Nashville Bits and Pieces

[mirydi]

A Minor League stadium is not 5k-6k; more like 10k-15k.  You build the complete lower tier with pressbox and some skyboxes first to accommodate Minor League capacity needs, and then if addition is needed to accommodate MLB you add additional skyboxes and upperdecks above.  As for LP Field I think compared to the other stadiums in the league (although it would be much nicer with a brick exterior) LP field looks great; compare it to new soldier field, NY's new stadium or University of Phoenix Stadium.  At least LP field doesn't look like the all glass grounded flying saucer modern European soccer stadium crap like you see at a lot of new NFL stadiums.

So in other words, if it were ever to get upgraded to an MLB stadium, it would be done half-assed. I'm sorry, but with a 40 million dollar budget, this thing wouldn't be all that big, and I seriously doubt it would be a good platform to convert into a MLB stadium. Not with that kind of budget anyway's. I guess if we were to ever land an MLB team, we might as well count out the idea of having a really nice stadium. If that's the plan anyway's. I guess It would fit in nicely with LP field. LIke two pea's in a pod.

 

As for your feeling's about about stadium's like the Dallas Cowboy's have, (I assume that's what you are refering to with your description) I guess it's just a matter of taste. I know I woudn't mind having a really nice shiny domed stadium to host Superbowl's in though. Never gonna happen with LP field. Maybe atleast if we did have a nice stadium that wasn't second tier, we might get a little more relevant in the NFL world. We certainly don't ever get talked about on any of the NFL channels or on ESPN, maybe that might help. The Titan's, who rarely can put together a winning season, (or scoring drive lol) are getting less and less relevant as time goes by unfortunately.

 

 

The Bicentennial Mall State Park will NEVER be replaced with a baseball stadium or anything else...it was designed with the specific purpose of preserving a view of the Tennessee State Capitol building in perpetuity!

How unfortunate. As if there isn't enough location's to view the State Capitol building already.

[arkitekte]

Ok. Ill give you that last season was higher than normal on comps. But quoting the article you posted;

"In 2011-12 the averages were 16,103 in paid and 646 comp. In 2010-11 they were 15,525 in paid and 650 comp."

Like I said, below 1000 for the last few seasons. Now I admit, I was wrong about last season as i was grouping the last few years together. I hadn't seen those numbers. However, I do believe the ESPN figures to be accurate on attendance figures.

Regardless, I was simply stating that I think the health of the Predators Franchise is at a high point.

 

ESPN reports tickets sold as their attendance as reported to ESPN by the organization playing.  Their numbers aren't accurate as far as actual attendance. 

Edited August 22, 2013 by arkitekte

[dmillsphoto]

ESPN reports are awful when it comes to reporting on the NHL.

 

Fixed that for you. 

[mirydi]

I think this article posted today from the NP, pretty much sum's up what I've been saying.

 

http://nashvillepost.com/blogs/postsports/2013/8/22/what_your_40_million_might_get_you

 

Again, with a $40 million dollar price tag, this thing would be nothing to brag about. Even in term's of minor league stadium's it would be considered small, and it wouldn't be all that fancy either. For the record, I don't have one single problem with this proposal. I like the proposed site, and I think it would be great for the city. My only bone to pick was in response to it being upgradeable to an MLB stadium. If that is truly the long term goal for this baseball park, and they really have plan's to upgrade this to an MLB stadium, it would easily be the weakest MLB stadium in the country. Not something I would be fond of seeing how we already have that label with our NFL stadium.

 

Anyhow, I think I'll leave this discussion alone now as it doesn't really matter anyway. We won't be getting a MLB team for anytime in the forseeable future unfortunately.

[nashvylle]

San Diego, Jacksonville, Buffalo, St. Louis, Oakland, Miami all have worse stadiums than we do.

 

Cowboys, Jets/Giants, San Francisco, etc. had worse stadiums until they recently built there new ones.

 

Titans need a better season. Stadiums can be great if the team is great.

