The Tennessee Titans have announced a community benefits platform with 16 local and regional organizations called ONE Community.

The ONE Community platform includes multi-faceted programs that reach many of Nashville’s most underserved communities with a focus on three areas – Opportunity, Neighborhoods, and Education. The Titans announced the programs at Tennessee State University, their long-standing partner.

“ONE Community represents a substantial amount of work and effort on the part of many and is the product of extensive interaction and feedback from residents and community leaders,” says Adolpho Birch, Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer for the Tennessee Titans. “Ultimately, increasing opportunities for workforce and small business development, nurturing and enhancing our neighborhoods in need, and supporting education at all levels was what the community believed would be most impactful.”

The team will enter formal agreements with ONE Community partners and make them available to the public when final.

In addition to the ONE Community platform, the Titans will continue its existing community impact initiatives. Since 2018, the Titans have served 135 local organizations through direct investment, programming, and partnership.

Also, as part of the new proposed stadium agreement between the city and the Titans, the team will continue its longstanding relationship with TSU by hosting Tigers football games at the new stadium and engaging in other TSU related initiatives. The Titans will also return 66 acres of land (otherwise parking lots until 2039) to the city which plans to create parks, greenways, affordable housing, a multi-modal boulevard, local businesses and more.

Opportunity

Programs within Opportunity will focus on supporting local small and diverse-owned businesses, commitments to a diverse labor force and vendor pool for construction and post-construction, loan and grants programs, and other initiatives focusing on economic inclusion and growth. The programs will create meaningful pathways to jobs, professional training, and small business financing.

Programs within Opportunity include the:

• Titans Economic Inclusion Program
  • $18 / hour minimum wage for employees
  • A MBE/SBE/DBE and workforce development program maximizing minority inclusion and opportunities in stadium construction and beyond
• 1st & Goal Small Business Support Program
  • $2 million fund with Citizens Bank for loans and grants for qualified small and minority-owned businesses who need access to capital
  • Scholarships for small and minority-owned businesses to grow capacity through the Nashville Business Incubation Center (NBIC)
• Titans’ Hope and Imagination Center
  • 12,000 square foot multi-purpose community space in the new stadium
  • Flexible space for nonprofits and community organizations to utilize for education programming, celebrations, community space, food and clothing drives and more
• Real Estate Development and Leadership Council
  • Paid virtual internship and adult professional program with Project Destined focused on real estate and sports venue development
  • Hands-on experience with stadium construction and design teams and network with professional opportunities and certifications in the future

“We’re particularly excited about this investment in middle Tennessee’s entrepreneurs because we see this paying continuing dividends down the road,” Birch says.

Neighborhoods

Healthy neighborhoods are foundational to building cities in which individuals and families are equipped to thrive. Neighborhood partnerships include new programs that support, amplify and advocate for historically marginalized neighborhoods in our community.

Programs within Neighborhoods include:

• Home Field Advantage Catalyst Fund
  • A $5 million investment to provide access to grants and loans to encourage affordable housing through community development corporations
  • Initiatives would focus on affordable and workforce housing throughout the city
• Keep Nashville Home Campaign
  • • • An annual awareness campaign to encourage eligible seniors to apply for available housing security assistance programs and increase participation
      • Launched in 2021 with the Urban League, NAACP and Trustee Erica Gilmore

• Neighborhood Business Spotlight
  • Inspired by Nashville’s historic Jefferson Street, the Titans will select a group of businesses representing other iconic streets and roadways to highlight each year
  • Selectees receive a direct financial contribution and media and brand promotions through social media platforms and public recognition
• Direct Community Support
  • Titans will continue to directly invest in community priorities through volunteer service, capital investments and programming
  • The Titans will support the Looby Community Center, for example, through the launch of “Friends of Looby Center” to support future capital improvements and through updates to the kitchen space, computer lab, game room and outdoor playground.
• Mental Health Initiative
  • Trauma-informed therapy sessions and training through Cheatcode Foundation, a program currently available to Titans players and Coaches
  • Training for healthcare and community workers, trauma-informed sessions, and community engagement events in the pilot program’s zip codes of 37218, 37208, 37209, 37216 & 37206

Education

The Titans are partnering with academic institutions to supplement and enhance student offerings in powerful ways, with the belief that every student deserves an educational journey with the resources, experiences, and access necessary to create a meaningful path to vocational and life success.

