(The Center Square) – The Tennessee Titans have continued to upgrade areas of the current Nissan Stadium ahead of the NFL season, spending money on everything from repairing escalators to upgrading electrical systems to installing stadium lighting and repairing stairs and a perimeter walkway.
These repairs will be financed by public funds from the Stadium Capital Fund, with costs capped at $42 million, beginning with the signing of the amended lease to build a new stadium and ending with the termination of use and demolition of the current Nissan Stadium.
The Metro Nashville Sports Authority recently retained Capital Project Solutions, Inc. to assist them in reviewing the Titans’ capital requests, which will involve submitting the requests, seeking approval, and then reimbursing the costs up to $42 million from the stadium’s capital fund.
Capital Project Solutions is a Nashville-based construction company that previously bid to serve as the Sports Authority’s construction agent for the new $2.1 billion Nissan Stadium project.
The fund is part of a tax system designed to raise $3.1 billion in public funds over the lease term for the new Nissan Stadium, which is scheduled to open in 2027.
Responding to news of the offseason work in July, Metro Councilman Russ Bradford wrote, “I hope the Titans have the money because Metro isn’t paying it.”
“The people of Nashville have made it clear that we have other priorities. If the NFL wants improvements to the stadium, they can pay for it themselves!” said Tennessee Senator Heidi Campbell.
However, the Council has already approved the amended lease, which added the $42 million cap and modified the “prime condition” requirement to read as follows: “Prime condition” means a condition that meets all of the following: (a) it must comply with applicable law, (b) it must be in a condition and repair that does not pose a threat to the public health and safety of visitors to or participants in events at the stadium, and (c) it must be in an operating condition that permits the playing of NFL games at the stadium in accordance with applicable NFL rules and regulations with respect to player safety, including the field, locker rooms and other player facilities.
This summer’s reimbursable costs include an estimated $220,000 for a running sidewalk on the east side of the stadium, as well as power and lighting costs, over $95,000 to repair the escalator and over $8,000 to purchase a used golf cart to transport fans to the stadium.
It also includes $50,000 for repairs to the stadium steps and $30,000 for electrical upgrades to a system for communicating player injuries on game days, Shannon Myers, senior vice president and chief financial officer of the Titans, told the Metro Nashville Sports Authority in July.
