Nashville as MLB Expansion/Relocation Market

[nashvylle]

I feel like IF a MLB stadium was built at TSU, it certainly would be a boom to the immediate area, and enough tourists would still come to Nashville for a weekend and just uber 10 mins to the to game... opposed to Murfreesboro or Cool Springs... that just wouldn't happen. 

[PaulChinetti]

That’s quite the combo. I assume the portion on the left would be covered for hockey right?

[Winter Panda]

Quote

8 minutes ago, PaulChinetti said:

That’s quite the combo. I assume the portion on the left would be covered for hockey right?

 

That's right. The arena/stadium in Russia looks like this from above. 

[PillowTalk4]

The MLB group looking to establish a team in Nashville recently released this rendering of the area on TSU campus where they would like to build a stadium, entertainment complex and residential and office buildings.

I'm assuming that the water area referred to as Cumberland Cove is an area that will be created to aid in mitigating flooding in that area.  That obviously would have to be in conjunction with other flood mitigation plans.

I wonder how TSU's College of Agriculture feels about this plan?  Granted it is just a rendering with a lot of elements that may never ever come to fruition.  But, lets say that it does.  This plan eliminates all of the land used by TSU for agricultural research on the main campus.  The College of Agriculture is a major research component at TSU, it was recently awarded an $18M grant and has been the recipient of several other grants.  While TSU owns other properties in various parts of Tennessee that are used for agricultural research, all of those properties are more than an hour away.  I would think that would interfere with undergrad students being able to participate in some research opportunities.  I hope TSU is looking to acquire land in the metro area to maintain research opportunities close to the campus.  Years ago (2008ish) the May family was supposed to have donated 250 acres of land to TSU in the Bells Bend area.  I'm not sure if that ever happened.  It was near the proposed site for May Town which died.  May Town was supposed to be an office and residential community in the Bells Bend area.  The donation of land to TSU wasn't supposed to be tied to the development, but in the end it seemed that it was.

Edited June 22, 2023 by PillowTalk4

[Nathan_in_DC]

10 hours ago, PillowTalk4 said:

The MLB group looking to establish a team in Nashville recently released this rendering of the area on TSU campus where they would like to build a stadium, entertainment complex and residential and office buildings.

I'm assuming that the water area referred to as Cumberland Cove is an area that will be created to aid in mitigating flooding in that area.  That obviously would have to be in conjunction with other flood mitigation plans.

I wonder how TSU's College of Agriculture feels about this plan?  Granted it is just a rendering with a lot of elements that may never ever come to fruition.  But, lets say that it does.  This plan eliminates all of the land used by TSU for agricultural research on the main campus.  The College of Agriculture is a major research component at TSU, it was recently awarded an $18M grant and has been the recipient of several other grants.  While TSU owns other properties in various parts of Tennessee that are used for agricultural research, all of those properties are more than an hour away.  I would think that would interfere with undergrad students being able to participate in some research opportunities.  I hope TSU is looking to acquire land in the metro area to maintain research opportunities close to the campus.  Years ago (2008ish) the May family was supposed to have donated 250 acres of land to TSU in the Bells Bend area.  I'm not sure if that ever happened.  It was near the proposed site for May Town which died.  May Town was supposed to be an office and residential community in the Bells Bend area.  The donation of land to TSU wasn't supposed to be tied to the development, but in the end it seemed that it was.

Yeah, that really seems like a total non-starter plan. TSU would almost certainly balk at losing *all* of their campus-adjacent agricultural facilities. Maybe they'd turn over half of them for a facility like this, but I think that might even be a stretch. Additionally, moving enough earth to dig out that cove would be a huge, and expensive, undertaking. I presume the areas jutting into the river are just errors in rendering, and that they don't actually plan on narrowing the river there...because that would be insane.

Also, maybe I'm a baseball purist, but I don't want a covered baseball stadium!

