Tennessee
Elon Musk’s Boring Co. will ‘try’ to build tunnel in this Tennessee town
The Boring Co. has started excavation work for the Music City Loop project
The Boring Co. has started excavation work at a state-owned parking lot on Rose Parks Boulevard for the Music City Loop project in Nashville.
East Tennessee will not get a tunnel from billionaire Elon Musk’s The Boring Company.
Musk’s tunneling company announced which three cities won a “free” one-mile underground tunnel in the “Tunnel Vision Challenge.” Three Tennessee cities were nominated and among the contest finalists: Gatlinburg, Knoxville and Hendersonville.
While no Tennessee town was chosen to get a Tesla Tunnel for transportation, Musk’s company said in a March 24 post on X, formerly Twitter, that it would “try” to burrow a utility tunnel in Hendersonville anyway.
“IN ADDITION, there were multiple other projects that TBC thought were so compelling that we are going to continue to work with the entrants and try to get them built,” The Boring Co. post said.
The announcement comes while Tennessee legislators fight to get more legal authority and clarity over underground transit construction.
Here’s what to know.
Which cities will get a ‘Tesla Tunnel’?
The Boring Co. announced that the “Tunnel Vision Challenge” winners are a NOLA Loop in New Orleans, a Ravens Loop in Baltimore and a University Hills Loop in Dallas.
Despite the contest, New Orleans, Baltimore and Dallas are not guaranteed a loop. Individuals could nominate their community without the consent or knowledge of local government officials, as happened in Knoxville.
The three identified communities will now undergo a diligence process to determine the feasibility of the project. This includes meetings with elected officials, geotechnical borings and utility and subsurface infra investigation, according to The Boring Co.
What is Elon Musk’s tunnel idea?
The Boring Co. is developing tunnels in cities across the United States as a way of mitigating traffic. The privately-owned tunnels are commercialized to allow anyone to ride the direct route in a Tesla for a fee.
“Tunnels minimize usage of valuable surface land and do not conflict with existing transportation systems,” reads a description on The Boring Co. website. “A large network of tunnels can alleviate congestion in any city; no matter how large a city grows, more levels of tunnels can be added.”
Musk’s company opened the first Loop in Las Vegas in 2021.
There are advantages to the underground tunnel network; however, there are limited government regulations to control the tunnel system since it is privately owned.
Tennessee representatives have proposed expanding government oversight of underground projects. Senate Bill 2205, dubbed The Subterranean Transportation Infrastructure Coordination Act, would create an 11-member authority board to take absolute control of all future state dealings with “subterranean transit projects,” including the Music City Loop and any future tunnels in the Volunteer State.
Not all tunnels are used for passenger transportation, however. Of existing tunnels, the Cybertunnel in Austin, Texas, was built at the Tesla Gigafactory to transport the new cars to a staging area. There are also several “research and development” tunnels across Texas and California.
The Boring Co. underground transportation system also could be used for utilities or pedestrians, as proposed among the 16 Tunnel Vision Challenge finalist cities.
What cities have Tesla tunnels?
In reality, a few cities currently have Boring Co. tunnels. Las Vegas undoubtedly has the largest tunnel used for underground transportation. Here’s which cities have Boring Co. tunnels for transportation or have them planned or in the works, according to the company website. Note that this list excludes research and development tunnels.
- Las Vegas: Opened in 2021
- Nashville: Under construction
- Austin, Texas: Open, used to transport new cybertrucks off the production line.
- Dubai, United Arab Emirates: Under contract
Allison Kiehl covers trending and breaking news from Knoxville for the Tennessee Connect Team. Email: allison.kiehl@knoxnews.com
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Tennessee State men’s hockey has once again canceled its inaugural season.
The first ever ice hockey team at an historically Black, public university was expected to begin play in 2025-26, but the season was canceled due to a fundraising shortfall. Now, the team has canceled its 2026-27 season according to a source with knowledge of the situation who wished to remain anonymous because the news is not public.
The Tennessean reached out to Tennessee State president Dwayne Tucker, who decline to comment on the situation.
The Tennessee State’s men’s hockey website does not have a schedule, roster, or any team events listed on its website. The site’s most recent update was July 10 of last year, an announcement about the 2025-26 season cancellation. Requests for additional information about the hockey team have gone unanswered.
This delay in the start of the men’s hockey team comes three years after the team’s inception was announced at Bridgestone Arena ahead of the 2023 NHL Draft. The Nashville Predators and NHL were instrumental in bringing a team to Tennessee State, and a representative with the Predators confirmed that support is ongoing.
While the 2025-26 cancellation followed unrest about the school’s financial situation, it’s unclear if this year’s cancellation is for the same reason or if its related to the school’s recent turmoil in the athletic department.
In May, six coaches gave a vote of no confidence for Tennessee State’s athletic director Mikki Allen. A letter to Dwayne Tucker on May 29 expressed concern about the “current direction, leadership, communication, and operational management of the athletic department” under Allen.
Men’s hockey coach Duante Abercrombie was not among the six coaches mentioned in the letter.
Alex Daugherty is the Predators beat writer for The Tennessean. He never uses artificial intelligence when developing or drafting stories. Contact Alex at jdaugherty@gannett.com. Follow Alex on X, the platform formerly called Twitter, @alexdaugherty1. Also check out our Predators exclusive Instagram page @tennessean_preds.
