Exploring the Renewed Nashville Fairgrounds

Sep 18

An Urban Transformation Story through Successful Public-Private Partnerships

A CASE STUDY

The Nashville Fairgrounds stands as an example of urban revitalization. Located less than three miles southeast of Downtown Nashville, this 117-acre campus was once a partially underutilized plot of land that witnessed horse and auto racing, wrestling matches, NASCAR events, Tennessee state fairs, floods, and fires.

The Fairgrounds Nashville Campus, including GEODIS Park, has now evolved into a vibrant hub of economic growth and community engagement. It is spurring significant revitalization in the surrounding Wedgewood-Houston neighborhood.

This journey began in 2011 when the Metro Council directed city staff to develop a masterplan for the Fairgrounds. Today, the Fairgrounds Nashville Campus is home to a diverse array of facilities and attractions, reflecting its unique blend of history and innovation. The Expo buildings host the country's largest monthly flea market, drawing visitors from all over the region. Additionally, the campus is home to Nashville’s Major League Soccer team. For motorsports enthusiasts, the Fairgrounds Speedway continues to host racing events. The campus boasts public parks, greenways, infrastructure improvements, and in the future, three new private mixed-use developments—one of which is already underway. Fair Park Phase 2A is presently being constructed, expanding the greenway and improving infrastructure for the campus

As program manager, GHP is actively involved in six major projects on the Fairgrounds Nashville campus. These include the Fairgrounds Exhibition buildings, Fairgrounds Speedway, MLS Soccer Stadium (GEODIS Park), Infrastructure Phases 1 and 2, and Fair Park Phase 2. This collaboration ensures that developments adhere to the highest quality standards while focusing on the long-term sustainability and growth of the Fairgrounds.

Project Highlights

Timeline:

2011 - Present

Project Scope:

Streamline program management, design oversight, construction administration, and community outreach planning
Provide communication and coordination with key stakeholders including The Fairgrounds Nashville, Metropolitan Sports Authority, Mayor's Office, Nashville Soccer Club, mixed-use developers, potential new operators for the Speedway, Metro Council, Metro Parks, and other local government departments
Navigate local codes and coordination with public and private sector utilities
Facilitate meetings for community input, stakeholder involvement, and project ownership
Foster agency collaboration and regulation adherence (building department, planning, water, inspectors, fire marshal, ADA, plan reviewers, and others)
Manage projects, design teams, and construction teams to ensure standards are met across all Fairgrounds projects

Client

GHP is coordinating a large group of public and private sector owners: The Fairgrounds Nashville, Metropolitan Sports Authority, Metropolitan Government of Nashville & Davidson County, Walsh Management LLC & Nashville Soccer Club and MarketStreet Enterprises.

Fair Park: Greenspace Open to the Community

The transformation of The Fairgrounds Nashville Campus presented several challenges, including the creation of a multifunctional space that would cater to diverse interests and facilitate broader community engagement. The investment in Fair Park Phase 1 was the beginning of that goal.

One key challenge in the Fair Park project was integrating various amenities while offering flexibility for different events. So the project team constructed more than one mile of walking paths and a multiuse trail, a one-acre dog park, multiple sports fields, and a pavilion. These spaces are designed to serve the community's everyday needs while also accommodating larger events and festivals.

The success of Fair Park Phase 1 served as a catalyst for further investment and spurred discussions on how to better serve and connect with the broader community. The park stands as a testament to successful collaboration between the public sector and private entities.

Fair Park Stats:

46 acres transformed into multifunctional, community-accessible open space
1+ mile of walking paths added
Fair Park Phase 2 is under construction and will include additional greenways, improved roads, landscaping, and new fences and gates.

Brown's Creek: Cleaning a Contaminated Environment

The revitalization of Brown's Creek, which flows through the heart of The Fairgrounds Nashville, was crucial to the redevelopment’s overall success. In the early 2000s, the Environmental Protection Agency designated Brown's Creek as dangerously contaminated. The goals for the 42-acre open space involved restoring the creek to a more natural state, improving its environmental health, and minimizing localized flooding.

To address these challenges, the Brown's Creek Project began by removing structures and pavement from the creek area. These were replaced by vegetated stream buffers composed of reforestation areas, mitigation plantings, rain gardens, and recreation areas. Additionally, all new hard surfaces draining into Brown's Creek were treated for water quality using the latest Metro Water Services Best Management Practice / Low Impact Development measures.

