Titans' New $2.1B Stadium Approved; Includes Record $1.2B in Public Financing

The Tennessee Titans received approval for a new $2.1 billion stadium in Nashville on Wednesday morning.

Per Cassandra Stephenson and Rachel Wegner of the Nashville Tennessean, the Nashville Metro Council voted 26-12 to approve the deal for a stadium that will be built along underdeveloped Metro land along the Cumberland River's east bank.

According to Stephenson and Wegner, financing for the project includes the largest public subsidy for a stadium in United States history of at least $1.26 billion.

The Titans first shared renderings of their proposed new enclosed stadium in October. It has a planned seating capacity of close to 60,000 and will cover 1.7 million square feet.

Key features of the design include exterior terraces and porches with panoramic views of Nashville, improved sight lines for spectators and a 12,000-square foot community space that will remain open year-round for "educational opportunities, non-profit events and other community-minded purposes."

Stephenson and Wegner noted there have been "polarized" reactions from politicians and citizens in Nashville about building a new stadium since it was first floated in February 2022.

They noted "nearly 70 percent of speakers opposed the deal" during a five-hour public hearing before the final vote, including council member Angie Henderson.

One of Henderson's primary arguments against the proposal was how public funds were being "used as some tool in the community for people to feel that they are somehow a part of or beneficiaries of this stadium when it's just token gestures."

Nissan Stadium has been the Titans' home since 1999. The team played at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium and Vanderbilt Stadium during its first two years in Tennessee after relocating from Houston following the 1996 season.

The Titans announced the new stadium agreement includes a 30-year lease and a non-relocation agreement.

Groundbreaking on the stadium is expected to take place in early-to-mid 2024 with the hope of being ready to open in time for the 2027 season.