Tennessee
Titans near new stadium with $500M from state
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Titans have taken a step nearer to financing a brand new enclosed stadium estimated to value between $1.9 billion and $2.2 billion.
The Tennessee Legislature accepted $500 million in bonds late Thursday night time for an enclosed stadium. The proposal now goes to Gov. Invoice Lee’s desk, the place the Republican is anticipated to log out on the deal.
“It was an enormous step, and we’re very grateful to the governor and to the Legislature for his or her help and for his or her collaboration,” Titans president and CEO Burke Nihill instructed The Related Press on Friday. “However there’s there’s nonetheless lots of work to do.”
About two-thirds of the estimated value of the stadium has been accounted for with the $500 million in state bonds and $700 million coming from the Titans’ house owners. The remainder of the funding nonetheless needs to be organized, and talks between the Titans and Nashville officers have been ongoing for months.
Possession and upkeep of the brand new stadium additionally stay unclear.
Presently, Nashville owns and leases Nissan Stadium to the Titans. The stadium opened in 1999 within the deal that lured the then-Houston Oilers to Tennessee in 1997, and an authentic plan for renovations ended when prices doubled to $1.2 billion. The present lease requires Nashville taxpayers to pay for upkeep and upgrades.
Nihill mentioned they’re assembly repeatedly with Nashville officers to work by means of these “complexities.”
The NHL’s Nashville Predators agreed to a revised 30-year lease in Could 2019 to finally finish Nashville’s required funds for upkeep and upgrades at Bridgestone Enviornment, substituting cash from gross sales and ticket taxes.
Not all state lawmakers agree on the deserves of Tennessee serving to out the Titans.
“Allow them to use their very own darn cash to speculate it. I do not suppose they must be utilizing Tennessee taxpayers, and I am not ashamed to face up for the taxpayers of Tennessee,” yelled Republican Jerry Sexton on the Home flooring. He added that he did not need the Legislature to behave like “all of the woke locations.”
Nihil famous controlling proprietor Amy Adams Strunk and the Adams household have already paid for the growth of the workforce’s headquarters being wrapped up now in a “huge funding.” The household has been working for months to unencumber cash for the stadium mission with a farm already bought.
“They are going to proceed to try this as a result of they’re able to make as huge of an funding as they presumably can in a brand new constructing and in Nashville,” Nihil mentioned.
The Buffalo Payments are the newest workforce to get help from county and metropolis officers to assist pay to have a brand new stadium. The Payments are shifting right into a $1.4 billion stadium constructed throughout the road from their present facility, which was erected in 1973 and is the NFL’s fourth oldest. New York and the county are committing $850 million with house owners Terry and Kim Pegula, and the NFL is paying for the remaining.
Each the Titans and the Payments are focusing on the beginning of the 2026 season to open their new stadiums.
Nashville and Buffalo might be in line to host an upcoming Tremendous Bowl after they transfer into their new properties.
The NFL has awarded Tremendous Bowls to Minnesota, Atlanta, Los Angeles and Las Vegas just lately after these groups opened new stadiums.
“Unquestionably, Nashville would bid for a Tremendous Bowl, and it is our hope and expectation that Nashville can be a fairly darn compelling bid if it had a stadium with a roof,” Nihill mentioned.
The Titans’ new stadium can be constructed on the parking heaps between Nissan Stadium and Interstate 24. Crew officers hope to have renderings and designs by this fall, which can decide whether or not the stadium will characteristic a hard and fast roof or retractable roof together with the variety of seats and a last estimate.
Tennessee
When is Miss America 2025? Where to watch the pageant who is representing Tennessee
New year rings in with unique and funny drops across the country
Move over Times Square, here are five towns across the country that drop unique items to ring in the new year.
It’s time to crown a new Miss America.
On Sunday, Jan. 5, women from every U.S. state, plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, will compete for the revered title of Miss America and its $50,000 scholarship.
Younger women, ages 13 to 18, will take the stage one day prior on Saturday, Jan. 4, for the opportunity to earn the Miss America’s Teen title and an equal scholarship.
It’s a more than 100-year-old annual competition. Miss America originated in 1921 in Atlantic City as the “bathing beauty revue,” according to Miss America. The first woman to win was Margaret Gorman.
Soon, another deserving woman will wear the iconic four-point crown, representing her qualities of service, style, scholarship, and success.
Here’s how to watch this year’s competition.
When is the Miss America pageant?
Miss America finals will begin at 7 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 5. A coronation party is set to follow the event, according to the Miss America schedule.
When is the Miss America’s Teen pageant?
Miss America’s Teen finals will begin at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 4. A coronation party is set to follow the event, according to the Miss America schedule.
How to watch Miss America
The final round is set to air live across all time zones globally on YouTube as well as on PageantVision.com.
Replay videos of the preliminary rounds and talent competitions are also available for streaming on PageantVision through 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 5.
Where is the Miss America 2025 competition?
The Miss America organization hosts its scholarship competition at the Walt Disney Theater at the Dr. Phillips Center for Performing Arts in Orlando, Florida. The preliminary rounds of the competition began on Dec. 31, 2024.
Who is Miss Tennessee?
Carley Vogel, formerly Miss Music City, was crowned Miss Tennessee in June of 2024. She is a student at Middle Tennessee State University, majoring in music business with a minor in musical theater. Vogel is also a sister of Zeta Tau Alpha.