The sustainability and resiliency initiatives completed during Fair Park Phase 1 had a positive impact on the health of Brown's Creek. The Metro Water Services department's testing showed a significant reduction in E. coli levels.

Brown's Creek Stats:

42 acres of open space listed as dangerously contaminated by the EPA
32% reduction of E. coli within the project limits of Brown’s Creek, according to sampling

Expo Buildings: Replacing Asphalt with Multi-Use Space

The Nashville Fairgrounds Exposition Center hosts indoor sporting events, a monthly flea market, the Tennessee State Fair and a multitude of additional events. Prior to the redevelopment, the facilities were dispersed across the campus in more than 11 buildings. Asphalt parking surrounded the facilities, which needed critical maintenance updates.

The original layout was not only inefficient but also presented operational, logistical, and accessibility/mobility challenges. The existing structures could not be demolished until the new ones had already been constructed, and the new MLS Soccer Stadium needed a location.

To address these challenges, the new Exposition Buildings consolidated the facilities into a central, fully accessible space. This move kept the same square footage as before and consolidated it into a modern facility. Relocating the facilities freed up space, paving the way for the new soccer stadium and private development. This will eventually bring housing, office, retail, and hotels to the campus, as well as improved pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicular connections.

Despite supply chain issues in 2019, GHP’s program management ensured buildings remained on schedule and budget. The facilities were designed, built, and opened within one year.

The Nashville Fairgrounds Exposition Center is now comprised of several steel-frame structures, including three smaller Expo Halls that can be subdivided and used simultaneously as separate venues. The main Expo Halls have two open-air parking sheds and extended roof areas at the perimeter, providing covered multipurpose space. A show arena hosts agricultural fair events.

Expo Building Stats:

150+ events hosted per year
131,000 square feet
35% reduction in the Expo Center’s utility costs

GEODIS Park: A New Soccer Stadium and Community Hub

At 530,000 square feet and seating 30,105 people, GEODIS Park is the largest soccer-specific stadium in the United States and Canada. Additionally, the stadium, whose design pays homage to Nashville’s creative and industrial history, hosts concerts and community activities. It features an exposed steel structure with expressed cross bracing and an open-air venue protected by a 360-degree canopy.

During the construction of GEODIS Park, GHP needed to ensure accessibility and connectivity to the surrounding areas. The project team overcame this challenge by constructing a new system for multiple entry points, including a fully functional walkway and grand staircase, that provided a physical and visual connection between GEODIS Park and nearby Fair Park. A wide, tree-lined promenade along the stadium’s east side allows for easy access through Fair Park to the local neighborhood.

Groundbreaking for GEODIS Park took place at the end of 2019, and construction continued throughout the pandemic, with the stadium officially opening on May 1, 2022. As the program manager for the Metropolitan Sports Authority, GHP provided executive oversight, project facilitation, and owner representation to ensure that design and construction met Metro standards. Most importantly, GHP made sure that the Sports Authority’s interests remained prominent throughout the design and construction.

We also served as a key communicator for various projects related to the development of the MLS Soccer Stadium, including surrounding developments on the Fairgrounds campus. This role was crucial in maintaining transparency and collaboration among numerous project stakeholders.

Now, the 65,000 square feet of open space surrounding the stadium footprint serves as a year-round community hub. This space includes a 17,000-square-foot community pocket park with an exterior-facing video board for hosting away game watch parties and community events. Outside the greenway, multipurpose fields provide an area for sports games and other local gatherings. The multi-use lawn features a fiber-reinforced cross section that allows temporary event parking without damaging the fields.

GEODIS Park Stats:

30,105 seats, the largest soccer-specific stadium in the U.S. and Canada
530,000 gross square feet
6,000 tons of steel
360-degree canopy

Infrastructure: Improved Connections for Bikes, Pedestrians, and Cars

Efficient infrastructure has been a critical aspect of The Nashville Fairgrounds redevelopment, with improvements aiming to enhance connectivity, support diverse programming, and accommodate potential future upgrades.

