When Nashville Became NASHVILLE
Visitors to Nashville often ask me, “When did Nashville become what it is now?”
Personally, I can go back about 50 years to give you a point of reference. Back in the 1970s, Nashville was somewhat of a sleepy small city, a place of businesses such as banks, insurance companies, publishers, and some music publishers and record labels. It was still growing as “Music City,” the home of the Grand Ole Opry and the center of business for Country and Western Music. In 1974, the Grand Ole Opry moved from the legendary Ryman Auditorium to the spacious Grand Ole Opry House on the Opryland complex, with the Opryland Theme Park(1972) and the Opryland Hotel(1977). That left a few small honky tonk bars like Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge on Lower Broadway and the famed Printers Alley between Church Street and Union Street. To put it bluntly, downtown Nashville was really no place to be after working hours. If you were coming to Nashville for pleasure, you were probably going to the Opryland complex because that’s where the action was.
In the early 1990s, Opryland opened the Wildhorse Saloon as an outpost and a hopeful seed for revival of downtown Nashville. The Nashville Network produced shows from the Wildhorse, particularly line dancing, and soon a few restaurants popped up on Second Avenue. I remember Opryland offering river taxies to take their guests down the Cumberland River to the riverfront dock, adjacent to the Second Ave/Broadway site. I also remember at that time seeing dog and cat lovers in line with their pets at Acme Farm Supply to get their fur babies flea-dipped. Yes, Acme was a real feed and seed store up through the historic 2010 flood. That May Day flood devastated all businesses on Second Avenue and Lower Broadway all the way up to 5th Avenue.
In the meantime, Nashville made some great improvements to its character and stature. The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum was moved and greatly improved in 2001. The Houston Oilers moved to Tennessee and were soon named the Tennessee Titans. Adelphia Colliseum, now Nissan Stadium was built just across the Cumberland from downtown. Also, the Nashville Predators hockey team came to Nashville and the Sommet Center, now Bridgestone Arena, was built at 5th and Broadway. Finally, the Music City Center was developed and opened in 2013 as Nashville’s state-of-the art convention center. However, this new convention venue left the city with a massive shortfall in hotel rooms. The hotel boom continues today.
Okay, I mentioned the flood of 2010. In my opinion, what you now see downtown just kind of happened and snowballed after the flood. The businesses on Lower Broadway had to be gutted due to water damage, and something just had to happen—Nashville could go backward, or forward. One building at a time, from 2010 to the present, new businesses sprang up with the same theme—Nashville is a fun place to be!!! Music personalities began to invest their names and influence to many establishments, and slowly the “Transpo-tainment” industry began to grow. Pedal taverns were seen in the early 2010s and now an entire industry thrives. Where else in the world can you ride through downtown behind a John Deere tractor?
Someone might take credit for planning what you see now in Nashville, but it really did happen organically one new business at a time. Many compare it to New Orleans and Las Vegas. In fact, we lovingly call Lower Broadway Nash-Vegas. It’s relatively safe and clean, and just a great place to spend a weekend. As you enjoy Nashville, make a list of the things you want to do next time!
