NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Nashville Mayor Karl Dean Wednesday put a new price tag on the proposed downtown convention center.
Instead of the Music City Center costing an estimated $635 million, the mayor said he thinks it can be "$600 million or lower."
"Obviously I don't want to sacrifice the quality of the project or important programming, but I think I can find some additional reductions and we are going to work hard to get it down," he said, citing reduced overall construction costs because builders, in a down economy, are looking for work.
The proposed convention center shapes up to be the biggest political battle during the mayor's two years in office.
He is facing criticism from Metro Council members like Michael Craddock, who calls himself "skeptical at this point", even with up to $50 million off the initial price tag.
"That's a big step, but if you look at the entire picture, $50 million is not a lot of money when you look at $1 billion," Craddock told News 2 Wednesday.
He calls the project a "$1 billion one" because it also included a proposed $300 million hotel, something Mayor Dean said Wednesday the council will discuss later this month.
Downtown merchants, hotel employees and business leaders have long argued the convention center is needed because the city of Nashville is losing millions in tourism dollars by not having a large enough space for conventions.
The new center is expected to bring an additional $600 to $700 million in visitor spending each year.
"Fundamentally, we have a decision to make here because tourism is the number two employer in this city," said Mayor Dean. "We can pay for this convention center through hotel motel tax and other tourist fees and this project will work."
The special Metro Council meeting to discuss the convention center hotel is set for September 29.
Related Stories:
- August 19, 2009: Special meeting called over Convention Center Authority
- August 17, 2009: Auditor will review spending for new convention center
- August 12, 2009: Marriott to run convention center hotel
- June 16, 2009: City selects developer to build Music City Center hotel
- June 2, 2009: Council approves land purchase for Music City Center
- May 19, 2009: Proposed convention center step closer to reality
- April 14, 2009: City leaders say proposed convention center needed now
- March 6, 2009: Greyhound probably won't appeal zoning vote
- March 5, 2009: Zoning board denies proposal to move Greyhound
- Feb. 24, 2009: Businesses voice opposition to Greyhound station relocation
- Feb. 6, 2009: Greyhound looks at Murfreesboro Rd. location
- Feb. 5, 2009: Rocketown will move to accommodate convention center
- Jan. 29, 2009: Plans for new convention center unveiled
- Aug. 15, 2008: Public shares ideas on proposed convention center
