ORLANDO — The Titans have yet to play a game in their new stadium. In fact, they won’t set foot in their $2.1 billion enclosed venue until next year.
But the NFL has already cast its eyes on bringing its biggest event to downtown Nashville.
In a vote by league owners on Tuesday, the NFL awarded Super Bowl LXIV to the 60,000-seat stadium. The game will be played in February of 2030, marking the first time Tennessee will have hosting duties.
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The Titans have called the state home since relocating there from Houston in 1997. They played in Memphis in 1997 and 1998, then moved to Nashville in 1999. It was at that point they officially changed their name from the Oilers to the Titans.
The NFL’s commitment to Nashville as a suitable stage for the Super Bowl helps justify the $1.2 billion in public money that Tennessee contributed to the stadium project. Of that total, $500 million is from the state, and $760 million is through bonds issued by the Metro Sports Authority.
Theoretically, the funding will be covered by tourists and hardcore sports and entertainment fans, with the bonds being repaid through a new hotel occupancy tax, an in-stadium sales tax, a fee on tickets, and a 50-percent take of the sales tax collected around the stadium development.
Nevertheless, the state’s contribution was met with some resistance. But with the Super Bowl now destined for Nashville, and other big-time sports and entertainment events soon following, the hope is that the revenue the new stadium will create will validate the investment.
In other news, the Minnesota Vikings will host the 2028 NFL draft.
