Music City Center, 1.2 million sq. ft., $623 million

[smeagolsfree]

CC legislation now awaits the Govs. signature. Is this a done deal?

from the NBJ

http://nashville.bizjournals.com/nashville...tml?jst=b_ln_hl

[FromParkAveToTN]

Covention Center breaking news http://nashvillecitypaper.com/index.cfm?se...p;news_id=56469

[smeagolsfree]

I think we will not see any movement on the CC until after the election, then maybe it will move forward if they dont study it to death first.

[ATLBrain]

Why do you think that? Is the election this year or next? Also, I thought this was essentially the last hurdle before funding.

[smeagolsfree]

Election is this year for mayor and the entire council. I think there is only three months left inthe current term and sometimes they drag their feet and leave major issues for the next council. I hope I am wrong. They will have to, approve designs, approve budgets for it, hire a contractor, etc etc.

[MTSUBlueraider86]

Marriott and Tower Investments have been talking. Marriott wants to be the anchor hotel. Tower want's to be the developer. Peabody has also had interest out of Memphis.

[smeagolsfree]

An article from the CP this morning. Cost are going up and time is of the essence. I know producer2 said this was suppose to be open by 2010, but that is just 2 and half years away and there is a lot of work to be done here.

Relocation of the Greyhound terminal

Demolition of existing buildings

Issuing bonds

Design work

Choosing an architect and general contractor

This is just to mention a few areas that will have to be addressed after the cost projections are done. I feel that this will happen but it has yet to be approved by the Metro Council and they really tend to drag there feet.

http://nashvillecitypaper.com/index.cfm?se...p;news_id=56524

[smeagolsfree]

Interesting that there is an article in the NBJ about the Metro Council being not so fast to sign off on this. The Reason? They are on the way out and there are a lot of unanswered questions. They are going to leave this one for the next Council session. I think the 2010 opening date is a long shot and construction cost are rising and that was one of the concerns along with traffic flow problems that have not been addressed.

I really want to see this happen, but we are a long way IMO from starting.

[producer2]

Interesting that there is an article in the NBJ about the Metro Council being not so fast to sign off on this. The Reason? They are on the way out and there are a lot of unanswered questions. They are going to leave this one for the next Council session. I think the 2010 opening date is a long shot and construction cost are rising and that was one of the concerns along with traffic flow problems that have not been addressed.

I really want to see this happen, but we are a long way IMO from starting.

While there may be some posturing on the council to get this approved, a majority of the other areas you have outlined are already way down the pike. Don't be surprised if it does go to the council before August. If it does go it will pass because te votes will already be counted. Let me also restate the dates that I have heard, 2010 for the Gaylord expansion and July 2011 for the downtown center. I am sorry if I stated those incorrectly previously.

Edited June 10, 2007 by producer2

[Hankster]

While there may be some posturing on the council to get this approved, a majority of the other areas you have outlined are already way down the pike. Don't be surprised if it does go to the council before August. If it does go it will pass because te votes will already be counted. Let me also restate the dates that I have heard, 2010 for the Gaylord expansion and July 2011 for the downtown center. I am sorry if I stated those incorrectly previously.

It's good news to hear there's so much support for this at Metro Council. Without a doubt, the CC is one of the most important (if not THE most important) projects proposed in Nashville at this time.

[smeagolsfree]

Thanks for clarifying prodcer. 2011 makes a lot more since than 2010. I would love to see thme run with this.

[marckrejci]

I think we will not see any movement on the CC until after the election, then maybe it will move forward if they dont study it to death first.

Talked to Butch last week about the current status of the project. Check it out here:

http://www.nashvillemarketreport.com/?p=67

[Hankster]

Talked to Butch last week about the current status of the project. Check it out here:

http://www.nashvillemarketreport.com/?p=67

Thanks for posting. I listened to the entire podcast, and I must say everything sounds very positive. This project may just happen faster than I though possible. Nashville is poised to become a major player in the Convention business with the Music City Center downtown and the $400 Million Opryland expansion. This will spur significant growth in tourism, in hotel and restaurant business, increases in airport service, etc. WOW!

[smeagolsfree]

Wow, Its been a while since anyone has discussed the CC here. We need to keep the topic hot as this is one of the most important municipal projects that Nashville will ever take up.

As far as I know the site of the CC has not officially been selected, however the Sobro site is first in most minds including the Mayor and many of the powers that be. There is still time to change minds if it happens at all. I do think the process will start soon as this and the riverfront are going to be the two major projects under this current administration. There have been a couple of cities that the mayor has visited, one being Philadelphia to see how a CC can affect or in that case keep the street grid open. The question for many folks is, Do we keep the street grid open underneath the new CC? In my mind the Sobro location is the best location due to the proximity to the district and DT hotels. It is also close to the Gulch for entertainment.

There has not been any design as far as I know thrown out. I would think that this being a public project, everything has to be public. Bear in mind that his has not even been approved by the Council, just the means to finance it has. I think movement will start happening very soon.

As a side note, producer2 correct me please if I have any of this wrong as I have not kept as close an eye on it as I should have.

[producer2]

smeagolsfree,

That is pretty much what we discussed yesterday. I would caution on using the term "time to change minds" because IMO it is a done deal in Sobro. The report from MDHA is due in a week or so and I am told it is already in the mayor's hands. This will be the blueprint used for what the city "want's to happen" and the fun begins from there. The mayor (and the council I believe) do not want this to drag on forever because there is a consensus that this project needs to get started. Money is being collected already and the funds avaialable at this point is already in the millions of dollars. The current center is paid off sso the funds that were going to that project are also being collected for the new project. Some of these funds will go to subsidize the new lease agreement for the Sommet Center. As we know the additional money is collected from a new hotel motel tax that the State Legislature set up for this specific project. A $2 per room and additional 1% tax increase added to the current 4% rate. There will be a new dollar amount required to build in this report as it is two years later than the first report. I am confident it will reach the $500 million mark. I do not know whether they have considered LEED certification or a green roof, etc. with this report but we should know soon enough. Hope this helps........

