have nonstop flights from Nashville to key domestic cities.  

 

The remaining gap is non-stop service to San Francisco (SFO) and the likely airline to fly that route is United Airlines.  At the moment United has a shortage of mainline aircraft, but the presence of Nissan and Bridgestone in Nashville should put pressure on United (or Virgin America) to launch a nonstop flight to SFO.  United operates a major international hub at SFO providing important connections to the Asia-Pacific region.  Southwest Airlines will resume its daily non-stop, year-round flights to Oakland (OAK) in June.  

 

I find it interesting that Los Angeles (LAX) is served with no less than 5 non-stop flights per day on 3 different airlines (American, Delta and Southwest).   One of the American Airlines flights is a red-eye.  That's a lot of capacity so the airlines must be doing quite well on the BNA-LAX route.

 

 

With regard to United Airlines, we learned yesterday that they're replacing their pint-sized regional jets with real grown up jets -  I don't know if foretells anything about possible non-stop service to the west coast, but to me it hinted at a stronger presence here..

[Nathan_in_DC]

With the announcement of Alaska Airlines starting daily non-stop, year-round service from BNA to Seattle, there now only remains one significant gap in the MNAA's quest to have nonstop flights from Nashville to key domestic cities.  

 

The remaining gap is non-stop service to San Francisco (SFO) and the likely airline to fly that route is United Airlines.  At the moment United has a shortage of mainline aircraft, but the presence of Nissan and Bridgestone in Nashville should put pressure on United (or Virgin America) to launch a nonstop flight to SFO.  United operates a major international hub at SFO providing important connections to the Asia-Pacific region.  Southwest Airlines will resume its daily non-stop, year-round flights to Oakland (OAK) in June.  

 

I find it interesting that Los Angeles (LAX) is served with no less than 5 non-stop flights per day on 3 different airlines (American, Delta and Southwest).   One of the American Airlines flights is a red-eye.  That's a lot of capacity so the airlines must be doing quite well on the BNA-LAX route.

 

Well, in this case, ANA and United both serve Tokyo, and Delta serves Beijing from Seattle. That gives a number of options for flyers going from Nashville to East Asia with only one stop in between. It does make sense though with the business connections between Middle Tennessee and Japan that there would be a direct (not non stop) flight between Nashville and Tokyo via either SFO, LAX, or SEA.

 

Unrelated, but has anyone heard anything else about Virgin or BA starting flights to Nashville? That was a big story last year, but it seems to have petered out.

[titanhog]

Interesting article on a new 5-year tourism plan...

 

Nashville has logged 52 months of year-over-year growth in hotel rooms sold and hotel tax collections

 

As Nashville hotels continue to log record-setting occupancy, finding employees to fill hotel and other hospitality-industry jobs has become harder. The Omni Nashville and the Hilton Nashville Downtown have between 35 and 45 openings each, according to a basic search, for positions ranging from servers to housekeeping to a concierge.

 

Other issues expected to be brought up in the five-year plan include increasing air service internationally, the need for rapid transit, upgrading and expanding hotel and meeting space infrastructure and re-thinking the use of public space for large events.

“We have a lot of demand for events, but where do we put them other than the streets?” he asked. “Can we look at Bicentennial Mall? Can we look at the fairgrounds?”

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/blog/2015/04/amid-booming-growth-nashville-tourism-officials-to.html

Edited April 30, 2015 by titanhog

[smeagolsfree]

Alabama bank may move HQ here.

https://www.nashvillepost.com/blogs/postbusiness/2015/5/1/booming_bama_based_bank_may_move_hq_here

[fieldmarshaldj]

Alabama bank may move HQ here.

https://www.nashvillepost.com/blogs/postbusiness/2015/5/1/booming_bama_based_bank_may_move_hq_here

 

Oh, boy, a brand new 60-story bank HQ in downtown Nashville !

[smeagolsfree]

With an Alabama bank, it may be a double wide. JK, but could not help it. Time for someone in Alabama to make fun of TN.

[timmay143]

Probably just have to mention Alabama football.

[Guest]

There is a big tenant out there poking around, but it isn't this Bama Bank. Big.

[MLBrumby]

I have heard of Delek... and Community Health... and now Lifeway.  So is the "big tenant" from outside the area?  

[farm_boy]

There is a big tenant out there poking around, but it isn't this Bama Bank. Big.

 

Google will not require much space.

 

Now, hopefully, you will tell me it is something else ...

[farm_boy]

FYI, president of Ryman Hospitality spoke on WKRN tonight and stated there would be an announcement in, possibly, 3-5 months about plans for an indoor/outdoor water park. Stated (and I am paraphrasing) that not everyone wants to bring their wife and kids to spend 18 hours a day in a bar listening to music.

