Before we get into our recap of this week’s Community Advisory Committee Annual Public Meeting, let’s level set. No matter if you’re new here or have been rocking with us for a while, here are a few things you should know about this topic.  

• What the community benefits agreement is. 
• Why the CBA was a monumental win for the city of Nashville.  
• How the CBA is enforced. 

Background
In 2018, Major League Soccer selected Nashville as its 24th team, and our city officials, along with the Sports Authority, helped John Ingram, one of the richest men in Nashville, build a new soccer stadium. The package included $225 million in revenue bonds to build the stadium, $50 million in general obligation bonds for related infrastructure, and a 99-year lease for 10 acres of public land at the site for a mixed-use development. All the while, as a city, we were underfunding vital Metro services and underpaying Metro workers who keep our city running. Stand Up Nashville organized a broad coalition to relentlessly advocate for the ownership group to sign a community benefits agreement—a legally binding document that would invest in the community directly impacted by the stadium’s development, as well as the city’s residents. 

After months of intense negotiations with Nashville Soccer Holdings, we won the CBA! This dynamic victory was the first of its kind in Tennessee and was recognized as one of the strongest in history. It guaranteed provisions for affordable housing, community services, amenities, and good jobs and workforce development. At the same time, the CBA established the Community Advisory Committee to provide oversight for the CBA’s implementation, compliance, and public reporting. The CAC is comprised of representatives from SUN, NSH, and the local community. 

Fast forward to now, we’ve been ringing the alarm because the math hasn’t been mathing when it comes to the status of the development. The developer MarketStreet provided a concept design which showed only 65% of the 4,000 sq. ft. of reserved retail space required by the CBA. Additionally, MarketStreet’s lead, Dirk Melton, informed the CAC that the construction of the second and third buildings is on hold until the racetrack matter is settled. Significantly, these are the buildings intended to house the affordable childcare facility and the majority of the affordable three-bedroom units.

So, what happened at the CAC’s Annual Public Meeting?
On Monday, March 30, 2026, the CAC presented its 2025 work to fulfill the CBA. Supporters like you and concerned community members turned out in strong numbers to press the CAC for clarity, accountability, and to express their concerns about the proposed racetrack expansion. Overall, the meeting included the real deal questions, bright spots, and next steps.  

SUN maintains that the Community Advisory Committee’s effectiveness is hampered by insufficient detail from the developer, MarketStreet, which is owned by the Turner family and is part of Nashville Soccer Holdings. Dirk Melton provides regular but vague updates. This was further demonstrated by NSH’s failure to share a draft of the 2025 annual report with the CAC, which would have been finalized and handed out at the meeting. We will share the report and post it on our website as soon as it is available.

There’s a clear violation. 
Tensions definitely rose when the micro-unit incubator spaces were discussed, and this is why. 

1. Previously, MarketStreet stated the micro-unit incubator units would be ready in Q4 2025. We’re in Q2 2026, and there’s no sign of them or an update on the progress. As of this email, the CAC still hasn’t received a plan that incorporates what the CBA instructs for the units. 
2. And on top of that, when MarketStreet previously provided a design, it prioritized creative co-working spaces—think office, rehearsal, podcasting/recording, conference rooms, etc.—over the required retail. That’s not what we asked for or what they agreed to do. The ambiguous “studio” retail space is spread across two floors and is only 65% (2,600 sq. ft.) of the required 4,000 sq. ft. 

Before the annual meeting, SUN informed Nashville Soccer Holdings and MarketStreet that the reduction in retail space constituted a violation of the Community Benefits Agreement and demanded immediate corrective action. We appreciate every CAC member and meeting participant who reiterated this message during Monday’s meeting. 

This disregard for the micro-unit incubator space means small business owners must continue to wait to access the designated affordable spaces to sell their crafts and goods. The original concept—a vibrant artisan and small merchant marketplace—was developed through an extensive community process led by SUN, not MarketStreet or the operating entity they selected to run it, the Arts and Business Council. This space has always been intended for the Black, brown, immigrant, and working-class entrepreneurs who helped create the vision because they can no longer open a brick-and-mortar store with skyrocketing commercial rents. Failing to honor the original intent would be like a studs-up tackle to the communities who fought for this agreement: an automatic red card every time.

Feeling the weight of the moment, Dirk Melton acknowledged that our concerns regarding the micro-unit retail space were heard loud and clear. He stated that the CAC will receive updated space plans that satisfy the 4,000 sq. ft. of retail space in the coming weeks. You already know that we’re holding him to it. 

Goals worth celebrating.
A major milestone of the CBA has been reached with the completion of 445 Park Commons. This project added 120 affordable housing units and 40 workforce units, all of which are now fully leased. Dirk Melton highlighted that it stands as the largest privately developed, mixed-income, mixed-use Class A building in Nashville’s history. It is a necessary and valuable reminder that positive developments are still possible in our city. 

The First Source Hiring Program also remains a standout achievement of the CBA. A well-deserved round of applause was given to Nate Carter, SUN’s Director of Workforce and Employment, and Lindsey Paola, Nashville Soccer Club’s Chief Business Officer, for their successful collaboration to increase the starting wage from a minimum of $15.50 per hour to $20-$23 per hour. 

Looking for a new job opportunity? Nashville Soccer Club is currently hiring for full-time and part-time positions. 

Full-time: 

• Event and Parking Operations Manager
• Groundskeeper

Part-time: 

• Box Office
• Event Operations Guest Experience
• Housekeeping
• Security 

Interested? Contact Nate Carter—he’s the plug for these and other job opportunities throughout Nashville.

We appreciate everyone who showed up, invited others, and continues to fight for the everyday people who make the good parts of Nashville even better.