Nashville sports ecosystem gaining ground

Article posted by Coliseum, May 13^th, 2025

Image: Coliseum GSVA

Nashville in Tennessee (US) has a rich musical history and diverse attractions including the National Museum of African American Music and the iconic Grand Ole Opry (a regular live country-music radio broadcast). The City also boasts a diverse culinary scene and it is aptly named as the ‘Music City’ with the ever-expanding popularity of country music with 180 music venues of all kinds.

Coliseum – the only global sports venues business summit – will be holding Coliseum Summit US at the Woolworth Theatre, Nashville, from June 25^th-26^th, 2025.

High-profile representatives from the Tennessee Titans, Nashville Predators, Nashville SC, Vanderbilt University, the University of Tennessee, and Nashville Superspeedway will provide an overview of the local sports facility landscape.

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All in all, more than 50 speakers will introduce the audience to the latest trends, current challenges, and new projects across venue design and construction, operations, technology, and fan engagement.

Sporting Landscape

Nashville’s sporting landscape is becoming increasingly diverse and dynamic. This expanding sports ecosystem, particularly with its diverse revenue streams and growth potential, represents a compelling market opportunity.

Nashville is already home to the National Hockey League’s (NHL’s) Nashville Predators and the National Football League’s (NFL’s) Tennessee Titans. The City is also experiencing growth in minor leagues and emerging sports like curling (a game played on ice). The proposed Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) team is the Tennessee Summitt. Nashville also enjoys a passionate sports fan base and one of the most visible benefits of the sports scene of the City is the influx of tourists and sports-based tourism translates to economic gains for the businesses across the region.

New Nissan Stadium

The under-construction 55,000-60,000-capacity New Nissan Stadium – future home of the National Football League (NFL) team Tennessee Titans – will come armed with tech trappings and clean energy to help the top-flight meet its sustainability goals. The circa 2.1-million-square-foot facility is set to open in 2027 and will have an integrated building management system.

The Tennessee Titans have been part of the fabric of Nashville and the greater Tennessee community for almost 25 years. Their new home will host sporting, entertainment and civic events. The Titans’ abode is more than competition or high-octane fun – it is about the community. Built with high-tech, sustainable materials the stadium is designed to minimize waste and preserve energy and water.

This new sports and entertainment venue on the East Bank of the Cumberland River, directly across from Downtown Nashville, will anchor the revitalization of well over 100 acres of City-owned land which is envisioned as a vibrant new mixed-use urban neighborhood. The Luxury Suites offer exceptional views, thoughtfully-curated amenities, access to an all-inclusive private lounge exclusive, and surroundings that mirror Nashville’s rich and timeless character.

Bridgestone Arena

The home of the National Hockey League (NHL) team – the Nashville Predators – the 20,000-capacity Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee, US – will undergo its most significant and just plain awesome transformation since the venue went on stream on December 18^th, 1996.

The arena will see roughly $1 billion in improvements inclusive of a hotel build with the goal of enhancing the fan experience and allowing the building to remain not only a fixture in the ‘Music City’ but also the envy of the sports and entertainment world.

Plans to construct a cover over the main plaza would allow the space to be active no matter the elements outside. The area where the arena’s main doors sit today would transform into an open-air entryway into the building. It will also come equipped with bars and restaurants.

The project would add approximately 600 to 700 additional seats to the Bridgestone Arena’s capacity, wider concourses, club spaces, gatherings areas, and modern amenities that will simply make experiences better for the Predators’ fans and everyone who steps foot through the doors.

Vanderbilt University Project

To deliver the pre-eminent student-athlete experience in college athletics the Vanderbilt University’s (a private research university in Nashville) reimagination of the 40,350-capacity FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee (US) will set the benchmark for collegiate football and basketball player development excellence.

The construction company Barton Malow is currently executing Phase One of the plans to completely renovate the FirstBank Stadium – new construction of the North End Zone with the Huber Center Basketball Practice Facility was completed in December 2024, new construction of the South End Zone with a Football Training Facility and Locker Rooms, renovations to the Football Visitor Locker Rooms was completed in August 2024, renovations to the Press Box and the Broadcast Studio, and major infrastructure upgrades to the Athletics Utility Corridor connecting to the rest of campus.

The above redevelopment is taking place as part of the larger ‘Vandy United’ initiative, a $300 million project aimed at enhancing the overall student-athlete experience and modernizing the campus facilities. The renovation is being done in phases and Phase One is over.

Neyland Stadium Project

The University of Tennessee (a public land-grant research university in Knoxville) has been undertaking a major renovation and expansion project for the 1,01,915-capacity Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee (US) with a focus on modernizing the fan experience, improving safety and enhancing the overall stadium atmosphere. This includes significant upgrades to the South side and perimeter of the stadium, widening the concourses, constructing new gates and entryways, and adding more restrooms and concessions. Additionally, a new Neyland Entertainment District is being developed adjacent to the stadium further enhancing the fan experience.

Anchored by a planned condotel adjacent to the stadium’s South end the mixed-use Neyland Entertainment District would enhance the student experience and Tennessee Athletics gameday atmosphere. It would also transform the riverfront and connect and supplement Knoxville’s gathering spaces and multimodal infrastructure with another attractive leisure and entertainment hub.

The 2025 Coliseum Summit US – with its eclectic lineup of Speakers – will provide a 360 degree perspective on the sporting scenario in Nashville.

Stay tuned and look out for this space for more grist on the 2025 Coliseum Summit US.

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