Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell talks major development projects
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Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell updated reporters about the status of three major development projects his administration is navigating in its early days.
State of play: At the top of the list is the East Bank redevelopment plan, which will take shape around a $2.1 billion Titans stadium.
- He also addressed the plan to revamp the fairgrounds racetrack, which stalled at the end of the last council term, and the former Hickory Hollow Mall, previously pitched as a location for Vanderbilt University Medical Center facilities.
East Bank: O'Connell's administration is early in talks with the Fallon Company about a contract to lead the redevelopment. He says his administration is mindful of the Titans' stadium construction timeline as it negotiates with Fallon.
- "This is another thing that we don't want to rush, but we know we want to keep things on track. I think things will be in clearer view by the end of the year. I don't know that we will take something to council by the end of the year."
- O'Connell says his administration is working to get a handle on the annual price tag for infrastructure on the East Bank because he wants to make "equivalent substantive investments" in neighborhoods across the county.
Fairgrounds racetrack: O'Connell says he's had early talks with Bristol Motor Speedway, which wants to revitalize the speedway, and Nashville SC, which opposed the previous plan.
- "I would say I came into this moment expecting that there would be a long-term future of a speedway in some form. I think that's still my expectation based on where conversations with the team and Bristol are, but I would not say we're in an active state of negotiation."
Antioch mall: "It did not sound to me like there was an active negotiation with VUMC underway as we came into the transition," O'Connell said, adding that his team is trying to get its arms around the costs for an alternative redevelopment vision, which was unveiled in August.