The Tennessee Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at July 8, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from July 8 drawing
12-29-37-43-55, Powerball: 18, Power Play: 4
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Lotto America numbers from July 8 drawing
17-26-31-32-37, Star Ball: 01, ASB: 02
Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 3 numbers from July 8 drawing
Morning: 5-0-7, Wild: 6
Midday: 9-0-5, Wild: 8
Evening: 4-7-3, Wild: 3
Check Cash 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 4 numbers from July 8 drawing
Morning: 1-9-3-7, Wild: 4
Midday: 0-0-0-8, Wild: 3
Evening: 8-0-5-3, Wild: 1
Check Cash 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Daily Tennessee Jackpot numbers from July 8 drawing
07-14-15-18-29
Check Daily Tennessee Jackpot payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Tennessee Cash numbers from July 8 drawing
01-02-06-13-27, Bonus: 03
Check Tennessee Cash payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from July 8 drawing
06-27-33-44-69, Powerball: 23
Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from July 8 drawing
16-18-43-48-50, Bonus: 01
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
All Tennessee Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $599.
For prizes over $599, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at Tennessee Lottery offices. By mail, send a winner claim form, winning lottery ticket, a copy of a government-issued ID and proof of social security number to P.O. Box 290636, Nashville, TN 37229. Prize claims less than $600 do not require a claim form. Please include contact information on prizes claimed by mail in the event we need to contact you.
To submit in person, sign the back of your ticket, fill out a winner claim form and deliver the form, along with the ticket and government-issued ID and proof of social security number to any of these locations:
Nashville Headquarters & Claim Center: 26 Century Blvd., Nashville, TN 37214, 615-254-4946 in the (615) and (629) area, 901-466-4946 in the (901) area, 865-512-4946 in the (865) area, 423-939-7529 in the (423) area or 1-877-786-7529 (all other areas in Tennessee). Outside Tennessee, dial 615-254-4946. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes of any amount.
Knoxville District Office: Cedar Springs Shopping Center, 9298 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37922, (865) 251-1900. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $199,999.
Chattanooga District Office: 2020 Gunbarrel Rd., Suite 106, Chattanooga, TN 37421, (423) 308-3610. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $199,999.
Memphis District Office: Chiles Plaza, 7424 U.S. Highway 64, Suite 104, Memphis, TN 38133, (901) 322-8520. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $199,999.
Check previous winning numbers and payouts at https://tnlottery.com/.
When are the Tennessee Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10:00 p.m. CT Tuesday and Friday.
- Cash 3, 4: Daily at 9:28 a.m. (Morning) and 12:28 p.m. CT (Midday), except for Sunday. Evening game daily, seven days a week, at 6:28 p.m. CT.
- Daily Tennessee Jackpot: 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
- Tennessee Cash: 10:34 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
- Powerball Double Play: 10:30 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Tennessean editor. You can send feedback using this form.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – Home power bills are feeling the impact of data centers opening across Tennessee communities, according to a new report from ThinkTennessee.
Researchers found electricity usage has increased by more than 7.2 times over the past five years as data centers opened in the Tennessee Valley region. Areas with data centers saw average power bills rise more than the state average, but the increase was not distributed evenly among customers in those areas.
“Tennessee’s data center growth is arriving faster than the rules designed to manage that growth,” research director Chris Candelaria said. “Our report isn’t saying whether data centers are good or bad. Instead, we’re trying to highlight the issues that communities and policymakers need to know about.”
Residential customers hit harder than businesses
Residential customers in communities with data centers saw their bills jump 3.2 percent, to an average of $149 a month, between 2023 and 2024, the report found.
During that same period, commercial customers, including data centers themselves, saw their bills slightly decrease. By comparison, the statewide average power bill over the same period increased 1.3 percent.
Candelaria said the findings are tied directly to where the data centers are located and signal what may be ahead for the rest of the state.
“Residents seeing these higher prices and that’s associated with where the data centers are located,” Candelaria said. “We know that the data centers are coming, and the report’s really just forecasting that this situation may play out in more places across the state. This is an issue that city and community leaders will need to address directly.”
He said the trend warrants close attention, but stopped short of drawing firm conclusions in their report based on the data analyzed.
Tennessee emerges as a data center hub
The report, titled “Powering the Boom,” describes Tennessee as an emerging data center market that has likely not yet seen the full scale of potential growth. For roughly 15 years, the state’s electricity consumption was essentially flat or declining before the current surge began around 2020.
Data center facilities planned, operating or under construction in Tennessee represent approximately 2,177 megawatts of demand capacity which is roughly equivalent to powering more than 1.3 million homes for a year. Those facilities are concentrated in and around Memphis, Nashville and Knoxville.
Grid strain, costly outages a concern
Candelaria said the study drew on data from across the country to examine how data centers are already affecting communities and what Middle Tennessee should plan for.
“As we get requests for more data centers, there’s an issue with how is that going to affect our current grid infrastructure? This is the key question,” Candelaria said. “We also provide in the report some studies from other states. If you over-strain the system, what does that mean? Well, it could lead to costly outages. We’re just trying to think strategically.”
Alex Kardokus is among the more than 500,000 people who signed a petition against a proposed data center near the Nashville Zoo. He said his concerns have since expanded to the broader impact data centers could have across the city after learning about this report.
“NES, we don’t want that (bill) to go higher because it’s already expensive in Nashville. Don’t want that to be a raising,” Kardokus said.
Policy seen as key to managing growth
Candelaria said policies, including data center zoning restrictions Metro Council is currently working on, will be key to protecting families from further cost increases. He said the decisions made now will shape whether the growth benefits or burdens Tennessee residents.
“The policy choices that we make now on pricing and grid planning will determine whether that growth is going to strengthen the state’s economy or whether that’s going to shift costs onto everyday households,” Candelaria said.
He added that the situation requires a balancing act, as data centers also bring jobs and economic opportunities to the communities where they operate.
ThinkTennessee said a second installment of the “Powering the Boom” series is expected to lay out policy options aimed at protecting ratepayers while the sector continues to grow.
Copyright 2026 WSMV. All rights reserved.
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