Nashville's evolution as a sports city is part of growth

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http://www.tennessean.com/story/opinion/editorials/2016/08/31/nashvilles-evolution-sports-city-part-growth/89595846/

Nashville's evolution as a sports city is part of growth

David Plazas 5:03 a.m. CDT August 31, 2016

New and existing teams will become a more important part of the community’s fabric.

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The city is home to two major league teams, the Tennessee Titans and the Nashville Predators; a Minor League Baseball team, the Nashville Sounds; and it now has a United Soccer League franchise with the Nashville Football Club along with an ongoing effort by city heavyweights who are vying for a Major League Soccer franchise.

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On Oct. 8 Nashville will host a Major League Soccer team match between the Mexican and New Zealand national teams at Nissan Stadium.

An effort led by businessman Bill Hagerty, former commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, is working to earn one of the available MLS franchises.

“We felt like the time is now and if we’re going to do it, we need to go directly for it,” Hagerty told The Tennessean recently.

The Nashville MLS Organizing Committee comprises 22 members from the area’s largest employers, from Vanderbilt University to HCA and from Nissan to Dollar General.