New Lease For Predators

Nashville city officials approved a new lease for the Nashville Predators hockey team at the 20,000-capacity Sommet Center April 15th in what is being called a win-win decision.

The Metro Nashville Council voted 30-8 for the new lease as a result of months of negotiating, according to the city’s NewsChannel5.com.

The deal gives the Predators’ new owners, led by businessman David Freeman, $7.5 million to run the venue formerly known as the Gaylord Entertainment Center for the next five years. The deal is $3 million more than a previous agreement and that extra will be funded from hotel-motel taxes, the Web site said.

"The new ownership group, being a local group, is really supporting this team and we’re going to do things to continue to grow the support, and I think we’ll be successful," said Ed Lang, Predators’ president of business operations.

In November, city officials were also considering the investor group’s proposal to turn the center’s 13,000-square-foot rehearsal hall into a concert venue.

The proposed 3,000- to 4,000-seat venue would be an added stop in a market that includes the Sommet’s scaled-down 5,000-capacity setup, 2,362-capacity Ryman Auditorium, 4,400-capacity Grand Ole Opry House and 9,432-capacity Nashville Municipal Auditorium.