NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — It's a highly anticipated project, expected to bring nearly 15,000 jobs with a $2 billion economic impact annually.
Nashville Yards completed construction of the Grand Hyatt hotel last fall. Now work is underway for a platform connecting Church Street and Broadway and nears completion on its first of two Amazon towers set to open in May.
“We will have everything from entertainment to residential to office and work place, restaurants, you’ll be able to shop here...” said Director of Strategic Design of Southwest Value Partners, Joe Bucher.
But a big question remains.
“The large opening that you see behind me- that is where our entertainment district is going in. Our partners at AEG, Anschutz Entertainment Group in Los Angeles, is constructing that project,” said Bucher.
AEG halted construction in October on what was supposed to be a 4,000-seat music venue, movie theater, restaurants, and hotel. This came after the sports and live entertainment company announced company-wide layoffs and furloughs in June.
“They haven’t missed a beat, never been more optimistic about the long-term success and the long-term investment,” said Butch Spyridon, CEO and President of the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corporation. He said he is confident in the project’s completion. “Southwest Value Partners is the overall developer and they have kept ownership in all of the pieces so they’re not just… bought the land and then selling off a piece. They are driving the development because they want to be in charge of their own investment.”
While he doesn’t know when AEG intends to resume work, Bucher said construction on other parts of the $1 billion project will move forward. “From a high level we’re proceeding with the same kind of idea and same kind of plan as we did before,” he said.
One of those projects currently moving forward is Union Station. Work has already begun on revitalizing the building and new additions are expected to take place soon.
We did reach out to AEG for a comment but have not yet received a response.
