But there is no team right now.
It appears that Music City Baseball has picked out its site that will house its Major League Baseball franchise in 2027. But there are a few major steps that need to take place before a shovel gets into ground to build a Nashville stadium-village project. First, a deal needs to be in place with Tennessee State University to use the school’s land for a stadium and subsequent village. Step two, Major League Baseball owners have to agree to add two partners and step three, there has to be funding. Everything has to align. But there are flies in the ointment.
Music City Baseball has struck out in getting land near the National Football League’s Tennessee Titans stadium and now has its eyes set on university land but the school put out a statement saying not so fast. “Tennessee State University and Music City Baseball continue to explore opportunities for a Major League Baseball stadium on our Cumberland property, in the event MLB awards Nashville an expansion franchise or approves an existing franchise.” Getting a franchise may take a while. MLB wants to resolve stadium situations in Oakland and in the Tampa Bay market. When Oakland Athletics and Tampa Bay Rays ownerships secure new ballparks, then MLB expansion will be considered. Then there is the matter of how to fund a stadium-village. There is no financial plan at the moment. John Loar, who is the managing director of Music City Baseball, said his goal is to “overcome the obstacle in real estate, providing an area where a ballpark can be built with limited to no public financing.” There is always public financing whether it is a direct cash subsidy or tax plans that end up giving money to stadium planners. There isn’t all that much here to excite Nashville baseball fans.
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Evan can be reached at evan_weiner@hotmail.com
