The Tennessee State Building Association on Thursday approved a lease of a government-owned parking lot near the State Capitol to Elon Musk’s Boring Company, which will use the property to develop the tunnel for its Music City Loop, which was unveiled on Monday, and is planned to connect the Nashville International Airport with downtown Nashville.
According to the draft of the lease, the Boring Company will receive a two-year lease on the property for free. During that time, it will be used to launch the drill used to bore the Music City Loop’s tunnel and will then return the parking lot to Tennessee in its original state.
Should construction take longer, Axios reported that the agreement struck on Thursday additionally required the company to offer Tennessee a line of credit to offset expenses.
Described as Lot 16 within the draft of the lease approved on Thursday, it has been reported the parking lot is located at 637 Rosa Parks Boulevard, approximately a four-minute walk from the Tennessee State Capitol.
Tennessee leased the property to the Boring Company just three days after Governor Bill Lee, CEO Steve Davis, and U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy were joined by other officials during a press conference when the Music City Loop was revealed.
“Nashville will be home to the Music City Loop,” said Lee on Monday, adding that Musk’s company will foot the bill, and the new mode of transit will come at “no cost to Tennessee taxpayers.”
Duffy said the project was expected to be completed in two years, while Davis said the plans for stations in downtown Nashville and at the airport could be the first of many, noting that the Las Vegas Loop has been expanded since it was launched by the company.
Davis additionally said the company anticipated hiring 50 workers this week, and the Boring Company held its first hiring event on Tuesday.
If successful, the Music City Loop will be the second project by the Boring Company to be completed.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Pennsylvania Daily Star and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
I think the whole Idea of a Tunnel to the airport from the main business center of Government downtown,
is so outside Business people can fly in and buy as many “Politicians” as they can then hurry on out to the next City and State.
I mean how many people going on vacation or taking a short trip is actually going to leave from “Downtown”???
Don’t forget the “Big Dig” in Boston and the Railway to Nowhere in CA!!!
A not so glorious boondoggle.