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Sports Authority approves term sheet for new Titans Stadium, community feedback mixed





Metro Nashville Sports Authority on Thursday unanimously approved a proposed term sheet between the Tennessee Titans and Metro Government for a new, $2.1 billion domed 60,000-seat stadium, projected for completion in 2026.

The approved term sheet resolution now goes to the Metro Council for final approval, with a final vote anticipated by Dec. 20.

“We are thankful for the Metro Nashville Sports Authority’s leadership and support in moving the stadium proposal forward,” Titans VP of Marketing and Communication Kate Guerra shared in a statement. “The Authority has worked for many years to identify and address the challenges faced at the existing stadium and continues to be an important partner as we look ahead to the future.”

Approval from the Sports Authority is a necessary step, but it may not be a sign of an easy road ahead. Several metro council members have publicly said they oppose the new stadium deal because it’s too expensive, while others have voiced skepticism on the actual costs of maintenance and renovation outlined in a study of Metro’s costs to upkeep the existing stadium.

Metro Council members are expected to vote next week on a proposed 1% increase in the hotel/motel tax for Davidson County — one piece of the funding puzzle for the stadium. Bond issuances to finance other parts of the stadium are anticipated early next year.

Metro’s obligations under current contract still unclear

Sports Authority members, echoing talking points from Mayor John Cooper’s office, said the stadium deal would relieve Nashville taxpayers of a $1.75 billion burden in upkeep of the existing Nissan Stadium, as it would void the city’s current lease agreement.

In reality, a dollar amount for Metro’s actual obligation under the current lease with the Titans — whether $1.75 billion or much less — remains unclear. Terms in the current lease — such as “first class condition” — are undefined.

An entirely new stadium is not the only option Metro officials have when it comes to the city’s agreement with the Titans, despite an air of inevitability from the Mayor’s office.

The basis for the “taxpayer burden relief” estimate comes from projections made by the Titans of the money it would take to renovate and maintain the existing Nissan Stadium according to the team’s wish list. 

Meanwhile, Metro Council members this year approved funding for an independent study to examine exactly what Metro is obligated to pay under the current lease.

“This report was a complete waste of money,” council member Erin Evans shared on Twitter.

That’s because instead of beginning fresh with the lease and existing stadium, Venue Solutions Group (engaged by the pro-new stadium Mayor’s office) analyzed whether the Titans’ estimate of maintenance and renovation expenses were justified. VSG’s report also included analysis of new features “to make the facility competitive for hosting major events and making it the ‘go-to’ spot overlooking downtown Nashville,” — elements not required of Metro in the existing lease.

Predictably, VSG agreed with the Titans’ estimate of nearly $1.8 billion.

“The alternative is complying with the existing lease,” Council member Sean Parker wrote in a tweet last month. “Council funded a study to determine that cost but the Mayor’s office used the money to analyze the team’s preferred redevelopment instead. Admin and VSG use careful language, but bottom line is they punted it.”

So, it’s still not clear exactly what Metro is responsible for under the current lease.

But it is possible — though still unknown — that Metro could see much less expense than what the Titans’ estimate projects.

Public hearings ongoing

Meanwhile, Nashville residents are giving feedback to the East Bank Stadium Committee this week during a spate of special public meetings on the stadium proposal.

Residents, union groups, nonprofits, community organizations and business representatives have gathered during public comment meetings in different Nashville neighborhoods. Feedback has been mixed — about half the residents speaking at each meeting have supported and half opposed a new stadium.

Magda Underdown-DuBois, who works at the Nashville Public Library, said during a meeting Nov. 29 at Southeast Community Center that she fears funding for the stadium will ultimately detract from Metro employee pay and affordable housing for city employees to live in Davidson County lines.

“I am against a brand-new stadium,” Underdown-DuBois said. “If we can spend the minimum for a nice place for these people to go play football and whatever, fine. But we have bigger priorities in Nashville, like affordable housing and supporting our kids’ education, rather than throwing cash into a questionable investment.”

Former Council Member Jamie Hollin said during the Nov. 29 meeting that the priority for Metro should be moving the expense burden of a stadium away from Nashville taxpayers, and the new lease would move that cost burden from Nashville taxpayers to those who pay hotel tax and special sales tax.

“If critics think you can make cosmetic improvements to Nissan Stadium on the cheap and go on with business as usual, I suggest you do not have the leverage that you think you do,” Hollin said. “Ultimately, a court may decide whether your cosmetic improvements constitute first-class condition.”

Other residents have said Metro should prioritize improving funding for schools, road repairs and affordable housing rather than devote so much new revenue from the hotel/motel tax increase toward a new stadium.

Nashville resident Whitney Pastoreck said during a Nov. 21 meeting at East High School that the Cooper administration should prioritize Nashville residents struggling in poverty rather than putting an NFL team and its fans first.

“This administration wants to give $2 billion to a football franchise worth an estimated $3 billion so that wealthy white men can play ‘SimCity’ with public land,” Pastoreck said. “If they would like to match that giveaway with a $2B investment in … the economic and social wellbeing of the people of Nashville … then I would consider supporting this development, but we all know that’s not going to happen.”

Still others say they’d like more information on costs of a new stadium before a decision is made, and the Titans ownership should be responsible for more costs.

“The owners and fans who can afford super high-priced tickets should pay the whole cost for their own facilities,” resident Carl Meyer said during a public comment meeting in north Nashville on Thursday evening. “If they can’t afford to do that and can get better deals somewhere else, let them go there.”

“Ultimately, the reality is that taxpayers will pay for this,” MNPS math teacher Jeremiah Wooten said. “Every argument I’ve heard for the deal is based on the old deal being so bad, and this new deal is less bad. I refuse to accept that a less bad deal is inherently a good deal. It’s clear that there are way more questions than answers.”

Further public comment meetings are scheduled for 6 p.m. on Dec. 7 at Bellevue Community Center and 6 p.m. on Dec. 12 at the Hermitage Police Precinct. 

Council members are scheduled to take up the term sheet and, separately, the 1% hotel/motel tax increase next week.

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