Nashville Predators Plan $1 Billion Bridgestone Arena Rework

The Nashville Predators are setting the stage for a $1 billion transformation of Bridgestone Arena, with plans that will reimagine the 29-year-old venue as a dynamic extension of Lower Broadway.

Over the next 15 years, the arena will undergo a near-complete overhaul, starting with excavation in summer 2026, the Nashville Business Journal reported. Led by the National Hockey League team in partnership with management consultant CAA Icon and architectural firm Populous, the project will expand the facility by 175,000 square feet and introduce major enhancements designed to blur the lines between the arena and its surroundings.

Plans call for a plaza facing Broadway, with glass replacing concrete and a massive LED canopy evoking Las Vegas’ Fremont Street.

Two towers will eventually rise on-site, one for office space, the other possibly a hotel. The concourses will nearly double in size, and restaurants, bars, and retail spaces will welcome the public, even without a game ticket.

“The idea is to rip out all the walls and not let the patrons know where the building starts or Broadway ends,” said Predators CEO Sean Henry. “We’ve created something special, and every enhancement is about building on that vision.”

Other features include a relocated Fifth Avenue entrance, a press box suspended above the seating bowl, premium suites, high-tech locker rooms and what Henry touts as “the world’s largest rooftop.”

Bridgestone, once built to keep Broadway at bay, now aims to open its walls to the city’s heartbeat. The project is part of the nationwide trend of stadiums and arenas being set in entertainment retail districts.

“It’s the corner of Main and Main. Our goal is to make the building better and a little bit bigger,” Henry said. “We’re future-proofing it for concerts, sports and even a potential WNBA team.”

Construction will ramp up through 2029, with full completion expected by 2030.

—Rachel Stone