A rezoning measure related to Nashville's future Oracle Corporation headquarters passed on its third and final reading before the Metro Council Tuesday night.
The council passed an ordinance that rezones nine acres of land, owned by Austin-based tech giant Oracle, from industrial to mixed-use. The rezoned properties include 1425, 1429, 1433 and 1436 Cowan Court — all located within the roughly 165-acre River North Urban Design Overlay District.
Nashville-based Hawkins Partners, which is set to complete landscape architecture work for the project, filed the rezoning request.
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In recent years, Oracle has sought approval for an array of zoning changes and has acquired parcels of land — including a $60 million purchase of property in River North in March — as it lays the groundwork for its massive campus, estimated to cost more than $1 billion to undertake.
The company released images earlier this month that suggest the campus could include approximately 13 buildings to be accessed largely by Cowan Street. A date has not been set for groundbreaking on the project.
Ascend Amphitheater Contract Advances
The council approved on second reading a contract that would allow Opry Entertainment Group to operate Ascend Amphitheater, marking a transition of power from Live Nation, the group that has run the downtown venue since its opening in 2015.
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The contract includes a 10-year lease to begin on Jan. 1, 2026, and end on Dec. 31, 2035, with two opportunities to extend the contract for five years. It outlines that Opry will pay Metro an initial rent of $600,000 per year and increase to $700,000 and $800,000 if extended.
Opry will also pay the city $3 per ticket sale, 50 percent of net profits from certain events and 25 percent of net profits from the title sponsorship.
The entertainment company has also committed $11 million in capital investment for the first 10 years of the contract for facility upgrades, IT updates, sound and production equipment, and food and beverage options. Opry will also contribute $1.1 million for the bordering greenway for any relocation, upgrade or enhancement efforts.
The contract will allow Opry to seek new title sponsorship.
At-Large Councilmember Zulfat Suara noted during the council meeting that the company has committed to diversity efforts in its hiring, staffing and in vendors at entertainers at the venue.
The contract will be considered on final reading in November.
Commercial Compatibility District
An ordinance was passed on final reading to create a Commercial Compatibility District option within the Metro Code. This could limit properties like bars and nightclubs, auto shops, car washes, liquor stores and smoke shops from operating near residential areas.
The district is not yet applied to any specific neighborhoods in Nashville but gives councilmembers the ability to propose its implementation in certain areas. The ordinance was sponsored by District 21 Councilmember Brandon Taylor.
This comes after a separate ordinance was passed in September to limit the operations of beer and cigarette markets via a quarter-mile limit between the shops and through regulations for signage and lighting.
