Situated just south of bustling Nashville, GEODIS Park provides a new home for Nashville SC, reflective of its community, culture and heritage. The partnership of design firms Populous and HASTINGS joined to design GEODIS Park, the largest purpose-built soccer stadium in the United States and Canada as a testament to Nashville’s loyal, diverse fan base. Throughout the stadium, the growing support of soccer in the U.S. and Nashville is on display, as well as a true, authentic manifestation of all that sets Music City apart.
From international cultures, local cuisine and materials inspired by surrounding neighborhoods, to Nashville’s crown jewel — live music — GEODIS Park’s development, design and functionality showcase the best the city has to offer.
At the southern end of Wedgewood-Houston, GEODIS Park is sited at a critical crossroads one mile south of bustling downtown Nashville, just under two miles east of the campuses of prestigious Vanderbilt and Belmont Universities, and the city’s strong international community to the southeast. The stadium acts as a catalyst for development and community interaction, upholding and revitalizing the Fairgrounds legacy of community gathering.
Inspired by the buzzing creative community and former manufacturing facilities that define the Wedgewood-Houston neighborhood, the stadium expresses this juxtaposition with the high canopy structure representing the industrial aesthetic, and the brick-clad ground level structures that define the concourse representing the residential homes found in the neighborhood. This contemporary structure allows the form to follow function. A simple, rational exposed steel structure with expressed cross bracing establishes a strong identity while creating an open-air venue protected by a 360-degree canopy.
Through narrative research and close collaboration with Nashville SC, the design team gained a deep understanding of the new organization and its ardent fan base. From the beginning, the stadium’s design nurtured the infancy of the Nashville SC brand identity and created opportunities to further the team’s identity, bringing the passion of the Nashville SC fan base alive with an authentic design aesthetic that allows fans to influence emerging tradition with their own distinct enthusiasm to game day traditions.
The fan-facing aesthetic from approach to concourse and bowl confidently represents the neighborhood’s industrial aesthetic with an exposed structure. Colorful banners featuring the faces of players and fans adorn the exterior columns; murals and posters around the exterior and throughout the club spaces reflect the history of the Nashville SC; and, in true Music City form, a stage built into the seating bowl houses a Les Paul guitar for the pregame “riff” tradition.
Unlike some sports venues, GEODIS Park does not overwhelm fans with team colors and branding. The modern design is complemented by warm materials and factory-inspired wayfinding that lend a comfortable ‘lived-in’ sensibility to the park and the individual spaces. Bespoke graphics, including the lyrics to the Nashville SC song displayed on the bamboo concourse ceiling of the Backline Supporters Section and team slogans lining the walls of the field tunnel, serve to incorporate the Nashville SC identity further into the stadium.
From the outdoor plaza with its large, open space and video board with the ability to plug in musical acts for pregame festivities to the wide concourse and three well-appointed club spaces inside, GEODIS Park is a total entertainment package with a distinctively “Nashville” sensibility.
The 65-foot-wide shared concourse features diverse local concessions, and is coated to provide an upscaled aesthetic. Restrooms are tucked away behind concessions to allow full frontage for food, beverage and merchandise sales. Incorporated into the bowl is a dedicated 3,150-square-foot safe standing supporter’s section, angled to create the closest-possible sightlines to the pitch. With just 150 feet of distance between the last row of seats and the touchline, GEODIS Park offers an electric matchday experience bringing fans closer to the action than ever before.
GEODIS Park also boasts three distinct club experiences: The Valkyrie Premier Club at the middle center line incorporates high-quality finishes, sleek design and elegant lighting for a luxury club experience; the GEODIS WeHo Club on the north end reflects a signature Nashville music-centric theme with custom neon lighting and wood finishes; and the Lo Siento Goal Post Club on the south end creates a timeless feel of a classic sports bar, with several televisions so fans can catch up on the action around the league.
The design team worked closely with Nashville SC to create a customized experience for event attendees at GEODIS Park. Keeping in line with the creation of an exceptional fan experience, the stadium offers attendees a variety of options at a range of price points. Suite options include a shared suite concept – the C Spire Captain’s Club – designed to bring social connections to attendees who wish to mingle with fellow fans on game day or during musical events. In other areas of the stadium, fans can purchase tickets for distinct seating options on the Corner Kick Terraces or loge boxes along the club spaces, or frequent the Studio Terrace, which uniquely incorporates broadcast function into a premium space, giving fans behind-the-scenes access.
