Soccer in Nashville

[jmtunafish]

21 hours ago, ZestyEd said:

Still trying to find final numbers in Cleveland. But this was mentioned a few days ago. 

Yeah I don't know why ESPN hasn't posted the attendance yet, but it was 27,934.

https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2017/07/15/22/57/20170715-recap-mnt-defeats-nicaragua-3-0-to-top-concacaf-gold-cup-group-b

[MidTenn1]

Now that Raleigh NC has revealed its rendering for an MLS soccer stadium, here is the latest update on all proposed stadiums for MLS expansion candidates.

 

[Titans10]

News from Charlotte was the city cancelled their meeting with Garber while he was in town yesterday for a tour, their proposal is basically dead. 

[nashvylle]

Sources say Nashville might hit 60k in attendance for the premier league match. 

Praying we can get the stadium financing in place before the other candidate cities! 

[MidTenn1]

2 minutes ago, Titans10 said:

News from Charlotte was the city cancelled their meeting with Garber while he was in town yesterday for a tour, their proposal is basically dead. 

True. They had to have an open 'sunshine law' meeting and weren't ready to do that. I guess there was some serious 'inside baseball' stuff that had to be discussed. Also, the City Council in Charlotte cancelled a vote on approving $47 million as there buy-in for the franchise. It doesn't look good for the home team. But I think MLS would love to capture the North Carolina market, so maybe Raleigh can move in if it gets a solid plan together.

St. Louis is pretty much out of it and Detroit seems to be struggling to get it's act together.

[TheRaglander]

Those are beautiful renderings.  I am a bit skeptical on what ours would look like.  I don't know why...

 

[Titans10]

It's basically down to Cincinnati which I think is a done deal. Nashville. Raliegh, Pheonix, Sacramento and Tampa Bay. If I was a betting man, Cincinnati, Nashville, Pheonix and Raleigh are the winners. 

[nashvylle]

Just now, Titans10 said:

It's basically down to Cincinnati which I think is a done deal. Nashville. Raliegh, Pheonix, Sacramento and Tampa Bay. If I was a betting man, Cincinnati, Nashville, Pheonix and Raleigh are the winners. 

Sacramento is pretty much a lock. 

[Titans10]

14 minutes ago, nashvylle said:

Sacramento is pretty much a lock. 

You're right. I think Raleigh is the one left off. 

[BnaBreaker]

Wow... I'll tell ya what... ill be the first to admit that I've been a bit of a naysayer all throughout this process, mainly to keep my own expectations in check.  But I am SO HAPPY to eat grow on this one, because it really seems we have a clear path to getting a team now. I honestly never would have thought.  Granted, we got a little help from the failures in other markets, but nonetheless, GO NASHVILLE GO!

[KJHburg]

2 hours ago, PHofKS said:

True. They had to have an open 'sunshine law' meeting and weren't ready to do that. I guess there was some serious 'inside baseball' stuff that had to be discussed. Also, the City Council in Charlotte cancelled a vote on approving $47 million as there buy-in for the franchise. It doesn't look good for the home team. But I think MLS would love to capture the North Carolina market, so maybe Raleigh can move in if it gets a solid plan together.

St. Louis is pretty much out of it and Detroit seems to be struggling to get it's act together.

Yes NC does have an open meeting law but . I wouldn't count Charlotte or Raleigh out for that matter. Here is a summary of where Charlotte is at

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2017/07/17/charlotte-mls-bid-faces-crucial-test-this-week.html

Plus Charlotte city council economic development committee is meeting this week on spending tourist sales tax dollars. They have to be spent on projects that enhance tourism and this project the renovation of Memorial Stadium is one of the items on the agenda. We will know probably be end of August. Raleigh on the other hand might have state involvement for a new stadium in downtown Raleigh. Charlotte is #24 largest tv market, Raleigh Durham is the #27 Nashville is behind that at #29 http://www.stationindex.com/tv/tv-markets

I am still betting NC will get a team which market I don't know. As for the other 3 teams I dont know. 

[smeagolsfree]

This article puts Nashville very much in contention for one of the spots.

 

http://sbisoccer.com/2017/07/an-updated-tiered-look-at-the-mls-expansion-race

[Titans10]

 

[titanhog]

If we all but sell-out the ICC game on July 29, that HAS to be another feather in our cap.

