The Tennessee Titans and their city and state partners on Thursday gave birth to the new Nissan Stadium, which team owner Amy Adams Strunk believes "will be the most exciting and dynamic venue in the entire NFL."
Voice of the Titans Mike Keith kicked off the groundbreaking: "Welcome to a moment you will never forget. If you love football, if you love the Tennessee Titans, but most importantly, if you love the city of Nashville and the state of Tennessee, today ground will be broken on a structure that will further enhance the lives of people for generations to come."
The new stadium is one piece of a grand vision that includes Imagine East Bank, a plan that will develop "great urban neighborhoods" and emphasize affordable housing.
"We often refer to the new Nissan Stadium as the people's house," said Burke Nihill, president and CEO of the Titans. "Your stadium will proudly represent the character, the soul, the diversity, and the audacity of Nashville and Tennessee.
"Your stadium will be much more than football. Your stadium will be where high-tech meets high touch. Technology will streamline every step of the fan complemented by good old-fashioned Southern hospitality.
"Your stadium will be the first with a built-in community center, so it can literally host a Super Bowl on a Sunday and a local classroom later in the week."
Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell then took attendees on a tour of the vision for the East Bank neighborhood that will complement the new facility.
"If you are a fan of great neighborhoods, get ready," O'Connell said. "This isn't just a groundbreaking for the stadium. The new East Bank begins today. It will be a neighborhood for all Nashvillians. ... We're making sure that housing is one of the first steps. We're emphasizing affordability. Our proposed master development agreement has elements that support Nashvillians of all income levels and it ensures that that affordability remains intact for the 99-year duration of the leases."
The new Nissan Stadium is expected to cost $2.2 billion, paid by the Titans, the state of Tennessee, and revenue bonds. Profits from the stadium are expected to repay the principal and interest on the bonds. Completion date on construction is 2027.
Some of the stadium features include:
- Seating capacity for 60,000 (10,000 fewer than the current stadium);
- Synthetic turf rather than grass (though it's worth noting that Titans players surveyed by the NFL Players Association much prefer grass);
- Circular translucent roof;
- Large exterior porches with panoramic views of Nashville;
- 12,000-square-foot community space available year-round for events.
"A generation ago, my father, Bud Adams, moved the Oilers to Tennessee," Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk said. "He saw a beautiful city here in Nashville, poised for growth and ready for the NFL stage. He saw everything Nashville was, and could be, and decided to make it our home. But even with all that foresight, I don't think my father could have dreamed just how right he was."
Tennesseetitans.com includes regular stadium updates here.
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