NASHVILLE (AP) — Nashville Mayor Karl Dean and the Nashville Sounds baseball team are hosting a ceremonial groundbreaking for a new minor league ballpark that will return Nashville baseball to its historic home.
The new park in Sulphur Dell will be near the site of an old downtown ballpark that was demolished more than 40 years ago to make way for an interstate and redevelopment. Those changes cut off the historically black neighborhoods of North Nashville from downtown, helping to drive those neighborhoods into an economic slump.
Residents and officials hope the new ballpark will help revive North Nashville, especially the central business district on Jefferson Street. The ballpark is expected to be completed before the 2015 season.
The groundbreaking takes place on Monday at 3:30 p.m., followed by a Family Fun Festival.