[Mr_Bond]

22 minutes ago, Nathan_in_DC said:

TSU would almost certainly balk 

I see what you did there.

[Nathan_in_DC]

1 hour ago, Mr_Bond said:

I see what you did there.

Ba-da-ching!

[Baronakim]

Projecting the design into the river is a dumb pipe dream.  I suspect that there would be major ecological constraints about totally build in on the existing banks.  Also, since baseball has a very large schedule of games, I would think the disruptions of major league games on the academic campus would be detremental to the university itself.  This is a great deal different from the impact of just a university baseball facility.  Adding an entertainment venue is even worse.  A fully commercial venue like this on a publicly funded state institution's land is ludicrious. Why not just use emminent domaian and take out all the land used for surface parking at vanderbilt and build it there (sarcasm)?  

 

[nashvylle]

12 hours ago, PillowTalk4 said:

The MLB group looking to establish a team in Nashville recently released this rendering of the area on TSU campus where they would like to build a stadium, entertainment complex and residential and office buildings.

I'm assuming that the water area referred to as Cumberland Cove is an area that will be created to aid in mitigating flooding in that area.  That obviously would have to be in conjunction with other flood mitigation plans.

I wonder how TSU's College of Agriculture feels about this plan?  Granted it is just a rendering with a lot of elements that may never ever come to fruition.  But, lets say that it does.  This plan eliminates all of the land used by TSU for agricultural research on the main campus.  The College of Agriculture is a major research component at TSU, it was recently awarded an $18M grant and has been the recipient of several other grants.  While TSU owns other properties in various parts of Tennessee that are used for agricultural research, all of those properties are more than an hour away.  I would think that would interfere with undergrad students being able to participate in some research opportunities.  I hope TSU is looking to acquire land in the metro area to maintain research opportunities close to the campus.  Years ago (2008ish) the May family was supposed to have donated 250 acres of land to TSU in the Bells Bend area.  I'm not sure if that ever happened.  It was near the proposed site for May Town which died.  May Town was supposed to be an office and residential community in the Bells Bend area.  The donation of land to TSU wasn't supposed to be tied to the development, but in the end it seemed that it was.

TSU has a serious lack of student housing, so I imagine IF they ever agreed to give up all that land, a lot of the mixed-use would have to be offered to TSU students for a discounted rate. 

[Nash_12South]

I'll just throw it out there - Move the racetrack somewhere else and put a baseball stadium in WH, by Geodis.....

[nashvylle]

20 minutes ago, Nash_12South said:

I'll just throw it out there - Move the racetrack somewhere else and put a baseball stadium in WH, by Geodis.....

It would be interesting to see if the neighborhood would support that. If they did, it would mean the racetrack was purely because of the noise issue (which is very valid). 

[PillowTalk4]

1 hour ago, nashvylle said:

TSU has a serious lack of student housing, so I imagine IF they ever agreed to give up all that land, a lot of the mixed-use would have to be offered to TSU students for a discounted rate. 

Their concept includes "student/university housing."  Creating additional student housing and other facilities for the university has always been part of the discussion.  I think that is part of the reason TSU is even entertaining the idea in addition to their being shared revenue from other elements of the project.  I'm not on board with this idea yet because there just hasn't been any specifics given with regards to the long term benefit to TSU.  I also don't think TSU have the right people in place to negotiate and manage such a major undertaking.  Plus MLB hasn't committed anything to the group looking to establish a team in Nashville.

[nashvylle]

just saying....

[PaulChinetti]

23 minutes ago, nashvylle said:

just saying....

Much better use of land that close to downtown, than taking over a campus.

[Jarno6006]

2 hours ago, Baronakim said:

Projecting the design into the river is a dumb pipe dream.  I suspect that there would be major ecological constraints about totally build in on the existing banks.  Also, since baseball has a very large schedule of games, I would think the disruptions of major league games on the academic campus would be detremental to the university itself.  This is a great deal different from the impact of just a university baseball facility.  Adding an entertainment venue is even worse.  A fully commercial venue like this on a publicly funded state institution's land is ludicrious. Why not just use emminent domaian and take out all the land used for surface parking at vanderbilt and build it there (sarcasm)?  