 

Also, he (as a member of the airport authority board) noted that airport and city/state officials are actively working on luring a flight to Europe. It was noted that a top state official recently visited two airlines to promote expanding service to Nashville

 

**Maybe when pigs fly??? 

[titanhog]

FYI, president of Ryman Hospitality spoke on WKRN tonight and stated there would be an announcement in, possibly, 3-5 months about plans for an indoor/outdoor water park. Stated (and I am paraphrasing) that not everyone wants to bring their wife and kids to spend 18 hours a day in a bar listening to music.

 

Also, he (as a member of the airport authority board) noted that airport and city/state officials are actively working on luring a flight to Europe. It was noted that a top state official recently visited two airlines to promote expanding service to Nashville

 

**Maybe when pigs fly??? 

They should have just kept Opryland and upgraded it...added a water park and other attractions.

 

Btw...not everyone wants to go to a water park, either.

[UTgrad09]

FYI, president of Ryman Hospitality spoke on WKRN tonight and stated there would be an announcement in, possibly, 3-5 months about plans for an indoor/outdoor water park. Stated (and I am paraphrasing) that not everyone wants to bring their wife and kids to spend 18 hours a day in a bar listening to music.

 

There was once this theme park that kids loved....wonder what happened to it?

[Guest]

Google will not require much space.

Now, hopefully, you will tell me it is something else ...

Nice try. Not as eye popping as the Google name, but as large as Bridgestone (in SF required). A company that has a presence here, but this would relocate their national corporate presence. Will share more when I can.

[bhibbs]

There was once this theme park that kids loved....wonder what happened to it?

   

[Guest]

FYI, president of Ryman Hospitality spoke on WKRN tonight and stated there would be an announcement in, possibly, 3-5 months about plans for an indoor/outdoor water park. Stated (and I am paraphrasing) that not everyone wants to bring their wife and kids to spend 18 hours a day in a bar listening to music.

Also, he (as a member of the airport authority board) noted that airport and city/state officials are actively working on luring a flight to Europe. It was noted that a top state official recently visited two airlines to promote expanding service to Nashville

**Maybe when pigs fly???

The water park is part of the hotel - directly connected. As an amenity to the guests. Not the stand alone water park across the interstate that they tried to get off the ground with Dolly Parton.

[farm_boy]

The water park is part of the hotel - directly connected. As an amenity to the guests. Not the stand alone water park across the interstate that they tried to get off the ground with Dolly Parton.

That was the impression I got. But he did talk about the land across Briley, so not sure what to make of it. However, he stressed the importance of the need for this family-oriented attraction.

Years ago, the plan was to build a "tower" addition (where the ice skating was during Christmas) to add an additional 500(?) Rooms. That plan got shelved when the economy tanked

[bigeasy]

I will never forget/forgive the people that chose to replace Opryland Theme Park with a mall. I miss spending my summers there. The same can't be said about shopping at the mall. 

[Neigeville2]

I will never forget/forgive the people that chose to replace Opryland Theme Park with a mall. I miss spending my summers there. The same can't be said about shopping at the mall. 

What kills me is that they didn't announce it was closing until after the season was over.  If they'd announced in advance that this would be their last season, they'd have raked in the cash.  Doesn't seem too bright.

[UTgrad09]

What kills me is that they didn't announce it was closing until after the season was over.  If they'd announced in advance that this would be their last season, they'd have raked in the cash.  Doesn't seem too bright.

 

There's not a whole lot that organization does that seems bright.

[MLBrumby]

What kills me is that they didn't announce it was closing until after the season was over.  If they'd announced in advance that this would be their last season, they'd have raked in the cash.  Doesn't seem too bright.

 

I have heard that that regime is long gone (maybe I heard that on this board)... but I recall one of the McKinsey consultants I got to know in those days on flights into Nashville. I was doing quite a bit of work in our Nashville office and had an apartment (a dump) off Hillsboro Road.  Anyway, this consultant told me that even McKinsey recommended they keep certain portions of the park. The board didn't want the liability, and there was no y-o-y growth in attendance during the 1990s. Seems like I recall some magic number of 2 million that the park didn't hit enough times. Of course, that was probably also a function of management not investing in new rides and such... but basically the "fix was already in".  They knew for some time that they didn't want a big "last season" for various reasons, from delaying construction to operational costs of staffing up for one season to the potential of protests (at least drawn out controversy) from the general public. Obviously, they opted for the quick and decisive approach.  

[Nashville Cliff]

I don't know if it's true, but I've heard they make a ton more money off of the mall partnership than they ever made off of the park.