Does Tennessee need a Soccer team and new stadium??

[AuEagle]

No.

[gregintenn]

I'd personally prefer an MLB team, but an staunchly opposed to any taxpayer funding of either.

[No_0ne]

On 8/24/2018 at 1:45 PM, Grand Torino said:

The bigger question is who's gonna pay for it?

You, for one, as well as all the rest of us ...

[gregintenn]

To quote feminists everywhere, "Like a fish needs a bicycle!"

[Grayfox54]

Soccer? meh..... 

[deerslayer]

I just can't watch grown men trip and get carried out on a stretcher with hopes of drawing a penalty, only to be running around on the field five minutes later. 

[Chucktshoes]

Just now, deerslayer said:

I just can't watch grown men trip and get carried out on a stretcher with hopes of drawing a penalty, only to be running around on the field five minutes later. 

Not a big Lebron James fan, are ya?

[deerslayer]

1 minute ago, Chucktshoes said:

Not a big Lebron James fan, are ya?

NEGATIVE

[Will Carry]

I tried watching some of the world cup games a couple of years ago.  I saw teams battle to a zero to zero tie.  I just couldn't get exited about it.  I always looks the same.  That is just me. I like college Football, but high school football is the best football.  Pro-football is boring.  If they have enough soccer fans to fill the stadium, they should build it. 

[tnhawk]

If they have enough soccer fans to fill a stadium, let them pay for it.

[Chucktshoes]

2 hours ago, tnhawk said:

If they have enough soccer fans to fill a stadium, let them pay for it.

Bingo!

[10-Ring]

On 8/25/2018 at 11:22 AM, bersaguy said:

You are 100% dead on about Nashville. When I moved to Gallatin 20 years ago the drive out hwy 31 was filled with beautiful farms with cattle grazing in pastures. Since I have moved here which is Sumner County there are no more beautiful farms, No more pastures and no cows. There are apartment complexes and housing developements on both sides of the road and no they are not the affordable housing type either. I callled about a 1 bedroom apartment and the rent is $1,500.00 + utilities. That is more than I draw on my Social Security a month so what part of affordable is it?  The houses being built are 4000 Sq Ft or bigger so I would not even venture to guess wat one of those would cost. Every election cycle I hear about needing more affordable housing!!!  Can someone tell me what is considered affordable. It damn sure ain't $1,500.00 a month + utilities................... 

Off topic but you're right, starter homes are no longer being built.  The days of a 3 bed 2 bath, 2 car garage on an acre are gone.  Instead we everything is 4k sq ft or bigger and start $400k+ in this area.  It takes both spouses working high paying jobs to afford that.  

[hammerdrop99]

ONLY! ONLY! If the team comes in as a totally private funded project. Not one tax dollar used for it's institution or infrastructure. If it is on government property such as the fairgrounds, the land use must still be available for other interests (State Fair, Flea Market, etc.) and pay reasonably for the use under a revocable lease if terms are not met to the letter.  

I am not a soccer fan, but don't begrudge those that are, but it's time for government to stop funding private interests.

[btq96r]

Someone once asked me the old question, "if you could have anything you want, what would it be?"  I answered, "a professional sports team.  That way I can have everything I want."  I'm at a loss to think of a way to make money faster outside of owning a Federal Reserve printing press.

Nashville doesn't need a soccer team.  But sports teams are long term investments for the community at their core, so you need to look at this long term like any other business opportunity.  Whether a soccer team is sustainable is a matter of debate.  MLS isn't a business model I know enough about, but I plan to brush up on it.  I hope Metro has someone who has done the same well before it came up for a vote.

The team could use Nissan stadium, or even First Tennessee park long term (and they have been using both in the interim).  But then the team doesn't get additional revenues from other events at the stadium, and that's a big reason to be in the sports ownership business, so unless the owners of the Sounds or TItans want to buy the team, those places aren't the long term solution. 

Problem is, if the city puts up money, it's probably a grant, or at best, repaid with little interest.  Pretty good terms for a solid loan from what amounts to Taxpayers Credit Union of Nashville.  If the team wants to own the stadium, they should have to pay for it outright, or the local government should be able to profit on a loan on or about the same rate as a bank would.  If they don't like the terms, let them hit up a real bank and have to go through a real risk analysis of their proforma.

If the city pays for the whole thing, they should own stadium.  They can lease it to the team for a bargain as primary occupants, but the city should make the profit on everything after that.  Too often the team owns the stadium, even after the city contributes significant tax revenue to help construct it, yet the city only sees the incidental revenue from events (sales tax, occupancy tax, ect), not the net profit after event expenses.