 

Completely agree.  We can't become serious contenders for a team until this location is removed from contention.  Getting to it will be a disaster.  Someone mentioned mass transit, but we don't have mass transit now.  So if people think there is no appetite to use public funds for the stadium, I seriouly doubt there is an appetite to spend more than the stadium would cost to build a train line to it.  (Why not just build the stadium where people would park to get on the train?  Downtown)

[nashville born]

The comments have me thinking a lot.  One of those thoughts is about  tourists.  By nature and by definition, a tourist is someone who has traveled to visit another place.  If I've traveled to Nashville to take in its offerings, be it hours by car or by plane, I'm probably okay with traveling beyond downtown to attend a game.  

I agree there would need to be infrastructure upgrades to aid the location's success at TSU.  I also agree that putting the stadium there would have an economic engine effect.  As Field of Dreams taught us decades ago, build it and they will come.  Examples abound, yet we need look no further than Geodis Park.  A. ..it's away from downtown, B...getting in and out ain't easy, C...the surrounding development has already started.  

I wish Nashville and Nashvillians would strive to bring a wolf mentality to the city.  As the saying goes, the strength of the wolf is the pack and the strength of the pack is the wolf.  Nashville (the pack) is made stronger by each neighborhood (a wolf) being strong.  If there's an opportunity to make another wolf stronger, why wouldn't we?

Whether I live in Antioch, Brentwood, The Nations, or Pie Town, if another neighborhood is doing well, it helps me.  Conversely, if another neighborhood is struggling, it hurts me, whether I think it does or not.  Just my opinion/perspective.

Edited June 23, 2023 by nashville born

[Enashjon]

21 hours ago, PaulChinetti said:

Much better use of land that close to downtown, than taking over a campus.

And with the proposed bridge, very easy access to East Nashville.

[markhollin]

1 hour ago, nashville born said:

The comments have me thinking a lot.  One of those thoughts is about  tourists.  By nature and by definition, a tourist is someone who has traveled to visit another place.  If I've traveled to Nashville to take in its offerings, be it hours by car or by plane, I'm probably okay with traveling beyond downtown to attend a game.  

I agree there would need to be infrastructure upgrades to aid the location's success at TSU.  I also agree that putting the stadium there would have an economic engine effect.  As Field of Dreams taught us decades ago, build it and they will come.  Examples abound, yet we need look no further than Geodis Park.  A. ..it's away from downtown, B...getting in and out ain't easy, C...the surrounding development has already started.  

I wish Nashville and Nashvillians would strive to bring a wolf mentality to the city.  As the saying goes, the strength of the wolf is the pack and the strength of the pack is the wolf.  Nashville (the pack) is made stronger by each neighborhood (a wolf) being strong.  If there's an opportunity to make another wolf stronger, why wouldn't we?

Whether I live in Antioch, Brentwood, The Nations, or Pie Town, if another neighborhood is doing well, it helps me.  Conversely, if another neighborhood is struggling, it hurts me, whether I think it does or not.  Just my opinion/perspective.

There are also instances where "Build it (anywhere) and they will come" has spectacularly failed: The hockey arena in Glendale, Arizona, Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg,  BC Place Dome in Vancouver, the Alamodome in San Antonio, and Olympic Stadium in Montreal  come to mind.  They all had various reasons for not being successful, or not drawing a major league tenant....but nevertheless, their intended impact has not panned out. 

[nashville born]

2 hours ago, markhollin said:

There are also instances where "Build it (anywhere) and they will come" has spectacularly failed: The hockey arena in Glendale, Arizona, Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg,  BC Place Dome in Vancouver, the Alamodome in San Antonio, and Olympic Stadium in Montreal  come to mind.  They all had various reasons for not being successful, or not drawing a major league tenant....but nevertheless, their intended impact has not panned out. 

