Nashville honky-tonk's tax fight stirs debate

Nashville political chatter was dominated in recent weeks by the possible closure of the downtown honky-tonk and restaurant Acme Feed & Seed.

• Acme's owners say the business may have to close because of its rising property tax bill.

The intrigue: The issue escalated following highly-criticized comments from Mayor Freddie O'Connell after Acme owner Tom Morales requested a meeting.

State of play: Real estate values on Lower Broadway skyrocketed in last year's property reappraisal. A 400% increase was common.

Even though the values have gone up exponentially, many honky-tonk owners rent their buildings and don't get to enjoy the equity that comes from the rising values.

• Hospitality businesses often operate under "triple net leases," which make tenants responsible for the tax bill.

In response, Acme joined a record-long list of businesses and homeowners appealing their property appraisals.

• There are so many challenges, many taxpayers must pay their bills while their appeals are still pending.

Go deeper: Read our coverage of the gargantuan increase in property values on Lower Broad.

• Read more about the record number of appeals over the city appraisals.