Edited January 6, 2008 by producer2

[franktown]

So what do you think the timeframe is (i.e. 'official' selection of SoBro, Presentation to Metro Council, approval, design, construction, etc.)? I just hope that there's a desire to make this a good project for both residents and visitors and there's something in this (or hopefully wrapping the edges) in terms of amenities or retail for residents. Do you think they'll re-open 6th Avenue after we close the current CC?

[producer2]

I really think that is the desire from the mayor, cvb, etc. The problems come when te general public is somehat uninformed about how this is being funded and all they think about is the city is spending their tax dollars. When that happens you start to loose parts of the overall project for funding purposes. Just like anything else, with enough funding you can build the Taj Mahal, but how far is the council willing to go to do that. A perfect example of not seeing the future is the current scenario with the Sommet Center. The city is now agreeing to finish out the building in the next year or so at a cost a lot higher than if they had just done it when it was built. It was in the original plans but got cut do to funding. Many have ex[ressed what they want to see but few are willing to say spend the money to do it right the first time.

[Rural King]

Has any city's convention center ever had the grid run through the actual structure rather than under it (Kansas City perhaps? Its been so long I have forgotten)? I would think building the structure around and over the roadway at grad might be a easier and cheaper alternative to digging. The only issue would be noise and possible vibration, but I would assume modern dampening materials are probably available to address that issue.

[ShowProducer]

Great to hear that they are moving forward, however . . . any site that isn't in the middle of the hotel package will be a mistake. Site at 5th and Demonbreun makes the most sense. Show producers that pick Nashville like the current location of the convention center because it is convenient to the hotels and downtown. Moving it further away from either will reduce it's appeal. Make sure they stick with the recommendation of the CVB and the Music City Center and locate it at 5th and Demonbreun.

[Shuzilla]

As far as I know the site of the CC has not officially been selected, however the Sobro site is first in most minds including the Mayor and many of the powers that be. There is still time to change minds if it happens at all.

Since sighting is still a major issue, and if there will be a design competition for the CC, perhaps Nashville should invite architects to make proposals for whichever site seems best suited to them. Whichever proposal that is judged best would determine the site. The city can go as far as to limit the sites to the top two or three, then each designer could propose a building for any one of them, or for all sites if he wishes.

[ATLBrain]

Just FYI, there is a great ongoing debate about the key issues surrounding the new CC (site, size, streets, ped scale, etc.) over at the Charrette forum.

[ShowProducer]

Since sighting is still a major issue, and if there will be a design competition for the CC, perhaps Nashville should invite architects to make proposals for whichever site seems best suited to them. Whichever proposal that is judged best would determine the site. The city can go as far as to limit the sites to the top two or three, then each designer could propose a building for any one of them, or for all sites if he wishes.

The most important factor . . . location . . . location . . . location. Put it in the right place. Then design a facility that works best for the location. Horse belongs in front of the cart. Several cities have fantasitic convention centers that stand vacant for most of the year because they are in the wrong location. Los Angeles is currently spending billions, literally, to build hotels and attractions around their convention center because of bad location decisions made decades ago. Their beautiful convention center has been an absolute financial drain on the city. Mostly the center hosts boat and auto shows - local consumer events that don't put people in hotel rooms or have people from out of town spending money in Nashville.

Keep in mind how the new center will be financed. Convention business dollars. If you don't attract events that will put people in hotel rooms, rental cars, bars and restaurants, you won't realize the income from the tax created to pay for the center.

I would seriously question the motives of anyone wanting to build the new center anywhere except in the heart of the city. First question . . . Do they stand to profit from another location?

[jcoop]

A perfect example of not seeing the future is the current scenario with the Sommet Center. The city is now agreeing to finish out the building in the next year or so at a cost a lot higher than if they had just done it when it was built. It was in the original plans but got cut do to funding.

A little off topic, but can you or someone elaborate about what finishing out the Sommet Center entails?

Also, I can't imagine blocking the street grid in the SoBro location, especially with the details that have been put forth into making Demonbreun a better thoroughfare to downtown, and more importantly with all the other growth we know will come in SoBro. Someone posted a rendering a while back of another cities CC that had the building over the street grid in certain spots...does anyone remember that or can someone post it back?

[Hankster]

Since sighting is still a major issue, and if there will be a design competition for the CC, perhaps Nashville should invite architects to make proposals for whichever site seems best suited to them. Whichever proposal that is judged best would determine the site. The city can go as far as to limit the sites to the top two or three, then each designer could propose a building for any one of them, or for all sites if he wishes.

Hasn't the site already been chosen? I believe it will be between 4th and eight avenue and just south of the Sommet Center . I'm quite happy with that choice myself. I hope to see the design completed by the end of this year, and ground broken early 2009. In my opinion, this is the most important project being considered for Nashville today because of all the additional investment that woill go with it.

[ShowProducer]

Hasn't the site already been chosen? I believe it will be between 4th and eight avenue and just south of the Sommet Center . I'm quite happy with that choice myself. I hope to see the design completed by the end of this year, and ground broken early 2009. In my opinion, this is the most important project being considered for Nashville today because of all the additional investment that woill go with it.

Last I heard the site you mention had not been officially picked and the city was being lobbied heavily to move the site to a location that was further from downtown. No surprise that the people doing the lobbying would have much to gain by the move to "their" location. Unfortunalty, the local convention industry would not be well served. Please make sure that you continue to pay attention to this project as it develops.