Bass, Berry & Sims attorney David Esquivel served as co-chair of the transition committee for newly elected Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell. The mayor asked the committee for policy recommendations on three important issues: (1) How Nashville Moves; (2) How Nashville Works; and (3) How Nashville Grows.
David led the How Nashville Grows committee, which was tasked with making recommendations related to development in Nashville, with a specific focus on the East Bank project that includes the new Tennessee Titans stadium. The committee recently met with the mayor in a public forum to deliver its recommendations, including the following:
- The mayor’s office and its partners should clearly communicate the costs Metro will need to front for East Bank infrastructure investments and how, if at all, these costs can be recouped.
- The O’Connell administration should maintain its focus on the Imagine East Bank Vision Plan, ensuring that the East Bank becomes a vibrant neighborhood that reflects Nashville’s rich diversity and prioritizes affordable housing.
- The mayor’s office and its partners should empower Nashville’s neighborhoods to articulate and advocate for their priorities.
- The O’Connell administration should identify or create a team or entity that can bring Metro’s plans to reality.
- The O’Connell administration should maximize the utility of underused Metro-owned land and buildings.
- The O’Connell administration should prioritize investments across Nashville that are equivalent in impact to those made in the East Bank.
More information about the mayor’s transition committee can be found in the following articles:
- “O’Connell’s Transition Committees Offer Policy Recommendations,” Nashville Post (November 21, 2023)
- “New Nashville Mayor Charts Course with Big Transit Decision Looming,” The Tennessean (November 21, 2023)
- “O’Connell Outlines Policy Initiatives for Term,” Nashville Banner (November 21, 2023)