Tennessee is preparing to give Starbucks $30 million in state government incentives in exchange for the coffee giant creating a corporate hub in downtown Nashville.

Why it matters: New information in a State Funding Board agenda is the first indication of the cost of bringing Starbucks' corporate offices to town.

Zoom in: The $30 million would be issued as an economic development grant, according to the agenda for the board's May 20 meeting. The board will need to vote to approve the grant.

Catch up quick: Starbucks plans to invest $100 million in its Nashville expansion, creating a major corporate hub that will bring 2,000 jobs to the area.

• Corporate leaders said building out a presence in Nashville was part of the company's broader plans to add more coffeehouses in the Southeast.

State of play: The company is opening a temporary office in The Gulch this month before moving into a permanent space in the Peabody Union complex in 2027, where it will occupy an entire building.

Driving the news: Starbucks expects to bring the jobs to Nashville over the next five years. They will include new roles, work brought in-house from contractors and some relocated teams.

• Some teams will move to Nashville from the global headquarters in Seattle.

What he's saying: In an oped published this week by the Wall Street Journal, former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz tied the company's expansion in Tennessee to the state's more favorable business policies.

Between the lines: The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development collaborated with the Tennessee Valley Authority, the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce and other agencies to bring Starbucks to Nashville.

What we're watching: Starbucks could be poised to get more than $30 million in incentives. Mayor Freddie O'Connell told the Tennessean this month that he is considering a separate city incentive deal.

• O'Connell didn't discuss dollar amounts, but he told the newspaper his goal was to make sure that existing residents would get a portion of the new corporate jobs.
• Any deal would require Metro Council approval.

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Nashville SC spends nearly $23 million on compensation for its players, according to the Major League Soccer Players Association's latest salary guide. But that total still pales in comparison to the league's top-paid player.

Stunning stat: Inter Miami's Lionel Messi is getting a whopping $28.3 million in guaranteed compensation during the 2026 season, per the new guide released yesterday.

• That tops the total payroll for all but two of the league's 30 teams.

Zoom in: Nashville's top-paid player is Sam Surridge, who makes more than $5.9 million. His performance suggests he's earning his keep.

• Surridge is one of the top scorers in the MLS, and he's a leading contender for league MVP this year.

Longtime star Hany Mukhtar is next on Nashville's roster rankings, with $5.4 million in total compensation. Mukhtar, a former MVP, is also in the midst of a strong season.

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🌱 Researchers at the University of Tennessee helped develop the natural grass turf that will be installed at stadiums across the country for World Cup games this summer. (Axios Houston)

⚖️ The ACLU filed the third lawsuit over Tennessee's U.S. House map.

• The federal suit alleges state officials intentionally discriminated against Black residents when creating the new map. (Tennessee Lookout)

🚧 Wilson County is set to get a new 2.15-million-square-foot industrial park off of Interstate 840, per an announcement from a logistics real estate firm that bought the land. (Tennessean)

The Nashville Electric Service launched a new mobile app as the power utility continues its efforts to improve customer service following the January ice storm.

Why it matters: Customers can pay their bills, track outages and change their service through the new app, NES says.

Between the lines: NES was bashed for its customer service following the ice storm, which left half the city without power.

• Customers were especially unhappy with the poor communication and lack of updates.
• Mayor Freddie O'Connell ordered an inquiry into the city's storm response, including how NES handled power restoration.

Zoom in: The app allows customers to report a power outage and get updates on service restoration in real time, NES says.

• "This app isn't just a new tool, it's a commitment to convenience, flexibility, and easy access to the account information you need to stay connected and in control," Aleisha Johnson, NES interim vice president of customer relations, said in a press release.

The app is available for download on Apple and Android phones and devices.

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