[nashvillwill]

I don't think the Titans have a "bad" stadium. It's not dumpy. It's just budget. And who can blame us? We didn't know if the NFL experiment in Nashville was going to last at the time. Rememeber that the PSL push was a way to guarantee upon the loans. Now it's a model that's been adopted across the league. It just so happened that the team was hot when they moved to town, so I think that solidified them in our communal mind.

Jacksonville stadium is very similar to LP field. Not bad, just no frills. Personally, I think it suits us well. Its very "Nashville" to love what we have, even if other people have better things. Sure, we could build a bowl that seats 90k, but what's the point? The game day experience is fun, it's not too big that we have to tarp over sections and its fairly personal in the sense of a football stadium. They have made constant (Maybe sometimes minor) improvements to the stadium, so its not like the fans are dealing with 20 year old technology. It's right downtown and if you don't mind walking across a bridge, the tailgating potential is incredible.

Sure, it has totally stalled any devolopment potential on the east bank for the next few decades, but the days of pro sports teams depending upon a city are over. Nowadays, teams have many options and aren't afraid to leave a city if there is financial gain. I hate that, but I love sports and realize that it's a part of our modern economy. I much prefer a team like the Preds who have a massive game day impact on the economy and seem to understand their civic significance, but the Titans are an NFL team, and that's just the way that league has positioned itself.

I hate it from an urban design perspective, but ill take it for what it is. I don't think it's dumpy or inadequate.

Edited August 23, 2013 by nashvillwill

[satalac]

 

As for your feeling's about about stadium's like the Dallas Cowboy's have, (I assume that's what you are refering to with your description) I guess it's just a matter of taste. I know I woudn't mind having a really nice shiny domed stadium to host Superbowl's in though. Never gonna happen with LP field. Maybe atleast if we did have a nice stadium that wasn't second tier, we might get a little more relevant in the NFL world. We certainly don't ever get talked about on any of the NFL channels or on ESPN, maybe that might help. The Titan's, who rarely can put together a winning season, (or scoring drive lol) are getting less and less relevant as time goes by unfortunately.

 

 

 

A new stadium won't really do anything for the team. That's more for the fans. And the reason the Titans don't get much airtime is that they are in one of the smallest markets in the NFL. That and they aren't winning right now. Like nashvillwill said, I think LP suits Nashville rather well. Not too flashy and gets the job done. It's not an unattractive design. Plus it does have the biggest HD screens of any outdoor stadium in the NFL, although Denver may have just overtaken us. If you think people are upset about metro spending $40 million on a baseball stadium, then hold on if they announce a new football stadium to replace one that functions perfectly well. 

[mirydi]

Anybody have an idea of what this could be?

 

Dean plans investment announcement

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/morning_call/2013/08/dean-plans-investment-announcement.html

 

Nashville Mayor Karl Dean plans to make an announcement today "regarding a major city investment," according to a news release.

The announcement is planned for 11 a.m. at the Shelby Street Pedestrian Bridge downtown. Check back with nashvillebusinessjournal.com today for more details.

 

 

 

  

Edited August 27, 2013 by mirydi

[TheRaglander]

Yeah I see the crowd on the bridge but wasn't able to skip out of work to see what's going on.

[MLBrumby]

Announcement of the next phase of the East Bank river park with boat docks.   And the first plan revealed for the Thermal site with a park and amphitheater. 

[mirydi]

I guess I would be getting my hopes up too much thinking this had something to do with PSC metals. Oh how that would make my day!

[nashwatcher]

With all the progress this administration is determined on achieving, I wouldn't be surprised if they try to sneak in the redevelopment of the PSC site before the Mayor's term is up...

[bwithers1]

The cost of that land acquisition, PSC relocation, and brownfield remedian would make the Music City Center look like nothing.  I'd say that PSC is for the next Mayor to handle.

[nashwatcher]

Wow. Didn't realize it was that expensive...

