Gov. Bill Lee signed the Transportation Modernization Act, historic legislation that will create a new strategy and invest $3.3 billion to accommodate Tennessee’s record growth, address traffic congestion and meet transportation needs across rural and urban communities. The bill received bipartisan legislative support and was backed by dozens of organizations across the state.

The plan will give the Tennessee Department of Transportation the resources needed to solve the state’s current and future mobility challenges, including seeking the use of public-private partnerships to preserve state funds for rural infrastructure priorities, exploring Choice Lanes to decrease congestion and increase economic impact statewide, and expanding the alternative delivery model to save taxpayer dollars and deliver road projects more efficiently.

Combs, Ryman group team to transform Wildhorse

Country music superstar Luke Combs and Opry Entertainment Group, a division of Ryman Hospitality Properties, have announced plans for rebranding the Wildhorse Saloon, the massive multilevel entertainment complex in downtown Nashville.

Just as Combs has taken country music by storm, the venue – inspired by his 8x platinum debut No. 1 hit, “Hurricane” – will be the largest and most versatile entertainment complex in the downtown entertainment district.

The total 69,000-square-foot complex with an indoor/outdoor capacity of nearly 3,200 people will be customized to reflect Combs’ passions for music, songwriting, whiskey and sports into an unmatched downtown Nashville experience.

The venue’s music program will feature multiple live music experiences that include the existing main stage and dance floor with line dancing. In addition to daily live music from the best up-and-coming talent in Nashville, the venue plans to host a full calendar of ticketed concerts and events.

Located at 120 Second Avenue North, the venue is expected to debut in the summer of 2024. The company plans to operate the venue as Wildhorse Saloon throughout the refurbishment period.

Luxury coach service adds Nashville-Memphis route

Vonlane, a Texas-based premium transportation company, has expanded its luxury motor-coach service with a route between Memphis and Nashville. The addition includes daily service and 40 weekly departures, beginning May 26.

Vonlane provides 22 first-class leather seats, ample personal space, complimentary Wi-Fi and an onboard attendant offering premium cabin service with snacks, meals and beverages included.

Introductory one-way fare set at $109, and roundtrip service is $218 with no taxes, baggage or change fees.

Nashville departures are Monday, Thursday, Friday: 6 a.m., 10 a.m., 2 p.m., 6 p.m., Tuesdays 6 a.m. and 2 p.m., Wednesdays: 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Passengers on the outbound coach from Nashville board at the Omni Nashville Hotel, 250 Rep. John Lewis Way S.

Launched in 2014, Vonlane serves Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio. Nashville-Atlanta services was added in November.

Think tank Justitia opens Vanderbilt office

Justitia, an independent and nonpartisan think tank based in Copenhagen, Denmark, has opened its first office in the U.S. at Vanderbilt University.

The office at Vanderbilt will be led by Justitia CEO Jacob Mchangama and will expand on the think tank’s The Future of Free Speech project, which aims to foster a thriving global culture of free speech, particularly where free speech is under threat in authoritarian states and democracies, online and offline. As one of the world’s leading authorities on free speech, Mchangama will also join Vanderbilt’s faculty as research professor of political science in the College of Arts and Science.

Founded in 2014, Justitia focuses on fundamental freedoms and the rule of law, and it launched The Future of Free Speech project in 2020. The project has published cutting-edge research and provided influential commentary on the state of global freedom of expression that has been featured in over 900 media outlets in more than 60 countries.

Clearloop breaks ground on new solar projects

Clearloop, the carbon solutions platform accelerating decarbonization and expanding access to clean energy in American communities that can benefit the most, today showcased its vision in action as more than 30 companies from across the country pulled together to cut their carbon footprint by investing in the first solar project to be developed in Panola County, Mississippi — a community at the cross section of the Mississippi Delta and the Appalachian Foothills.

The 6.6-megawatt (MWdc) Panola I Solar Farm is the first of three solar projects launched by Clearloop, in partnership with the local power company, Tallahatchie Valley Electric Power Association (TVEPA), and with the support of the local economic development group, the Panola Partnership.

Combined, the three projects will prevent over 1 billion pounds of carbon from entering the atmosphere and generate enough renewable, cost-effective energy to power approximately 3,000 homes annually.

