MLS stadium lawsuit headed back to trial court

Friday, July 19, 2019, Vol. 43, No. 29

NASHVILLE (AP) — Nashville's Major League Soccer stadium has hit a snag under the latest development in the legal battle surrounding the project.

A Tennessee appeals court on Thursday ordered the case to go back to trial court to review possible violations of Nashville's Metro charter.

Judge J. Steven Stafford says the lower court failed to consider several legal provisions in deciding whether the city violated its charter while approving leases related to the soccer stadium.

A coalition known as Save Our Fairgrounds has been fighting the stadium project since September, just shortly after Nashville officials gave final approval of the $275 million MLS stadium.

The effort includes tearing down expo center buildings to make room for the stadium at the Metro-owned fairgrounds. This has sparked opposition from vendors concerned about losing business.