Programs in Education include:

• Metro Nashville Public Schools
  • An expansion of the partnership will be announced in the coming weeks that will include health and wellness programs, literacy initiatives, athletics and internships
  • Titans will continue existing partnerships with MNPS, including the expansion of girls flag football into MNPS high schools, enhancing the high school football game experience and Titans staff volunteer efforts
• Tennessee State University
  • TSU and Titans will be expanding their longstanding relationship by launching a new partnership that will establish several initiatives including incorporating athletics, academics, students and university support through scholarship and job shadowing programs and professional development opportunities
  • Titans will serve as the annual presenting sponsor of the John Merritt Classic and partner with TSU to expand gameday activation and expanded branding opportunities
• Internship Programs
  • Annual internships and educational opportunities for local schools and universities that provide on-the-job experience and training.

Binding Commitments and Accountability

• Binding Commitments. The Titans will make binding commitments to the OneCommunity program through a series of contracts with its partners.
• Reporting/Community Advisory Committee. Titans will organize a committee responsible to quarterly review the Titans’ progress with respect to the OneCommunity program, and create, publish, and present an annual report and recommendations to the Mayor’s Office, Metropolitan Council, Sports Authority, and other key stakeholders. The Community Advisory Committee will be comprised of community partners, education partners, and Titans representatives.

Partner List

Citizens Bank, Project Destined, Nashville Business Incubation Center, Corner to Corner, the Tennessee Kurdish Community Council, Urban League of Middle Tennessee, NAACP, North Nashville Community Economic Development Consortium, William Franklin Buchanan Community Development Corporation, The Cheatcode Foundation, Office of the Metropolitan Trustee, Tennessee State University (TSU), Metro Nashville Public Schools, Meharry Medical College and Vanderbilt University and Don Hardin Group

The Tennessee Titans and Nashville Mayor John Cooper have officially announced a deal between the organization and city to build a new, enclosed stadium that would cost over $2 billion without burdening the Nashville taxpayers.

Nashville will help pay for the new stadium with a sales tax in Nissan Stadium, marking a 130-acre radius around the stadium’s campus, and with a 7 percent hotel occupancy tax in Davidson County. No money from the city’s general fund will go towards the stadium’s construction.

“This new stadium proposal protects Metro taxpayers by not spending a single dollar that could be spent elsewhere on our core priorities like education and public safety,” Cooper noted in his press conference. “Doing nothing was not a legal option for us, and renovating the current stadium proved to be financially irresponsible, so we are proposing a new stadium paid for by the team, the state, tourists and spending around the stadium–not by your family.”

Funding for the new stadium comes from four separate revenue sources, described in detail below. The Titans, the NFL, and personal seat license (PSL) sales represent the largest source of funding for the new stadium. General obligation bonds are not a part of the proposal, and zero dollars are required from Metro’s operating budget.

Sources of funding for the new stadium:

• Football-Related Sources: Titans, NFL (subject to final NFL approval), and PSL sales ($840 million)
• State: A one-time contribution ($500 million) contingent on the building of a new, enclosed stadium
• Hospitality: Tourists and visitors through a new 1% hotel/motel tax contingent on the building of a new, enclosed stadium
• Stadium/ Campus: Sales and use taxes collected at the stadium and on its campus.

The remaining $760 million will come from revenue bonds issued by the Metro Sports Authority to be repaid through the revenue streams described above, all of which, per state statute, can only be used for this project or other stadium-related costs.

