Nashville fair board approves plan for reimagined fairgrounds with MLS stadium

Joey Garrison | The Tennessean

Show Caption Hide Caption Plans for Nashville MLS Stadium Revealed The Nashville investor group bidding for a Major League Soccer expansion franchise in Music City unveiled preliminary designs Monday for a 30,000-seat stadium that would transform the aging Metro-owned Fairgrounds Nashville.

A dramatic overhaul of The Fairgrounds Nashville anchored by a new Major League Soccer stadium and private development took a major step forward after getting a nod of approval from the Metro Board of Fair Commissioners on Tuesday.

The fair board voted unanimously 5-0 to adopt a new fairgrounds site plan that calls for the demolition of existing facilities and expo centers to make way for a new $275 million MLS stadium. These buildings would be rebuilt on a separate portion of the 117-acre fairgrounds property.

The approved plan also lays out a vision for a mixed-use development — with housing, retail, entertainment options and perhaps a hotel — on 10 acres of the fairgrounds that would be operated by the ownership group of Nashville's MLS expansion franchise led by billionaire businessman John Ingram.

The fair board's vote isn't binding, but it was an important requirement for the project to advance. It means the process to rezone the property will begin immediately, with legislation to be filed Wednesday to change the land use of the site.

"We want to get to work," said fair board chairman Ned Horton, calling feedback from the public generally positive and arguing that the plan matches the board's goals to upgrade the facilities. "There's going to be a lot people who don't like any change, people who will object to certain parts of this. We can't make everybody happy all the time. But I think we do have the charge to move forward in improving this facility.

"We have to get started, and today is the day, within our authority, to move the ball forward with this concept."

More: Nashville fairgrounds site overhaul with MLS stadium — and new twist— proposed

More: Nashville councilman proposes scrapping 10-acre private development from MLS stadium plan

More: Nashville fairgrounds director says MLS stadium opponent made threat to 'slit my throat'

Plan proved controversial to some

The Metro Council voted 31-6 in November to give preliminary approval to $225 million in revenue bonds for the new stadium, but it was contingent on future actions, including formal approval of revamping the fairgrounds.

Tuesday's vote followed a handful of meetings and workshops last month on how the fairgrounds should look and function, but the project has remained a source of controversy.

A handful of speakers spoke on the project during a public comments period prior to the vote, including Shane Smiley, a longtime fairgrounds advocate. He accused the board of diverting from its core mission by embracing the new concept, arguing that many flea market vendors oppose the idea.

"You guys are supposed to be the fair board," Smiley said. "Stop trying to act like the soccer board."

But Ann McKinney, representing Christmas Village, an event held annually each at the fairgrounds, applauded the fair board for how it engaged the public in creating the site plan.

Kim Hawkins, principal of the landscape architecture firm Hawkins Partners, which led the creation of the new plan, said maintaining existing uses — auto racing, flea markets and the state fair — and protecting the "authenticity" of the historic site and adding parking were top priorities.

The plan would be for around 6,000 parking spaces in total, including temporary parking at the fairgrounds speedway and on fiber-reinforced turf on future recreational soccer fields, which are under construction at a new fairgrounds park slated for the site. The plan includes 1,300 parking spaces on surface lots, another 240 permanent parking spots at the fairgrounds park, and 1,600 shared parking spots at the mixed-use development.

Proposed offerings at the mixed-use development include casual restaurants, retail shops, neighborhood services, entertainment venues, mixed-income residences and creative office space.

New plan alters location of development

In a reversal from previous plans, the future private development would be located on the elevated portion of the fairgrounds directly next to the stadium, creating a new streetscape connecting the fairgrounds speedway and soccer stadium. This part of the property had previously been envisioned for the new fairgrounds event buildings and an expo centers.

These facilities — which hold flea markets and other events — would now be constructed on the lower elevation part of the property, totaling 21 acres, near what is currently Walsh Road, close to Nolensville Pike. This is where the mixed-use development was originally shown before the council's approval of the bond resolution in November.

Under the plan for the new facilities and expo centers, the city would build 125,000 square feet of conditioned space, another 100,000 square feet of covered space, multiple loading zones, vehicular access around the new buildings, and green space and outdoor space.

MLS awarded Nashville a new expansion team in December with preliminary plans for the new stadium to be built by 2021. The team will either begin play in 2021 or 2020 at a temporary location.

"We're committed to working with all aspects of the fairgrounds," said Mary Cavarra of Ingram Industries, speaking on behalf of the ownership group. "We look forward to this project."

Ron Gobbell, president emeritus of the architecture firm Gobbell Hays Partners, which is serving as the lead manager of the project for the city, said three design teams would be "working feverishly" over the next three months to finalize plan for the stadium, private development and reconstructed fairgrounds buildings.

"All of that's got to fit together," Gobbell said. "We've got to make sure that works. So, we've got to develop them kind of at the same time so that we do know what those technical issues (are) with traffic, or utilities, or topography, as we go through this process."

The MLS stadium project still needs council approval to rezone the property and to demolish buildings that are on the site. In addition, bonds approved by the council in May are contingent on finalizing a lease agreement with the team.

The council is slated to take up the rezoning with other actions set through October.

"This is one step in a series of multiple steps," said fair board member Caleb Hemmer, adding that more public engagement will take place for future votes.

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