Garth Brooks offers support for proposed new enclosed Nashville stadium
In a letter exclusively released to The Tennessean, Country Music Hall of Famer Garth Brooks has expressed "gratitude for thinking about an enclosed stadium for the people of Nashville and Tennessee" to the Metropolitan Council of Nashville and Davidson County.
"Nashville is the nation's favorite city right now, and it deserves to have a domed stadium for its residents and its visitors. In a city known for entertaining, a domed stadium is a must," writes Brooks in a note emailed to Metro Council members on Monday afternoon.
In late October, terms of a proposal to build a new $2.1 billion Tennessee Titans stadium were made public. However, key details -- including specifics on the stadium design and the amount of public and private money that would be set aside to fund maintenance in the coming years -- are still unknown. Titans officials and Nashville Mayor John Cooper's administration delivered the draft terms to Nashville's Metro Council to facilitate "ongoing discussions" before the Council considers finalized documents in the spring.
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Notably, Brooks' note referenced his rained-out July 31, 2021, stadium tour event at the non-domed Nissan Stadium, citing that "the amount of revenue lost during that storm, on top of what it cost to present the make-up show, resulted in heavy losses for not just me but also for the stadium and the city," stated the "Friends In Low Places" vocalist.
In May 2021, Brooks noted that he was "heartbroken" after selling more than 70,000 tickets to his Music City concert, only to have severe thunderstorms cause a delay minutes into an opening set from the Grand Ole Opry.
Overwhelming interest in his rescheduled date led him to play sets at Nissan Stadium this year on April 15 and 16, 2022. In regards to that decision, it was spurred by a rush of interest in the April 16 date, causing those who had their previous seats refunded to get what Brooks called "maybe not so great seats," an opportunity to attempt to achieve a similar standard of seating.
Brooks referenced his three decades of stadium-touring experience when he wrote, "today's stadiums are not like the stadiums of past. Domed stadiums are revenue-generating machines because they can be kept busy 365 days a year. That schedule enhances the city's revenue, the surrounding businesses and the employment level of the city's workforce."
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Moreover, he offered, "a domed stadium would also separate Nashville from competing cities for all major events. Nashville has worked hard and waited a long time to gain the recognition it is finally getting and deserves. Let's PLEASE build a domed stadium and show the world that being a major city with a caring, loving environment IS possible."
Brooks did not guarantee a desire to play a live set at the proposed venue. However, recent reports state that World Wrestling Entertainment would bring its Wrestlemania mega-event to -- if built -- a domed Nashville venue in 2027. As well, Academy of Country Music CEO Damon Whiteside has offered that he would consider bringing the organization's yearly awards show to the stadium, like the event being held at Las Vegas' Allegiant Stadium in 2022 and 2015's event at AT&T Stadium in Dallas.
Also, Rick Franks, President, Live Nation Entertainment, North America Talent/Touring and AEG Touring President Greg Gersh, have echoed Brooks' recent statement.
In-depth, Franks states, "Live Nation has identified Nashville as a key market and has established a significant presence in the city. From our vantage point, an enclosed stadium provides the next level of opportunity and, in particular, offers the opportunity for major shows to occur in the winter months and during the NFL season, which provides an enormous boost when needed most."
In support, Gersh offers that the proposed 60,000-seat venue "[would] be a game changer for the entire state."
No official date has been set regarding the Metro Council vote on the proposed new stadium's construction.
Read Garth Brook's full statement in support of the stadium
To the Members of Metro Council:
The intent of this letter is to express my gratitude for thinking about an enclosed stadium for the people of Nashville and Tennessee.
Today’s stadiums are not like the stadiums of past. Domed stadiums are revenue generating machines because they can be kept busy 365 days a year. That schedule enhances the city’s revenue, the surrounding businesses and the employment level of the city’s work force. Nashville is the nation’s favorite city, right now, and it deserves to have a domed stadium for its residents and its visitors. In a city known for entertaining, a domed stadium is a must.
Just recently, we had a rain out during out stadium tour here in Nashville. The amount of revenue lost during that storm on top of what it cost to present the make-up show resulted in heavy losses for not just me, but also for the stadium and the city.
A domed stadium would also separate Nashville from competing cities for all major events. Nashville has worked hard and waited a long time to gain the recognition it is finally getting and deserves. Let’s PLEASE build a domed stadium and show the world that being a major city with a caring, loving environment, IS possible.
Thank you for your time and consideration. God bless your families.
—Garth Brooks
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Garth Brooks offers support for proposed new enclosed Nashville stadium
