MDHA picks heavy hitters for Music City Center hotel

Team is building similar San Diego project

Email | Print By Kyle Swenson

The Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency has chosen a heavy-hitter development team to build the headquarters hotel for the planned Music City Center.

The chosen group, Phelps Portman LLC, is anchored by Colorado-based Phelps Development and Portman Cos. out of Atlanta. John Portman & Associates will be the project’s architect of record, with Nashville’s Earl Swensson Associates also on the team.

The contracting team will be led by Hensel Phelps Construction, which will be supported by local firm Morgan & Morgan and R.C. Mathews Contractor.

MDHA boss Phil Ryan said Phelps Portman is affiliated with Tower Investments, which owns a large chunk of land in SoBro, including several acres in the footprint of the planned Music City Center.

The agency had narrowed its list down to two earlier this spring, with Houston-based Hines said to be the other finalist. MDHA and the Phelps Portman team can now set about structuring the financing of the planned 1,000-room hotel.

Phelps and Portman are currently building the San Diego convention center's hotel, a $348 million, 1,200-room project. Nashville's new convention center hotel is expected to cost $300 million and have 1,000 rooms.

NashvillePost.com will update this story as more information becomes available.