[SumnerCountian]

I will feel much better about our chances when there is an actual stadium design proposal. Make it so!

[titanhog]

I really hope Ingram has a Plan B on stadium location.  We all knew Greer wasn't exactly the best location for minor league baseball because it wasn't really near downtown...and now they're proposing this stadium be further away than Greer was.  In a time when most cities are learning that stadiums do better in downtown scenarios...we're going to build ours next to an outdated racetrack away from downtown.

[Flatrock]

1 hour ago, titanhog said:

We all knew Greer wasn't exactly the best location for minor league baseball because it wasn't really near downtown

I hear ya - downtown would be great. FWIW: Greer was a 1.9  mile drive to lower Broadway. 1st Tennessee...1.3 miles. Not exactly a dramatic difference. The Fairgrounds are a 2 mile straight shot. Most of my soccer fan friends  are delighted with the proposed location. Then again, if I had a preference, and money was no object, I'd choose downtown. The reality may be that downtown isn't an option - due to lack of availability of suitable parcels at a reasonable strike price. But I believe we can fill a +/- 20,000 seat stadium 17 times/season at The Fairgrounds - no prob .  :-)

[titanhog]

1 hour ago, Flatrock said:

I hear ya - downtown would be great. FWIW: Greer was a 1.9  mile drive to lower Broadway. 1st Tennessee...1.3 miles. Not exactly a dramatic difference. The Fairgrounds are a 2 mile straight shot. Most of my soccer fan friends  are delighted with the proposed location. Then again, if I had a preference, and money was no object, I'd choose downtown. The reality may be that downtown isn't an option - due to lack of availability of suitable parcels at a reasonable strike price. But I believe we can fill a +/- 20,000 seat stadium 17 times/season at The Fairgrounds - no prob .  :-)

The infrastructure (complete with restaurants and bars and hotels) is more what I'm talking about.  Easier to walk around Germantown or North Capitol area than Greer / Fairgrounds.  IF they build at the Fairgrounds, I hope it spurs massive revitalization like Germantown (I realize it's kinda already headed that way...but maybe this will help even more).

[jmtunafish]

I don't live in Nashville, so I may be way off base here.  But isn't much of Nashville's immigrant community closer to the fairgrounds location?  I don't think the average soccer fan is that interested in honky tonks.  Yes, I know there's more to downtown Nashville than honky tonks.  But since soccer is such a world sport, and the immigrant community is such a hot bed of futbol fans, I think it can actually be a good thing to have the soccer stadium closer to those fans.  I can see a light rail line going down Nolensville Pike with a stop right by the stadium in the not too distant future.

I'm a pro-downtown cheerleader as much as the next guy, but I honestly don't think this is such a bad thing.  I think having a soccer stadium within walking distance of thousands of ready-made soccer fans is a good thing.  And even though I'm not a soccer fan at all (I mean at all), I love heading down Nolensville Pike for some good Salvadorean, Ethiopian, Cambodian, Congolese, etc., food.  Adding world class soccer to that mix seems pretty fun to me.

[MidTenn1]

8 hours ago, titanhog said:

I really hope Ingram has a Plan B on stadium location.  We all knew Greer wasn't exactly the best location for minor league baseball because it wasn't really near downtown...and now they're proposing this stadium be further away than Greer was.  In a time when most cities are learning that stadiums do better in downtown scenarios...we're going to build ours next to an outdated racetrack away from downtown.

I think the Fairgrounds is plan B. It is a very good, but not great, plan in that it shows the MLS that we have a solidly designated piece of land to put a stadium on. But I think Ingram and MLS2Nashville would prefer a better site and are still working with Vanderbilt to share a stadium or find a more reasonable location.

Also, Minor League Baseball thrived at Greer stadium for many years. It was among the leaders in MiLB attendance many times and once hosted two teams. Early on, it was considered one of the premier franchises in MiLB.  It had plenty of parking, reasonably good access, and a great field (so much that the ground crew was hired by the Cleveland Indians to care for their ballpark). And the cheesy promotions and giveaways impressed Major league Baseball so much that Larry Schmittou (the founder and owner) was hired by the Texas Rangers ball team to implement the same program (which was also called cheesy by the rest of the envious league). Indeed, I actually won a car on used-car giveaway night. It was a 1972 Gremlin which had to be jump-started so I could drive it home. I traded it to someone for a couple of chairs for my living room (I came out ahead in my estimation).

