A Metro councilwoman has proposed increasing the ticket tax that users will pay to attend games at Nashville's future Major League Soccer stadium to minimize Metro government's exposure as debt for the $275 million project is retired.

Councilwoman Angie Henderson, a critic of the stadium planned for The Fairgrounds Nashville, recently introduced an ordinance that would impose the highest ticket tax allowed under state law.

Under current plans finalized by the Metro Council last month, the stadium would have a $1.75 ticket tax for the first five years of operations that would graduate to $2.25 beginning in year six. Revenue from this tax as well as sales tax collections from the stadium would help retire annual debt for the stadium.

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But Henderson's ordinance would increase the ticket tax to 10 percent of cost of each game. Nashville's MLS ownership led by billionaire businessman John Ingram has not said how much tickets will cost, but the average cost around the league appears to be more than $30.

That would mean the ticket tax under Henderson's plan could be at least $3. Half of the revenue from the increased tax would go toward stadium debt while the other half would be collected to pay for long-term capital expenditures required for the stadium.

"We as a city should be using the full authority allowed by the state to be the best stewards of this municipal asset," Henderson said, adding she wants to make sure the city doesn't have a shortfall on revenue to pay off debt.

Metro's risk 'unacceptable,' Henderson says

Her ordinance heads to the council for a second of three required votes on Oct. 16.

The new stadium is expected to create an annual debt load of $13 million for Metro.

The Ingram-led ownership group has committed to pay $9 million annually, leaving the ticket tax and sales tax collections covering the remaining $4 million. However, Metro would be on the hook if those revenues fall short. Any shortfall would be covered by Metro's general fund.

"That is unacceptable to me," Henderson said. "The deal should not be structured in that way. The ticket tax needs to ensure that we're not having a shortfall."

Henderson, who represents parts of Forrest Hills and Green Hills, was one of eight council members who voted against a proposal last month to demolish and rebuild existing facilities at the fairgrounds to make way for the stadium.

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The stadium project, first proposed by former Mayor Megan Barry, was championed by Mayor David Briley.

Henderson said she did not reach out the administration nor the team about the ticket tax overhaul. She said she hoped to "facilitate the conversation" by filing it first.

But in a statement, Zach Hunt, spokesman for the team ownership, made clear the franchise does not support the councilwoman's idea.

Hunt pointed to council action last year and more recently in September to sign off on the stadium's financing.

"The process to build the stadium is now underway and we look forward to playing there in 2021," Hunt said. "Frankly, this bill seems like an unfortunate and late attempt, by a council member who opposed bringing MLS to Nashville, to change a deal that her council colleagues worked very hard to get right before passing.

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"This kind of after-the-fact tinkering would make the deal worse for soccer fans and set a bad precedent for the city.”

Site work is expected to begin later this month at the fairgrounds for the construction of a new expo center to replace existing fairgrounds buildings targeted for demolition under the stadium plans.

Construction on the stadium isn't expected to begin until late in 2019.

Reach Joey Garrison at 615-259-8236, jgarrison@tennessean.com and on Twitter @joeygarrison.