Poll: Tennessee voters oppose state tax money for MLB stadium
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Tennessee voters oppose using state tax dollars to fund a new Major League Baseball stadium in Nashville, according to a new poll by the libertarian think tank the Beacon Center.
Why it matters: Nashville is routinely listed as a top possibility for an MLB expansion franchise.
- Since pro sports stadiums in Tennessee, such as Nissan Stadium and the FedExForum, typically utilize state tax money, the political opposition is noteworthy.
By the numbers: According to the Beacon Center poll, 58% oppose using state tax dollars for a new MLB ballpark while 27% support it.
- The Beacon Center, which polls on a variety of political issues, provided the results of the stadium question exclusively to Axios.
- According to the poll, 60% of independent voters, 59% of Democrats and 57% of Republicans oppose state tax money going toward a new MLB stadium.
Flashback: Gov. Bill Lee and the Republican-led legislature contributed heavily to the new Titans stadium, which is under construction.
- In 2022, Lee committed a $500 million state grant to pay for the indoor stadium. The state also dedicated its portion of sales tax collected in and around the new stadium to pay for the project.
- The new poll didn't ask about local tax dollars.
State of play: MLB leadership is considering expansion in the coming years, and some cities are embracing the possibility of adding a team.
- In Nashville, a group called Music City Baseball has been working for years to bring an MLB team here.
Zoom out: Funding for baseball stadiums faces opposition across the country.
- By a wide margin, Kansas City voters in April rejected a stadium tax. The money would have been used to pay for a new Royals baseball stadium and upgrades to the Chiefs football stadium.
- Illinois politicians, including Gov. J.B. Pritzker, expressed concerns about state tax dollars going toward a new White Sox stadium.
The latest: Mayor Freddie O'Connell opposed the Titans stadium deal as a Metro councilmember but has worked to make the project successful since being elected.
- O'Connell, who met with White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf in December, has consistently said a Nashville MLB stadium should be privately funded.
The statewide poll of 1,200 registered voters was conducted June 20 through July 1. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.77%.