More Nashville ballpark development is on the way, as Nashville Sounds (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) owner Frank Ward is reportedly building up to 30,000 square feet of retail space next to First Tennessee Park.
When Ward pitched Nashville officials on the Sulphur Dell site, the argument was that the site would attract additional investment, both from Ward and other developers. With apartments already planned for the Sulphur Dell area and the nearby Germantown area developing into a hotspot, an entertainment district at the ballpark makes a lot of sense. And it compliments the 306-unit apartment building already envisioned for the ballpark site, which will not include retail or restaurant space.
According to a source with information about Ward’s effort and who asked to go unnamed, two residential buildings are expected to offer between 20,000 and 30,000 square of retail space, with the focus likely to be on restaurant and bar space. It is not clear if the retail spaces will be located in only one of the two buildings or in both (the two structures are seen to the left and upper left of the stadium in the above image).
The new ballpark is slated to open for the 2015 season. To say baseball will be different in Nashville next season is an understatement: besides the sleek new First Tennessee Park, a Sounds rebranding is in the works.
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