NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP/WMOT) — Metro Nashville held a ribbon cutting ceremony Monday morning for its new Music City Center convention facility.
The official opening actually came on the second day festivities marking the center’s completion.
Officials say about 15,000 visitors turned out Sunday to tour the new facility, enjoy live music, and try out an indoor zip line.
The city set an ambitious goal of booking one million convention room-nights while the facility was still under construction. Mayor Dean announced at today's ceremony that Music City Center has exceeded that goal.
“A brand new total of 123 meetings, representing 1,062,787 rooms…and that is before we have opened the doors.”
The new convention center spans 19 acres and six downtown blocks, but the Tennessean reports today that the city is already looking at five options for expanding the facility.
Ideas under consideration include the use of the city's Bridgestone Arena land, three private properties and the preferred option — building atop the existing center.