NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — After more than four hours of debate, Metro Council voted in favor of a new, enclosed Titans Stadium. The 25-11 vote came just after midnight.
The deal is not done just yet, one final vote remains next week on Tuesday during a special called meeting.
"That's a good deal folks. This is a win-win. The Titans have been able to compromise with the city. These guys have negotiated a good deal, and it's time to move forward," said one council member. "If every little thing is going to kill this deal, maybe this isn't as good of a deal as everyone thinks it is," said another.
One of the reasons the process took so long is because there were 30 amendments that council members looked at before moving the bill forward. They had to discuss each one individually.
Many of the proposed changes addressed concerns about state involvement and control in Metro projects.
Mayor John Cooper has been in constant support of the new stadium. He released a statement following the vote:
“I appreciate Metro Council’s diligent and thoughtful consideration of this deal, and their consistent vote of confidence that this is the right move for Nashville taxpayers. I’m also proud of the transparent and thorough process conducted to consider this proposal, which has included dozens of public meetings and extensive engagement with community and neighborhood groups throughout the city. I look forward to next week’s third and final reading.”
Titans officials were also at the meeting. They said the new stadium will forever change Music City.
"Another benefit is we are building a game-changing facility for Nashville that can host the world's greatest events on a Sunday, such as the Superbowl, the Final Fours, SEC Championships, Major concerts. And then during the week, be able to host incredible community events," said Titans VP of Marketing and Communications Kate Guerra.
