Metro Authority Seeks Bigger Cut From Sommet Center Suite Plan

Predators Hoping To Turn Two Club-Level  Sections Into 130-Seat Luxury Suite Area

Metro Sports Authority Finance & Audit Committee Chair Rusty Lawrence Tuesday told Predators officials that a proposal to "create a large luxury suite at Sommet Center should look to generate more money" for the city of Nashville, according to Michael Cass of the Nashville TENNESSEAN. The Predators "want to turn two club-level sections into a 130-seat area for 'high net worth individuals' and small and mid-sized companies, which would pay $20,000 per year per seat to attend all events at Sommet Center." Lawrence said that if the area sells out, the Predators "should net about" $2M a year from the suite "after paying for renovations and other expenses." Lawrence: "We'd like to see some of that gain, too. ... Maybe not a 50-50 split, but something." The Predators "agreed to look at the idea but said they deserve to get the great majority of the revenue because they would take all of the risk in remodeling part of the arena." Predators President of Business Operations Ed Lang: "If this flops, we're a half-million dollars in the hole, and maybe more." Meanwhile, Cass noted the Titans said that they "would have about 150 TV sets to give the city next month after replacing them with flat-screen, high-definition TVs on the club level at LP Field" (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 7/15).