Construction begins on Four Seasons Nashville; tower will be third-tallest in city
Sandy MazzaA ceremony for the first 5-star hotel to come to Nashville in more than a decade drew city leaders as well as project developers and investors on Thursday.
Construction is underway on Four Seasons Nashville Hotel and Private Residences on the downtown riverfront across from Ascend Amphitheater. The site is being prepared for vertical development next year.
Mayor David Briley cheered the planned $400 million, 40-story tower at the groundbreaking celebration, which included a two-tier cake and a miniature hotel ice sculpture.
"We collect more sales tax here than in any other part of town. We collect more property tax here than in any other part of town," Briley said. "And I'm glad you're coming just for that reason. More property tax means more we can do for public education and transportation and all the things that are important here in the city of Nashville."
The 542-foot-tall rectangular building will take a prominent spot on the downtown skyline as the third-tallest building in town.
The long-standing Hermitage Hotel is the city's only existing 5-star hotel.
Hilton is currently building a 4-star Conrad Hotel property with Chartwell Hospitality and Propst Development at the Broadwest development in Midtown, where Broadway meets West End.
"Four Seasons couldn't be more excited to be here," said Four Seasons Hotels Regional Vice President Thierry Kennel. "When I think of the business platform, the sports scene, the food, the culture, and of course the music – this is just a wonderful, wonderful city for us to be in."
The building will have 236 hotel rooms and 143 condominiums when it opens in 2022 or 2023.
Los Angeles-based AECOM Capital and The Congress Group of Boston are developing the project at 151 1st Ave. S.
"Four Seasons will have a tremendous impact on this city in terms of identity, but also in terms of redefining what hospitality is," said Congress Group CEO Dean Stratouly. "This will redefine the Nashville skyline and codify Nashville as a world-class city."