[ariesjow]

Environmental remediation is crazy expensive, but I would think it would be absolutely imperative for a site like the PSC Metals one if we ever want to see the East Bank fully revitalized. I could totally see it ending up a Superfund site under CERCLA and it would be PSC's responsibility to undertake the remediation. I'm sure they are more than aware of this. 

Edited August 28, 2013 by ariesjow

[mirydi]

Well they did say it was a "major city investment." All I know is that it needs to be taken care of sooner or later, why not start now instead of continuously putting it off. Hopefully this will be a main focus of the next administration and they get it done. Just because it's expensive doesn't mean we shouldn't start getting a plan in place to relocate PSC metals and redevelop the property. Got to start somewhere. Maybe they should let the taxpayers take a vote on it starters. If that's what the people want and say they don't mind paying for it, then I don't see what the problem is.

[bigeasy]

Well that announcement wasn't quite what I was hoping for. But then again I think an amphitheater at the old Thermal Site is a huge waste of prime property. Sigh, I suppose I officially have to surrender my dreams for a better Riverfront.

[UTgrad09]

Well that announcement wasn't quite what I was hoping for. But then again I think an amphitheater at the old Thermal Site is a huge waste of prime property. Sigh, I suppose I officially have to surrender my dreams for a better Riverfront.

 

 

I guess I'd be OK with it if those cool highrises from the rendering were part of the deal.

 

Otherwise, I agree with you. Why can't they just snip off the end next to Shelby St Bridge and build an awesome 30-40 story tower?

[MidTenn1]

Renderings...

 

 

 

 

I like it. The 'We are Nashville' Promenade reminds me of the promenade in Montreal along the St Lawrence where tour buses loaded up and Cirque du Soliel tents were set up.

Edited August 28, 2013 by PHofKS

[CenterHill]

Thanks for posting.    More on the promenade from the announcement:

 

"The tree-lined promenade would visually connect the riverfront and provide a shaded path from Korean Veterans Boulevard north to Church Street. Eighteen-foot flood wall markers would line the promenade, providing places for temporary walls to slide in between the markers if the river was at risk of flooding, a mitigation measure recommended in Metro's Unified Flood Preparedness Plan."

 

In the 2010 flood, 1st Ave was inundated from the thermal site all the way up to roughly Ft. Nashborough, so the flood wall would have to span that distance to be effective.  I noticed there's a version of the rendering that extends northward and appears to include that entire span.   I didn't think the portion north of the thermal site was included in this phase, but the quote makes me think it might be.   Hope so.

[bhibbs]

So, can we take a vote and call this place Starwood v. 2.0?

[bigeasy]

I don't even know why they bother with the Canine Playground. It looks to be kind small according to that rendering. Does not seem like the dogs would really even have that much room to move around. The connection to Rolling Mill is pretty nice. I wonder if that will make for easy access to the Trolley Barns also?

[MLBrumby]

I think that's correct about the flood wall... that it will extend farther north eventually.  Dean said that this plan will be developed further.  As I understand it, Dean announced that the funds allocation will be in the design which may depart from this a bit. 

[BnaBreaker]

I'm with some others in thinking that by putting a park here, this space isn't being utilized as well as it could be.  That being said, however, I don't think there is such thing as too much park space.  Every major city needs a nice park at it's core, and who knows, perhaps if the amphitheater is something along the lines of the Jay Pritzker Pavilion at Millennium Park here in Chicago, then this project will still have an impact on the cityscape.  

 

Something like this wouldn't look so bad in that spot, would it? 

 

Jay Pritzker Pavilion Dos by Brian Koprowski, on Flickr

Edited August 27, 2013 by BnaBreaker

[UTgrad09]

^^^

Interesting, but I don't think I'd want something of that....mass.

 

Something simple, but with some nice curves, something like this:

 

As long as it isn't a flat roof or a tent, I'll be fine. Give it some nice curves that complement the MCC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But don't incorporate a damn musical instrument design into it. Potential architects, if you're out there, and you put a damn guitar/violin/banjo shape into this, so help me God I will hunt you down and force you to eat the design. Hope you used non-toxic ink.