Peabody Hotel or Nashville Sounds Ballpark. . .or Both?

Pride · #1 Posted: **Feb 5, 2004, 1:13 PM**

Peabody Hotel peers at city

Memphis-based Peabody Hotel Group continues to search for downtown Nashville property on which to develop a hotel but is making efforts to not jeopardize any deal that might be struck between Metro and the Nashville Sounds regarding the former Thermal property.

The Sounds have proposed a project that involves a ballpark and two privately developed mixed-used buildings that would include retail and residential.

Roy Shainberg, a broker with the Nashville office of Prudential Woodmont Realty, is working with Peabody Hotel Group to find a site. Shainberg said the group is interested in the SoBro area from The Gulch on the west to the Thermal site on the east.

�We are looking at sites and they do want to be downtown,� he said. �But Peabody does not want to interfere with the process taking place between Metro and the Sounds.�

Shainberg said that, beginning last February, he has met with Sounds General Manager Glenn Yeager two or three times.

�Certainly it is not our intent to kill the Sounds deal,� Shainberg said. �I�d like to see the ballpark.�

Some Metro Council members quietly are pushing for a Thermal site project that would have Peabody Hotel Group develop both a hotel and a ballpark for the Sounds. The buildings on the Thermal property could be razed as soon as this April.

Shainberg said the development, if it materializes, would feature a 500-room, 10-15-story hotel. He said Peabody Hotel Group has not given him a strict timetable but would like to take advantage of the momentum SoBro area is generating.

Nashville City Paper

Uncle Dave · #2 Posted: **Feb 5, 2004, 3:19 PM**

I think I'd prefer to see the Sounds park and residential/commercial there at the thermal site.

The hotel can be built a couple of blocks away and served as yet another improvement and parking lot filler for SoBro.

Just getting rid of the old Thermal will be big in my book.

Lexy · #3 Posted: **Feb 5, 2004, 6:05 PM**

^ Exactly and chalk up another mid-high rise for the downtown area. This is awesome news no matter what!!!

#4 Posted: **Feb 7, 2004, 2:38 PM**

BUT!

If you build the hotel.. then a larger or expansion of the current Conventions Center can be more easily justified. The CC would be a source of greater revenue and exposure for the city (both public and private imop).

Let the Sounds leave (the Pirates aren't going to be supplying them with any name brand players for a while anyway) in the same way Memphis let the Chicks leave. Then pursue a non-profit franchise that pays itself, the community, and fans back each season.

Lexy · #5 Posted: **Feb 7, 2004, 4:03 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Repo Man

BUT!

If you build the hotel.. then a larger or expansion of the current Conventions Center can be more easily justified. The CC would be a source of greater revenue and exposure for the city (both public and private imop).

Let the Sounds leave (the Pirates aren't going to be supplying them with any name brand players for a while anyway) in the same way Memphis let the Chicks leave. Then pursue a non-profit franchise that pays itself, the community, and fans back each season.

This post is a great post. This is why having a civilized discussion on a public forum is great. It allows you to see the big picture or different picture. I can see Repo Man's point, and it is well taken. Good post. I must admit that I agree with you on this.

Pride · #6 Posted: **Feb 8, 2004, 4:34 AM**

Oh yeah, Minor League teams are always moving alot. And, they don't give alot of revenue to the city, considering of the small status. It wouldn't take no time for Nashville to gain another minor league team.

Rural King · #7 Posted: **Feb 10, 2004, 9:04 AM**

^ I agree.