One major challenge was the need for a seamless connection between different areas of the Fairgrounds campus, including the Exposition Center, MLS Stadium, several planned mixed-use developments, Fair Park, and surrounding neighborhoods. So the team extended Wedgewood Avenue through the Fairgrounds campus, creating a multimodal connection from the Nolensville Pike/Craighead Street areas to the Wedgewood-Houston neighborhood and further west toward the I-65/8th Avenue South areas. This corridor now includes a 185-foot-long bridge with four lanes of vehicular traffic, one bicycle lane wide enough for bicycle traffic both directions, and two sidewalks, one on each side, of Wedgewood Avenue.

The project team also upgraded public utilities such as gas, water, sewer, electric, and telecommunications. It introduced new utility hook-ups for food trucks. These improvements not only expanded the capacity of the Fairgrounds but ensured that the site could support the wide range of activities hosted there.

These infrastructure projects have resulted in a well-connected campus, providing a foundation for the continued growth of The Fairgrounds Nashville.

Infrastructure Stats:

$22 million+ in improvements - Infrastructure Part 1
$41 million+ in improvements - Infrastructure Part 2
ADA access provided throughout the site

Results

The Fairgrounds Nashville showcases how strategic redevelopment, community engagement, and public-private partnerships can transform underutilized spaces into centers of activity and growth. This project has led to the establishment of a strong public-private partnership, promising economic development in the surrounding Wedgewood-Houston neighborhood, and enhanced public spaces for the community.

One of the main achievements of the Fairgrounds redevelopment was the collaboration between numerous stakeholders. GHP organized multiple public and private owners/operators, owners’ representatives, design team members, government entities, and local residents. This collaboration led to a master plan that considered community needs and desires.

The project's emphasis on sustainability, connectivity, and inclusivity has fostered an environment that benefits the entire community. The multimodal enhancements and pedestrian-focused streetscapes facilitate a more walkable and bikeable environment, which in turn promotes easier access to greenspaces, recreation, and a lively social fabric that was previously missing. By prioritizing these elements, The Fairgrounds Nashville campus has transformed into a truly livable space that connects surrounding neighborhoods and caters to a diverse range of needs, improving the quality of life for local residents.

“Program Managers are essential. To have a company like GHP come in and truly have our best interest at heart is critical. They are a team that has your back and knows you and your operations well enough to advocate for you throughout the entire process.”

—Laura Womack, Executive Director at The Fairgrounds Nashville

Conclusion

GHP's vital role as program manager in the redevelopment of The Fairgrounds Nashville demonstrates the importance of effective coordination to facilitate the transformation of underutilized spaces into thriving community assets. Our work paved the way for a rejuvenated Fairgrounds that prioritizes sustainability, connectivity, and inclusivity.

We led the collaboration between multiple owners and project teams to ensure all projects remained on track, issues between and within projects were addressed, and the end result met the objectives of the campus master plan.

GHP also proactively addressed potential issues, including supply chain management. By anticipating and tackling challenges before they escalated, we assisted in keeping projects on schedule and within budget. This approach contributed significantly to the project's overall success.

The Fairgrounds Nashville Campus/GEODIS Park wins the 2023 ULI Nashville Excellence in Development Award

In an outstanding recognition of urban development, GHP along with its commendable partners was awarded the Excellence in Development award for The Fairgrounds Nashville Campus/GEODIS Park at this year's ULI Nashville 13th Annual Excellence in Development Awards.

Among the 18 projects nominated, each was examined on ULI’s mission-aligned criteria. Aspects such as market acceptance, operational stability, and financial viability were weighed in, along with innovation in related areas. Other elements such as public/private/non-profit partnerships, affordability considerations, and community response also played into the evaluations.

The Fairgrounds Nashville Campus/GEODIS Park, a project marked by excellence in design and financial success, sets a new standard in the Nashville community and beyond. It is not only a testament of high quality work but also an embodiment of ULI's mission to shape the future of the built environment for transformative impact. Marking a catalyst for future developments and reflecting the character of the community, The Fairgrounds Nashville Campus/GEODIS Park is a commendable example of exceptional urban development. This success would not have been possible without the collective efforts of our team and partners.

Owners/Operators

The Metropolitan Government of Nashville & Davidson County
The Fairgrounds Nashville
Metropolitan Nashville Sports Authority
Nashville Soccer Club
MarketStreet Enterprises

Marketing Manager