Nashville Councilmembers Propose MLS Stadium Changes

NASHVILLE, TN -- A pair of Metro councilmembers aren't so sure the stadium for Nashville's Major League Soccer expansion franchise needs to be at The Fairgrounds.

A resolution filed Tuesday, sponsored by Steve Glover and Decosta Hastings, removes language from an earlier action that specifies the stadium be built at the fairgrounds, but instead opens it up to be built on any land owned by Metro. Though not included in the bill, the pair floated the idea it instead be built at MetroCenter, which is in Hastings' district.

The resolution also removes the language that turns 10 acres of the fairgrounds over to private developers - including team owner John Ingram, one of the scions of one of the city's richest families, and the Turner family, founders of Dollar General and Gulch development giant MarketStreet Enterprises. That part of the plan was easily the most contentious bit of the proposal that nevertheless overwhelmingly passed the Metro Council in November 2017.

“It tells people of Nashville, we are fully committed to soccer,” Glover told NewsChannel 5. “What we are not fully committed to is giving away free land to billionaires.”

Meanwhile, Nashville got a firmer idea when it would join the league. When MLS awarded the expansion franchise, it left open the possibility that it could begin play in the 2019 season. However, the group working to bring the World Cup to the U.S., Canada and Mexico in 2026 told FIFA, soccer's world governing body, that MLS confirmed the team will not begin play in 2019. Nashville is included as a potential host city in the United Bid's proposal.

According to the Nashville Business Journal, a United Bid spokesman said MLS told the group Nashville will not join the league next year.

The United Bid Committee’s section on Nashville in the World Cup bid submission inaccurately states the first season for the new Nashville MLS expansion club. MLS has confirmed the new Nashville expansion team will not begin playing in the league in 2019 and a start date has not been finalized.

Image via HOK, used with permission