Sorry for the confusion.  I didn't mean build it speculatively.  I just meant if the franchise is landed AND the decision is made to use the TSU site, the "tourists" will come, despite the stadium not being downtown.

Edited June 23, 2023 by nashville born

[PillowTalk4]

On 6/23/2023 at 2:02 PM, nashville born said:

I didn't mean build it speculatively.  I just meant if the franchise is landed AND the decision is made to use the TSU site, the "tourists" will come, despite the stadium not being downtown.

I don't think you intend to imply this, but to be clear, MLB in Nashville or any market will need more than tourist to survive.  I went to a Nats game in DC this past Saturday and I would say a great majority of the fans were from the DMV, not tourist.  I'm not much of a baseball fan, so I probably looked like a tourist attending because I wasn't adorned with a single piece of Nats paraphernalia.  The couple that invited me were.  They are not season ticket holders, but they do attend multiple games in a season with their son.  Most of the people sitting around us also had on Nats gear.  I don't think you'd see that too much with tourist.

To your earlier point, I do believe that people who really support MLB will go to the games if the venue is located in a reasonably good location, the venue is nice and if the team is decent.  As I said in a previous post, I'm still not onboard with TSU's ag land being used until I see more details about the project that show the immediate and long term benefits to TSU.  I do see the potential for a MLB stadium and the other things they are hoping to do around it being a major economic engine to that area of the city.  It is an area that has been overlooked and neglected.  It makes sense to do something significant in that area.  It will take more than the team of people looking to bring MLB to Nashville to make that work.  The city will inevitably have to work on the infrastructure of the area and create incentives for businesses to establish a presence in the area.  The city can't just speak to developing the underserved communities, it needs to be proactive in addressing those communities.

Edited June 26, 2023 by PillowTalk4

[smeagolsfree]

I will throw this out there again. Metro and the voters of Nashville are stadiumed out. Granted that is not a word, but Metro is still paying for 1st TN Park, Geodis Park, and is about to start a 2.1-billion-dollar Titans stadium. Ever who the next mayor is going to be will tell whomever the ownership is to build your field of dreams on your own and beg the state for any infrastructure needs such as new roads. I think if any tax dollars go to a new stadium the next new mayor will be toast.

[Nash_12South]

Here is how we get MLB in Nashville. State and local democrats come out solidly against MLB and stage a few rallies at the state capitol. Tennessee republicans will have a new stadium built by Christmas. 

[satalac]

On 6/21/2023 at 8:46 AM, nashvylle said:

Put the stadium here to try and replicate Pittsburgh's location. 

 

 

 

 

I used to work off Visco Dr and there would have to be a LOT to be done to handle the traffic through there. Not saying it's impossible, but being such a small sliver between the river and the railroad tracks would be very limiting. 

6 hours ago, smeagolsfree said:

I will throw this out there again. Metro and the voters of Nashville are stadiumed out. Granted that is not a word, but Metro is still paying for 1st TN Park, Geodis Park, and is about to start a 2.1-billion-dollar Titans stadium. Ever who the next mayor is going to be will tell whomever the ownership is to build your field of dreams on your own and beg the state for any infrastructure needs such as new roads. I think if any tax dollars go to a new stadium the next new mayor will be toast.

Easy, just have Ikea sponsor it. 

[Tim29tn]

Wish they would go this route as far as an MLB Stadium if/when it happens. I love how Baltimore showcases old school buildings in their right field. There are a couple of more stadiums that have this done this as well, but not sure if they’re MLB.  Incorporating older architecture is a win win imo if they wanna shoot for inside the loop close to downtown. 
 

[VSRJ]

Obviously not an MLB stadium, but I think AutoZone Park in Memphis is beautiful and blends in seamlessly with the older buildings around it.