Clearloop is directly using funds from these 30+ diverse organizations to help cut their carbon footprint by supporting the development of new solar projects that will inject renewable, carbon-free electricity into the local grid for the next 40 years.

The Panola I Solar Farm is supported by organizations including Vista Equity Partners and 21 of their portfolio companies, Uber, Oak View Group/GOAL, Infoblox, FarmHouse Fresh, Chicory Wealth, Goodr, Patch, Grandma Mae’s Country Naturals, Aether Diamonds, Coolperx and Material Bank.

The second project supporter will be announced later this year.

The third project is supported by Vanderbilt University as part of its commitment to carbon neutrality.

Nashville State deploys new YuJa teaching tech

Nashville State Community College has selected the YuJa Enterprise Video Platform and YuJa Panorama Digital Accessibility platform to help enhance teaching and learning as well as the accessibility of its digital course and media content across its seven campuses.

The institution is one of 37 community and technical colleges in the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) system, the largest system of higher education in Tennessee.

YuJa will replace two other products the institution was using. The YuJa Enterprise Video Platform provides full-scale media management, a complete portfolio of lecture and video capture tools, course and event livestreaming, video editing, and other robust features in a secure, all-in-one platform.

In addition, the university will be able to take advantage of other tools that increase interactivity and drive collaboration, such as video quizzing, in-video commenting and in-depth analytics to help guide decision-making institutionally.

Redfin: U.S. rents post first decline in three years

The median U.S. asking rent fell 0.4% year over year to $1,937 in March – the first annual decline since March 2020 and the lowest median asking rent in 13 months, according to a new report from Redfin, the technology-powered real estate brokerage. By comparison, rents were up 17.5% one year earlier, in March 2022.

However, median rents in Nashville grew 9.6% year-over-year, the fifth highest spike by percentage in the country, behind Raleigh, Cleveland, Charlotte and Indianapolis.

The median asking rent in March was unchanged from February. It remained $322 higher (19.9%) than it was at the onset of the pandemic three years earlier, though wages increased at roughly the same pace during this time.

Three factors have driven up rents in Nashville, according to local Redfin real estate agent Jennifer Bowers: investors, high home prices and a strong local job market.

Built Technologies secures Citi investment

Built Technologies, one of the fastest growing construction and real estate software providers in the U.S., has announced a strategic investment from Citi through its SPRINT program.

Citi SPRINT (“Spread Products Investment Technologies”), the strategic investing arm of Citi’s Global Spread Products division, is part of Citi Institutional Strategic Investments. Citi SPRINT focuses on incubating innovative fintech companies that provide strategic relevance and next-generation solutions to the financial markets.

Built plans to use the investment to accelerate its growth in commercial real estate asset management and enable further operational and technological enhancements. Through the utilization of Built’s platform, Citi will have the opportunity to introduce digitization solutions to other lenders, developers and borrowers in the ecosystem.

Built Technologies’ software platform streamlines the construction loan administration process by simplifying the management of funds and documentation, allowing lenders to administer their construction loans more efficiently.

Lincoln Tech brings in Peterbilt program

Lincoln Educational Services Corporation announced it has entered into a training partnership with Peterbilt Motors Company to offer a specialized diesel training program at its historic Nashville campus.

The Peterbilt Technician Institute (PTI) at Lincoln Tech will assist Lincoln graduates in building additional skills for Peterbilt-specific equipment and technologies, and in starting new careers across the country. Peterbilt and Lincoln Tech will work together in supplying diesel technicians to Peterbilt dealerships throughout the company’s network.

“Establishing PTI at Lincoln Tech’s Nashville campus opens a new geographical territory where we can develop Peterbilt’s next generation of highly skilled, trained technicians,” says Casey Spadafina, Peterbilt’s technician program manager for North America.

Peterbilt dealerships will cover the cost of the 12-week training program, which will be offered at Lincoln Tech’s Nashville campus – a location with a rich history of more than 100 years as a leading career training provider.

Interested students are encouraged to apply to PTI before graduating from Lincoln Tech. Covering a broad range of Peterbilt-specific technologies, the PTI curriculum gives graduates of Lincoln’s Auto, Diesel and Heavy Equipment Technology programs advanced training on systems ranging from fuel and electrical to HVAC, suspensions and brakes.