Survey asks Nashvillians how they feel about potential new Nissan Stadium

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - A survey conducted by a local nonprofit in Nashville asked the public how they felt about a new football stadium in their backyard.

The results are from a survey some living in East Nashville took back in February. Stand-Up Nashville conducted it to get feedback on what people want to see regarding the east bank development.

Stand Up Nashville says almost 90-percent of those surveyed say they do not support public funding for a new Titans Stadium. Instead, 84% of the participants want to see affordable housing a priority in the development.

“This is home for people. And how do we continue to make it home for people?” said Janet Maykus, an East Nashville resident and survey participant.

She loves the area and serves as the pastor of Eastwood Christian Church. She was one of the 300 residents who participated in the Stand Up Nashville survey conducted in February. The survey asked locals what they wanted to see from Metro’s proposed East Bank Development which includes updates to the Titans stadium built on more than 100 acres of the public-owned lane.

“No one is opposed to development; development is going to happen. Change always happens, but we want it to be a community, we want it to be a neighborhood, we want it to continue to reflect the neighborhood that’s there and not displace everyone,” said Maykus.

Stand Up Nashville released the results from the survey where almost 90% of those surveyed say they do not support public funding for a new Titan stadium; instead, they want more affordable housing.

“If you look around the city of Nashville, the rent right now is through the roof. So, we have a booming city and people in the city are not being...Are not getting the accommodations for how you will have a booming city and not giving anything back to the people of Nashville,” said Carter.

Nathaniel Carter serves as Stand Up Nashville’s Director of Workforce & Employment. He says those surveyed aren’t against building a new stadium; they do not want to help fund it and would like to participate in the ongoing conversations.

“Who are those jobs going to go to? Are you going to give those jobs to people in Nashville to reconstruct this stadium, or you’re going to outsource it and bring a contractor in for California, New York, Chicago, and those places to build the stadium,” said Carter.

More than 70% of the survey participants say they had not previously attended Metro Imagine East Bank events or submitted a survey through the city’s process.

For Janet, there are so many questions still on the table.

“How do we make certain that the people who will be displaced by this development ultimately can return to their homes? How do we have businesses that people own and that is a part of the community,” said Maykus.

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