Neyland Entertainment District: An Unparalleled Rocky Top Experience Heads to RFP Phase

As Tennessee Athletics continues to aggressively pursue its mission of leading the way in college sports, University of Tennessee, Knoxville Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics Danny White initiated the exploration of a public-private partnership aimed at the development of a first-in-class entertainment district spanning the Tennessee River waterfront near historic Neyland Stadium.

After issuing a Request for Information for the Neyland Entertainment District, the next phase approved by the state is to issue a Request for Proposals. Through this Request for Proposals (RFP), the University seeks to engage a Master Developer to develop, finance, operate, and maintain these mixed-use assets through a public-private partnership in which the Developer would ground lease University-owned land.

This RFP will further define the University's lease requirements, detail proposal requirements, and outline the University's process for evaluating proposals and selecting a Developer to enter a partnership with the University of Tennessee – Knoxville.

"Our vision for this transformational project is one step closer to reality," said White. "We have seen a tremendous response from a wide array of top developers to be a part of this extraordinary opportunity to create the Neyland Entertainment District. We are incredibly excited about the next step in the process, and bidders submit their final proposals for this massive project that will positively impact our entire campus and the city of Knoxville. The Neyland Entertainment District will be a massive boon to America's College Sports City."

Anchored by a planned hotel adjacent to the stadium's south end, the mixed-use Neyland Entertainment District could uniquely enhance the Tennessee football gameday experience while also transforming the campus riverfront and supplementing Knoxville's array of gathering centers with yet another attractive leisure and entertainment hub.

One of the unique elements of the Neyland Entertainment District is the connectivity and proximity to two of Tennessee's iconic venues – Neyland Stadium and Food City Center. The proposed Neyland Entertainment District location allows the ability to service and tie the two facilities together.

The University's initial concept for the project—which would improve the aesthetics of Neyland Stadium's exterior façade and strengthen campus's connection with the Tennessee River—includes a boutique, full-service hotel with condominiums and conference/event space. The vision also features the potential development of a "tabletop" above the existing G10 parking garage to support additional tailgating, restaurants, retail and family-friendly entertainment activities.

The University has engaged program management firm Brailsford & Dunlavey as a guiding partner in the Neyland Entertainment District.

The centerpiece of this grand vision, Neyland Stadium, stands as one of the most iconic venues in global sport. It is the eighth-largest stadium in the world—sixth among venues in its category—boasting a capacity of 101,915. Neyland Stadium is surrounded by key ingredients to unlocking a first-in-class mixed-use entertainment district:

UT Knoxville has experienced a 17-percent growth in enrollment over the last five years.
The University is bolstered by a robust and engaged alumni base exceeding 260,000.
The University of Tennessee's annual impact on the state economy is $1.7 billion.
Greater Knoxville is situated at the crossroads of three major interstates, I-75, I-40 and I-81, in the center of Tennessee's east grand division. The city is located within one day's drive of half the nation's population.
Knoxville is within an eight-hour drive of Asheville, Atlanta, Charleston (S.C.), Charlotte, Chattanooga, Cincinnati, Louisville (Ky.), Memphis, Nashville, St. Louis and Washington DC.
Knoxville was one of the nation's top five booking markets in the first half of 2022, alongside Atlanta, Nashville, Washington D.C. and New York City.
Knoxville features multiple unique micro-market gathering centers, including The Strip, The Old City, Market Square, Bearden, Turkey Creek and others.
Tennessee Athletics is a globally recognized and respected brand featuring one of the most tradition-rich, championship-laden histories in college sports.
Tennessee's passionate and loyal fanbase supports the Vols and Lady Vols at elite levels, with UT's ticketed sports consistently ranking among the national leaders in average home attendance.

The approved RFP will be released on December 18 and posted on the UT Department of Capital Projects website.

University of Tennessee Athletics

Neyland Entertainment District: An Unparalleled Rocky Top Experience Heads to RFP Phase

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