Nashville's Nissan Stadium And Bridgestone Arena Need Nearly $500 Million In Upgrades According To Study

Image Credit: Derrick Brutel (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Nashville’s Metro Sports Authority recently hired Venue Solutions Group of Nashville, Tennessee to conduct an assessment of the improvements that will be needed at Bridgestone Arena (home of the Nashville Predators) and Nissan Stadium (home of the Tennessee Titans). The consulting firm has determined that both venues are in need of nearly $500 million combined in renovations over the next 20 years. Both team’s lease agreements with their respective venues will expire in 2028. The renovations will include architectural improvements as well as improvements to the arena’s technology and plumbing.

Image Credit: Mike Kalasnik (CC BY-SA 2.0)

The estimated costs of improvements for Nissan Stadium is just under $300 million according to Venue Solutions Group. The estimated costs of improvements for Bridgestone Arena are in the neighborhood of $185 million. The Metro Sports Authority and city of Nashville are currently developing an action plan to determine how these improvements will be paid for. The improvements will range from $8-$12 million per year, per venue. The city hopes to limit the amount of public tax dollars that will be required for both projects.

With Nashville’s billion-dollar tourism industry, there’s no reason for Davidson County taxpayers to be burdened with the costs of both renovation projects. Taxes on hotel rooms and car rentals would be excellent options because they put the taxes on the tourists rather than the native population. However, not providing the needed renovations puts both teams at risk for relocation to other cities that will gladly build brand new stadiums. It also leaves the only other option of building new stadiums and arenas which would be much more costly. Professional teams such as the Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta Braves and Texas Rangers have lobbied for brand new stadiums while playing in venues that weren’t even 25 years old.

The Nashville Predators have just made the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in team history. The Tennessee Titans are slowly making progress and have become one of the best defenses in the National Football League. Renovations to Nissan Stadium and Bridgestone Arena will be worth the investment as both team’s fan bases continue to grow.

Reference:

Tennessean.com

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