NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Teresa Walker collected many of the memories associated with the Titans coming to town in 1995.
The Associated Press veteran sports reporter has maintained those recollections during her two decades covering the Tennessee Titans since they hit the Nashville area in a new stadium in 1999. Since the NFL had just rejected Memphis, Walker found one word to describe the reaction to the franchise news.
"Stunning. The news was stunning," she said, having just finished up a press conference with Coach Mike Vrabel. "The idea that NFL was coming to Tennessee was stunning. The problem was Memphis’ new bid didn’t include a new stadium. It was always about building a brand new stadium. That was the lure to bringing Houston to town.
A button still sits in her office from the 1996 referendum, dubbed NFL Yes! by supporters who wanted an NFL team in Nashville. For the upcoming stadium deal, Metro Council will have to vote on the bonding notes, but the whole city won't have a vote on whether a new stadium build should take place.
Fast forward to 1999, Walker said the first game was something akin to electric, despite the team's mediocre start in Tennessee with so-so records.
"It was almost like they were a joke at the time," Walker said. "When that stadium opened and they won their first game, it was the start of something different. They went on 13-3 christening the new stadium. They couldn’t have done it any better. You had to be there."
Walker remembers the year only getting better when the stadium hosted its first playoff game, now only to have that game minted as the Music City Miracle.
As the city plans to build a new stadium, Walker hopes some of the features responsible for its unique nature can perhaps be replicated.
"They dug down into the rock and when you go into the stadium you go down into the lower bowl," Walker said. "And it makes it feel more intimate. They would talk about the noise and Fred Miller false-started seven times in one game. It was so, so loud.
A forum was held last month for members of the public to ask questions about the possibility of a new stadium coming to the East Bank.
The discussion regarding a new stadium picked up steam earlier this year. A budget deal that would allow the Titans bond and interest money to pay for a new stadium was approved by the Tennessee legislature in April. That $500 million package plus a $55 million interest payment for the deal passed both the House and Senate, despite debate from members in both chambers.
An enclosed stadium would cost between $1.9 to $2.2 billion at 1.7 million square feet. Construction would take 31 months, with the hope of completion for the 2026 NFL season.
The Titans said an enclosed stadium would create 15 additional ticket events per year, with $225 million in direct spending compared to the current stadium. With a new stadium, the organization hoped the investment would translate to major events, such as the NCAA Football Playoff, the NCAA Final Four and the NFL Combine.
