Murfreesboro city cancels Notes Live amphitheater/restaurant project: 'We had high expectations'
The Murfreesboro government decided against moving forward with the Notes Live amphitheater and restaurant project on Medical Center Parkway, according to city staff.
Developers with Venue, which was formerly known as Notes Live and is based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, failed to meet the conditions in an agreement with the city August 2022, according to a Tuesday press release from Mike Browning, Murfreesboro government spokesman.
The development agreement involved the following:
An open-air amphitheater with seating for 4,500 patrons;
Bourbon Brothers Smokehouse and Tavern, an upscale, casual dining restaurant; and
Boot Barn Hall, a 400-500-seat table setting, acoustically designed music and event venue that can be converted into 1,400 standing-room general admission hall.
Notes Live recently requested a substantial modification from the original agreement by requesting an increase to the amphitheater capacity from the originally requested 4,500 seats to 6,500 seats and dropping the Smokehouse Tavern and Boot Barn Hall plans from the project, the press release said.
Venue responded to the news from the city press release with the following statement from Robert Mudd, the president and chief operating officer for the entertainment company.
"Notes Live determined that the project in Murfreesboro as structured would not meet our criteria due to changing conditions and proposed alternative approaches to the city that were not acceptable to the city," Mudd said. "After some material discussion and assessment, Notes Live sent a termination notice on June 28 to the city."
The city’s senior staff discussed the Notes Live requested modifications to the development agreement separately with individual council members and determined that the majority of the elected officials did not support the requested changes, according to the press release.
"Therefore, in accordance with the original agreement, Notes Live will transfer the 20.13 acres back to the city due to Notes Live’s failure to begin work on the project," the press release said. "The city is initiating steps to take the property back per the conditions set forth in the agreement."
Mayor: City is committed to finding best project for property
Officials such as Murfreesboro Mayor Shane McFarland had been pleased with the project.
“We had high expectations for this project, but unfortunately the project changed and those changes significantly altered what was agreed to in the development agreement,” McFarland said in the press release. “The city is committed to finding the best project and use for this site. The City Council has already approved the infrastructure improvements to Medical Center Parkway, and we look forward to those being completed.”
The previously approved agreement was for a live entertainment campus to be built on 20.13 acres at the southeast corner of Medical Center Pkwy and Gateway Boulevard.
The land is across the street from the Fountains at Gateway development for offices, restaurants, shops and plans for a hotel, more restaurants and condos and possibly either more condos or apartments.
Fountains at Gateway developer Scott Graby of Murfreesboro said he had heard rumors that the Notes Life project may not get built.
"I hate to hear that," said Graby, who had thought both developments could team for events such as the annual JazzFest music festival that includes bands from Rutherford County Schools.
City had hoped to attract HQ to property
Murfreesboro officials prior to the Notes Live proposal had hoped to attract a corporate headquarters to the property.
Notes Live had been required by the agreement with the city to begin work on the development no later than June 1, 2023. The failure to meet this deadline, however, would trigger a process for the land to be transferred back to the city. Nevertheless, in May 2023, the city agreed to extend the deadline for starting this work until December 31, 2024, according to the press release.
Despite this accommodation by the city, Notes Live has told the city that it will not be able to initiate the project under the terms set forth in the development agreement due to economic conditions and interest rates that are higher than when the parties executed the development agreement, Browning's press release added.
Notes Live project entices city to pursue road improvements
The development agreement had also called for a number of off-site infrastructure improvements, including the city’s extension of Gateway Boulevard to Robert Rose Drive and the signalization of Warren Street at Medical Center Parkway by Fire Station 4.
The $7.1 million Gateway Extension Project received unanimous approval from the council on July 21, 2022, as part of a reallocation of capital improvement plan funding from fiscal year 2021-22 bond proceeds. The city completed the Gateway Extension Project earlier this year.
In addition, the elected city officials also voted to reallocate capital improvement plan funding to widen Medical Center Parkway beginning early 2023 to three lanes each way to improve traffic flow. The $26 million infrastructure improvement is independent of the Notes Live Project and could be completed in 2026-27.
The city pursued the road-widening work with a goal to complete the improvements by the time the proposed Notes Live would have opened.
"The city of Murfreesboro will continue to seek an opportune public private partnership that would yield similar economic impacts in the development of this property," the press release from Browning said.
Reach reporter Scott Broden with news tips or questions by emailing him at sbroden@dnj.com. To support his work with The Daily News Journal, sign up for a digital subscription.
This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: Murfreesboro city cancels Notes Live amphitheater/restaurant project
