Joey Garrison | The Tennessean

MLS

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Shortly after taking office in March, Nashville Mayor David Briley committed to seeing through one of his predecessor's legacy projects — construction of a new $275 million Major League Soccer stadium at the city's fairgrounds.

But Briley's opponents in the city's special mayoral election aren't so sure it's a good idea, with some questioning the expensive up-front cost for for the city and others still asking whether Metro's 117-acre fairgrounds is the right site for the public-private project.

Several candidates have also criticized a plan that's part of the stadium deal approved in the fall to give 10 acres of fairgrounds land to Nashville's MLS ownership group for a mixed-use private development.

"I'd like to revisit it," said mayoral candidate Ralph Bristol, a conservative former radio host. "I don't think that's the only place that the soccer stadium can be built.

"And I'm not in favor of giving anyone 10 acres of land to develop next to the soccer stadium," he said. "Nashville taxpayers are bearing most of the financial risk. I don't think that's a good idea. I don't think it was well thought through."

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► Council vote: Nashville council defeats proposal to rescind Major League Soccer stadium deal

'Not a high priority'

John Ingram, the lead owner of Nashville's MLS franchise, has said that scrapping a plan to build a soccer stadium at the city's fairgrounds would cost Nashville its recently awarded team.

Securing a plan for a soccer-specific stadium plan was a key reason why MLS in December awarded Nashville an expansion franchise.

► Fairgrounds revamp: Nashville wants to hear from residents on revamped fairgrounds with MLS stadium

►Nashville MLS owner: Scrapping fairgrounds stadium plan would cost city team

The Metro Council voted 31-6 in November to approve $225 million in revenue bonds for the project. But the bond transaction is contingent on future council votes for demolition of existing fairgrounds buildings, rezoning for the private development and a stadium lease between the city and team.

It means the next elected mayor is in position to either ensure the project happens or gets pushed aside.

Alan Poizner/For The Tennessean

"Based on my understanding of the city's budget crisis, I don't see how they can afford to build a stadium," said former Vanderbilt University professor Carol Swain, a mayoral candidate who is supported by some fairgrounds advocates, including conservative political operative Rick Williams. "I'm concerned about all the borrowing."

Swain said the stadium should rely on a heavier share of private dollars and that it "would not be a high priority for me given the other needs of the city."

"I think there's two things," Swain said. "One is whether or not the city can afford to build it. And if they can afford to build it, the location. The fairgrounds is not necessarily the only place where it could be located. There are people who would like to place it in MetroCenter, and that's something that should be under consideration."

Candidates cite current budget situation

The special mayoral election to fill the remainder of the term of former Mayor Megan Barry is May 24. Early voting ends Saturday.

The Ingram-led ownership group has made clear it has no interest in building a soccer stadium at land the city owns in MetroCenter north of downtown. The team has said it has an agreement with MLS to build the stadium at the fairgrounds.

Nevertheless, council members DeCosta Hastings, the MetroCenter area's representative, and Steve Glover have continued to push the the idea. The two have legislation set for consideration in the council Tuesday to remove the fairgrounds requirement in order to reopen the search for a stadium location.

State Rep. Harold Love Jr., another mayoral candidate, whose state district also includes MetroCenter, said "it would not be a bad idea to look at (MetroCenter) as long as it does not jeopardize the team coming."

But he also raised concerns about the project itself.

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"Here's where I have concerns," Love said. "The amount of money we're talking about spending on that stadium in this financial climate. We're talking about a budget that cut the request of Metro schools from ($44.7 million) down to $5 million. We're talking about the inability to provide the promised pay raises to our city employees.

"How does it look for us to say we're going to keep our promise to MLS to build a stadium and we're not keeping our promise to our schools and to our first-responders? That becomes problematic."

MLS ownership: We believe Metro will 'stand by its word' regardless of mayor

During his State of Metro address this month, Briley reiterated his pledge to build the stadium, saying, "We’ll build a Major League Soccer stadium at the Fairgrounds, as we made a commitment to do by an overwhelming vote of the Metro Council just last fall."

The city has kicked off talks about a community benefits agreement for the stadium project.

Under the public-private deal approved by the council in November, the ownership team led by Ingram — majority owner of Nashville Soccer Club — is set to pay $25 million up front and $9 million a year over 30 years to help retire Metro’s annual $13 million debt for the $225 bond issuance. The city is supposed to pump an additional $25 million into upgrades at the fairgrounds site.

Sales tax revenue generated by the stadium, as well as a $1.75 ticket tax that would increase over time, is designed to cover the remaining $4 million of the yearly debt.

In a statement, Clint Brewer, spokeswoman for Nashville Soccer Holdings, reiterated the ownership's position that building the stadium anywhere but the fairgrounds "will cost the city its team."

Brewer said the team is contractually obligated by agreement with the league to provide a stadium at the fairgrounds.

"The team has already made a very significant monetary investment to secure Nashville’s place in MLS in reliance of the 31-6 vote by Metro Council identifying the Fairgrounds as the stadium site," Brewer said. "Furthermore, the team is responsible for most of the cost of the stadium as part of this public-private partnership.

"Regardless of who becomes mayor, we believe Nashville government will choose to stand by its word and honor its commitments.”

Councilwoman who voted for stadium project now noncommittal

But besides Briley, other candidates want another look.

Alan Poizner/USA TODAY NETWORK-Tennessee

"Any project that involves that much money and that much scale, I would have to look at thoroughly from the inside before making a final decision," said mayoral candidate jeff obafemi carr, a former strategist for the transit referendum opposition group NoTax4Tracks. "I think we need to keep our options now until I have an opportunity to bring all parties to the table and examine whether it's best to move forward as is or explore possible options.

"I am a supporter of Major League Soccer and what it can bring to Nashville, I just want to make sure that it's benefiting the many over the few."

He also said he has questions about the proposal to lease 10 acres of land for private development and wants to explore a "win-win not only for Nashville and MLS, but for our community and taxpayers."

At-large Councilwoman Erica Gilmore was one of the 31 council member to vote in favor of the bond resolution in November.

But even she's not committed to completing the project.

“Councilwoman Gilmore is studying the issue," Gilmore's campaign manager Charles Badger said. "She is listening to viewpoints and perspectives from across the city. We have nothing further to announce at this time.”