She is a Donate Life Ambassador, where she helps to raise awareness for organ, eye and tissue donation, according to Donate Life Tennessee.
Already in the Miss America competition, Vogel won the Preliminary Talent award for her vocal performance of “Climb Every Mountain.”
Who is Miss Tennessee’s Teen?
18-year-old Leela Beaty is the current Miss Tennessee’s Teen titleholder.
Her community service initiative is “Lean on Us,” encouraging people to embrace their differences, according to Miss Tennessee.
Before being crowned as Miss America’s Teen, Beaty held the title of Miss Central Tennessee’s Teen.
Which previous Miss America winners are from Tennessee?
Kellye Cash is the only Miss Tennessee to win the Miss America title. She won Miss Tennessee in 1986 and was crowned Miss America in 1987, according to Miss Tennessee.
Tennessee
These Tennessee cities are attracting the most movers, according to U-Haul
Tips to help you acclimate after a move to a new city
Moving to a new city can be an overwhelming task. These tech tips can help you before and after you relocate.
Problem Solved
U-Haul migration data has revealed which states welcomed the most new residents in 2024.
Southern states led the ranking, with Tennessee among the five leading growth states, marking the fifth consecutive year the Volunteer State has been a top 10 U-Haul growth state. Tennessee also ranked fifth in 2023, stated a news release.
Leading growth states also included South Carolina, Texas, North Carolina, and Florida.
According to the study, U-Haul customers migrating to Tennessee accounted for 51% of all one-way traffic in and out of the state (49% departures) in 2024.
“A lot of people are moving here because of how pro-business our government is,” said U-Haul Area District Vice President Jeff Porter in a news release. “Tennessee is a great place to start a business with the low tax burden.”
Where are Tennessee’s new residents moving to? Data shows Middle Tennessee cities as top destinations
Middle Tennessee is attracting the most movers.
Notable leading growth cities included Brentwood, Clarksville, Cookeville, Franklin, Hendersonville, La Vergne, Lebanon, Madison, Mt. Juliet, Murfreesboro, Nashville, Shelbyville, and White House.
Other popular Tennessee cities among movers included Bristol, Cleveland, Crossville, Greeneville, Johnson City, Kingsport, Knoxville, and Pigeon Forge.
Porter credited Southern charm and hospitality as the main factor influencing people’s migration to the South.
“People here are friendly. We say hello to someone when they pass you on the street,” he added. “Tennessee is just a good place to live, and there is a lot to do.”
2024 top U-Haul growth states
- South Carolina
- Texas
- North Carolina
- Florida
- Tennessee
- Arizona
- Washington
- Indiana
- Utah
- Idaho
Methodology
U-Haul ranks growth states according to each state’s net gain or loss of one-way equipment from customer transactions in a calendar year. The U-Haul Growth Index is compiled from more than 2.5 million one-way U-Haul truck, trailer and U-Box portable moving container transactions that occur annually across the United States and Canada.
Diana Leyva covers trending news and service journalism for The Tennessean. Contact her at Dleyva@gannett.com or follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @_leyvadiana
Tennessee
Goodwill of Middle Tennessee sees 40% increase in donations in final week of year
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — If you’re feeling the need to do a little de-cluttering in the new year, you are not alone.
According to Goodwill of Middle Tennessee, in the final days of 2024, their donations increased by about 40%.
“We’re taking in those donations from the community, processing them, and then getting them out on the sales floor as quick as we possibly can,” said Leisa Wamsley, Chief Operating Officer of Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee.
Ken and Carla Webb took part in the drive-through Donation Express on Thursday at Goodwill’s Bellevue location.
“We cleaned out the closet after Christmas and got rid of some old clothes and some things that didn’t fit anymore and brought them in to Goodwill. Maybe they’ll go to some good use,” said Ken Webb.
The Webbs make this stop two to three times a year.
When cars come through the drive-thru, a bell alerts workers someone has arrived.
“When I hear that bell, what I think about is that it is a bell that’s going to change people’s lives,” Wamsley said.
Appliances, Christmas decorations, clothes, books, and more are sorted in the back before employees place them in the store to be purchased, however, that transaction is only part of the process.
According to Wamsley, the money made from selling donated items helps fund Goodwill’s mission, including its Career Solutions Centers.
“Solar installation training, construction training, welding, those are all programs that the community can take advantage of for free and that’s paid for by the sale of donations,” Wamsley said.
This time of year, as the donations pile up, their purpose is clear to Wamsley.
“Three pairs of jeans are going to pay for an hour of career coaching,” Wamsley said. “I can tell you that I’ve seen so many lives changed simply because people donated their goods to us.”
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at robb.coles@newschannel5.com.
Why this man is transforming the Murfreesboro Cemetery School into a museum
This story by Aaron Cantrell reminds me of my first school in Dyersburg, TN. I was a student at Bruce School from Kindergarten to second grade until the school system was integrated. My parents graduated from this K-12 school in 1960 in one of the city’s African American communities. After sitting empty for several years, part of the school was demolished while the rest was renovated and now serves as a community center for the Bruce community in Dyersburg. A local pastor is now trying to do something similar in the Cemetery community in Rutherford Co.
-Lelan Statom
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