The future of NASCAR and stock car racing at the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway is currently dependent on how Mayor John Cooper mediates a dispute with a Major League Soccer franchise owner over 2.4 acres of fairgrounds property.

The first-year mayor is working to restructure an agreement made by predecessor David Briley to bring an MLS franchise to a yet-to-be constructed stadium on the fairgrounds, in part, to facilitate NASCAR’s return to the legendary short track already located on the property.

The construction of the stadium on fairgrounds property was first approved in 2018 and is intended to coexist alongside a renovated version of the 60-year-old speedway.



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However, just how much of the city-owned fairgrounds would be used for stadium-related construction has been a hotly debated topic ever since Cooper was sworn into office back in September. Construction on the $335 million stadium was set to break ground in November, but Cooper has withheld his signature on the paperwork needed to begin.



Cooper has questioned the cost to taxpayers for infrastructure costs, an element he successfully campaigned on, while also negotiating with Speedway Motorsports Inc. over a NASCAR national touring return to the .595-mile high-banked oval.

Nashville SC team owner John Ingram, meanwhile, pledged an additional $19 million in infrastructure support for "the immediate vicinity" of the stadium.

The main point of contention is the 2.4 acres of land closest to the speedway that Ingram wants to develop as a commercial-residential addition to the sporting venue. The land is part of an overall 10-acre parcel that Major League Soccer and Ingram are adamant is absolutely necessary to the success of any stadium project.



Major League Soccer

Proponents of both the State Fair and speedway believe the 2.4 acres would effectively choke the speedway moving forward and would not be beneficial for the co-existence of both soccer and stock car racing. Cooper has also stated that the speedway is protected by City Metro’s charter, an element the previous mayor did not adhere to when negotiating with Ingram’s team.

A 2011 referendum was passed 2-to-1 by the voters of Davidson County, Tennessee, to protect motorsports, the flea market and expo center events that were in place as of Dec. 31, 2010.



Cooper has offered to relocate the 10 acres to elsewhere on the property, arguing that the 2.4 acres is "one of the important components of the unified site plan at the fairgrounds." In addition, a deadline to begin construction on the November demolition plans passed on Monday, meaning a new timeline must be agreed upon.



Ingram and the MLS contingent have taken exception to the tactic, suggesting that a removal or relocation of the parcel does not align with the spirit of the original working agreement with the city, especially since the delays are due to a deal Cooper has not yet finalized with Speedway Motorsports Inc.

MLS Commissioner Don Garber has also stated to Cooper that the league would not have awarded Nashville an expansion team without the commitment made by the city to build a soccer stadium at the fairgrounds, something that has been disputed by various parties.



The Tennessean

In a letter to the mayor’s office, Ingram has given Cooper a Thursday deadline to reach some kind of agreement on the next steps for the stadium-speedway renovation project.

"We believe keeping (the parcel) out of this plan would mean we could not fulfill our commitments under the Community Benefits Agreement (CBA). That is unworkable," Ingram said in the letter. "We intend to honor our commitments to the community."

Cooper is also under siege from local councilman Colby Sledge, whose district includes the fairgrounds, as he seeks legal opinions on whether the mayor can even delay an agreement that he alleges was approved by the council and signed by the previous mayor.

The opinion would also seek an understanding of how much responsibility the city would have if Ingram took legal action over the recent turn of events. However, any kind of documented signed agreement by the previous city administration, Ingram and Major League Soccer has yet to be produced.



Meanwhile, Cooper has not said publicly if he supports a $60 million pitch by Speedway Motorsports to renovate the track to current NASCAR specifications. That deal is currently under official review with Cooper saying he wants a plan that will allow two 30,000-seat stadiums to coexist for soccer and racing.



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In his public response to Ingram, Cooper has not backed down from his intent to withhold the parcel closest to the speedway.

"The public space that links two 30,000-seat stadiums has the potential to become one of the most important in Nashville," Cooper wrote. "Careful design and execution is essential to make the site work for two large public venues—supporting circulation, security, staging and access. Given the long-term significance of the fairgrounds for our community, this space deserves thoughtful analysis that meets the highest standards for urban design.

"Nashville deserves a carefully planned multifunctional space, as opposed to a parking structure that looms over the speedway."

In short, Cooper is advocating for the speedway’s future while also working toward a resolution for both NASCAR and Major League Soccer.



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NASCAR hosted its championship banquet in Nashville for the first time in December, adding fuel to the interest in a return for racing to the Music City.

The event included a series of festivals leading up the awards ceremony. The most impressive visual was the "Burnouts on Broadway," which featured the 16 playoff drivers doing burnouts on the most famous downtown city street. The undercarriages of the cars were lit up like something from the Disney franchise Tron.

Simultaneously, the city entered into an agreement with Track Enterprises out of Macon, Illinois, to serve as promoters for weekly local racing at the venue in 2020.

During the postseason event, several NASCAR stars voiced support for a national touring return to the downtown speedway, including reigning two-time champion Kyle Busch.

"I love racing in Nashville," Busch said. "I raced over at the short track twice, I believe, and really enjoyed doing that. It would be nice to have racing back and be a prominent thing in the city, with either track, really. But I believe the short track would be a better fit."

The sport’s most popular driver, Chase Elliott, agreed.

"You're not going to find a short track or racetrack this cool, this size, that close to a major city like this,” Elliott said. “That’s a missing piece in speedways across America.

"That’s something you have right here, so why don't we use it?"



The NASCAR Cup Series hasn't raced at the Fairgrounds Speedway since 1984. The Xfinity and Gander Truck Series have not hosted an event at the track since the 2000 season.



Major League Soccer is currently in the midst of a labor stoppage, with a new collective bargaining agreement needing to be approved before the 2020 season can begin on Feb. 29.

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