Hotel-Motel Tax Increase Could Help Finance Titans’ $2B Stadium

State lawmakers are exploring an additional funding plan that would help cover the costs of a new stadium for the Tennessee Titans in Nashville. 

An amendment to a bill in the House finance subcommittee was submitted on Wednesday that would see Nashville’s Metropolitan Council raise the city’s hotel-motel tax from 6% to 7%. 

• The 1% increase is likely to generate $10 million in additional revenue per year.
• Over a 20-year period, revenue from the increase would likely cover the $700 million Metro is spending.
• The city hopes to have an enclosed stadium by 2026, and costs could reach $2 billion.

In January, the Titans planned upgrades at Nissan Stadium that would have cost up to $600 million. A month later, the Titans pivoted to exploring the possibility of a new stadium amid rising costs associated with the upgrades. 

In March, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee met with members of the state’s legislature to request $500 million in bonds for the construction.

Playing the Long Game

The Titans’ current lease requires the city of Nashville to pay for maintenance, and the team is owed at least $25 million in completed repairs. Even though the Titans are expected to pay nearly double the estimated cost of the upgrades to build a new stadium, the move is considered a long-term financial decision.