“I’m grateful to Amy Adams Strunk, Burke Nihill and the entire Titans organization for their commitment to Nashville,” Cooper added. “Residents’ tax dollars can go to core city services because the Titans have stepped up to cover future ongoing maintenance on the new stadium. I’d also like to thank Governor [Bill] Lee and our partners at the state legislature for recognizing the Titans’ enormous economic contributions. Together, we are making sure that the Titans stay in Tennessee for generations to come.”

Other Additional Facts To Note:

• The new stadium will be home to up to four Tennessee State University home games each year, and TSU will have a dedicated locker room in the facility. TSU will pay no rent under this new deal.
• Venue Solutions Group (VSG) will be providing a full report to Metro Council of their findings that details their methodology and approach by Nov. 1. A summary of their initial findings thus far was provided to Mayor Cooper Friday, at his request.
• The new lease will run for a minimum of 30 years, and the new stadium could be ready as early as the 2026 NFL season.
• The Titans have agreed to cover any construction cost overruns.
• The Titans will expand their current impact programs and launch a new community benefits platform with economic inclusion, small business and workforce development and direct support for community priorities. That plan will be detailed on Thursday, Oct. 20.
• Local businesses, goods, and labor will be prioritized in construction and vendor contracts.
• Costs of stadium-related infrastructure and demolition of the old stadium are built into the deal.

The new stadium will have a capacity of 55,0000-60,000. It will be a turf field and the roof will not be retractable. Current PSL holders will have a chance to retain their season tickets.

“Nashville’s new stadium will be a game changer for the community, enhancing the national and international reputation of our great city and state and delivering world-class events to our doorstep that we could never have dreamed of 25 years ago,” says Titans President and CEO, Burke Nihill. “We couldn’t be more appreciative of Mayor Cooper’s commitment to prioritizing the taxpayers of Nashville and his vision for a bold future on the East Bank. We look forward to the discussion of these terms with Metro Council and the Sports Authority, and hearing from our neighbors in the community as this process continues.”

The proposed stadium would be built directly east of Nissan Stadium on land that is currently parking lots. As part of the proposal, Metro would regain control of over 66 acres of land, including the existing Nissan Stadium site. Land that would have remained surface parking for the next 17 years can now serve Nashville with a large park, greenways, affordable housing, a multi-modal boulevard, local businesses and more–all without selling any public land.

The Titans have agreed to maintain and backstop upkeep over the life of the lease, and Metro will own the stadium when the lease expires–creating a multi-billion dollar asset for the city.

“When my father brought this team to Tennessee 25 years ago, I don’t think he could have imagined a better home for our organization,” says Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk. “The way the people of Tennessee have embraced this team as their own is truly something special, and I am thrilled that with this new agreement we will cement our future here in Nashville for another generation.”

The lease for Nissan Stadium, signed in 1996, legally obligates Nashville to provide a “first-class” stadium until 2039. The Mayor’s Office worked with Metro Council to hire VSG, an independent and nationally recognized public facility consulting firm, to assess the condition of Nissan Stadium and estimate Metro’s financial obligation to the Titans.

VSG estimates that renovating and maintaining Nissan Stadium would cost between $1.75 billion and $1.95 billion over the remaining 17 years of the current stadium lease. This liability would require general fund dollars that could otherwise support essential priorities like public schools and first responders.

Under the new agreement, the 1996 Nissan Stadium lease agreement would be voided.

Additionally, the team agrees to waive $32 million of outstanding bills owed by the city for construction and maintenance performed on Nissan Stadium over the past four years. As part of the overall project budget, the team also agrees to pay off the remaining $30 million in bonds owed on Nissan Stadium. This represents $62 million in additional unfunded liabilities relieved as part of the agreement.

The new stadium will also feature other world-class, iconic events to take place right in our backyard, such as CMA Fest, concerts, and potentially major sporting events like the Super Bowl, NCAA Playoff Games, WrestleMania and more.