My favorite moments at Greer included seeing a triple play that involved Buck Showalter. I also saw Reggie Jackson, Don Mattingly, Otis Nixon and Bye-Bye Balboni play. And I got a personal stand-up routine from the 'clown prince of baseball', Max Patkin.... ("I called up the hotel manager last night and said, "I've gotta leak in my room". He said, 'Go ahead'.") Badda boom tish!!!!  

I think you can see a connection from the gritty, 'we're Nashville and we don't care if you like it or not', attitude at Greer Stadium in the old days to the current Nashville Predators presentation phenomenon. Greer Stadium and its guitar shaped scoreboard were Nashville treasures and a major part of its sports history and in my mind, it was in the perfect, gritty location.

[Flatrock]

12 minutes ago, PHofKS said:

I think you can see a connection from the gritty, 'we're Nashville and we don't care if you like it or not', attitude at Greer Stadium in the old days to the current Nashville Predators presentation phenomenon. Greer Stadium and its guitar shaped scoreboard were Nashville treasures and a major part of its sports history and in my mind, it was in the perfect, gritty location.

Thank you for saying this. So very well put. I have so many great memories of Greer Stadium Sounds' baseball;  friends, cheap beer and hotdogs....such easy parking, etc. A much simpler life and time. 

[Flatrock]

29 minutes ago, PHofKS said:

Indeed, I actually won a car on used-car giveaway night. It was a 1972 Gremlin which had to be jump-started so I could drive it home.

Forgot to mention - CLASSIC!! I was literally laughing out loud reading that. Awesome story. Never a more aptly named car. 

[Nathan_in_DC]

22 hours ago, TheRaglander said:

Those are beautiful renderings.  I am a bit skeptical on what ours would look like.  I don't know why...

 

What, you don't like our new downtown airport terminal? 

[Jamie Hall]

12 hours ago, jmtunafish said:

I'm a pro-downtown cheerleader as much as the next guy, but I honestly don't think this is such a bad thing.  I think having a soccer stadium within walking distance of thousands of ready-made soccer fans is a good thing. 

100% agreed. I love how downtown Nashville has been revitalized, and I'm a big fan of the new Fifth & Broad and Nashville Yards projects, but I don't see how downtown would greatly benefit from a soccer stadium. Downtown is very healthy without soccer. The fairgrounds area, on the other hand, could see huge impacts from a soccer stadium, and the area is just a quick hop over from Berry Hill and all the new 8th Avenue South developments, so there are plenty of food and pregame options. There's also easy access to the fairgrounds from every direction, usually with little congestion.

It might not be the most exciting or glitzy location for a new soccer stadium, but it's a smart one.

[jmtunafish]

24 minutes ago, Jamie Hall said:

100% agreed. I love how downtown Nashville has been revitalized, and I'm a big fan of the new Fifth & Broad and Nashville Yards projects, but I don't see how downtown would greatly benefit from a soccer stadium. Downtown is very healthy without soccer. The fairgrounds area, on the other hand, could see huge impacts from a soccer stadium, and the area is just a quick hop over from Berry Hill and all the new 8th Avenue South developments, so there are plenty of food and pregame options. There's also easy access to the fairgrounds from every direction, usually with little congestion.

It might not be the most exciting or glitzy location for a new soccer stadium, but it's a smart one.

Great post!  You added some information about its location that I wasn't aware of, and you just further solidified my support for putting the soccer stadium at the fairgrounds site.

In addition, won't it be easier and quicker to build a stadium at the fairgrounds than somewhere downtown?  I mean, doesn't the city (or the state?) already own the fairgrounds?  I figure there will be a lot less negotiating and rezoning and whatnot in order to build at the fairgrounds.  I can only imagine how many property owners would be involved if a soccer stadium and its accompanying parking lot(s) were to be built somewhere downtown, not to mention the cost.

Edited July 21, 2017 by jmtunafish