The 'Ville Could Be Getting a New Convention Center

From The Tennessean:

Nashville should build a $455 million downtown convention center to remain competitive in the convention business, according to a long-awaited report to be released today.

The facility would be built south of the Gaylord Entertainment Center and offer 375,000 square feet of exhibit space — more than three times what's available at the Nashville Convention Center. Funding to cover $36 million a year in debt would come from a host of tax and fee increases aimed primarily at visitors, though Davidson County residents also would feel some impact.

The city needs a newer, bigger, more flexible building to attract a much larger share of the conventions and meetings market, key leaders of a mayoral study committee told The Tennessean in an exclusive briefing. They said it would generate $700 million a year in direct visitor spending and $16 million in new local sales tax revenue.

If this goes through, I'll be able to walk to the new convention center from my parking spot at work in a matter of minutes.

While I'm eager for Nashville to get a new convention center, I am worried that they'll try to fund it by upping the already brutal sales tax in Davidson County. I also have to admit that I still get lost in the existing convention center.