Good morning! Welcome to Your Week, our exclusive subscriber-only newsletter featuring some of our top stories about Nashville and beyond every Sunday. This is Sandy Mazza, business editor at The Tennessean.
Today, we are taking a closer look at the big business behind the $10 billion tourism juggernaut that is Nashville’s Lower Broadway entertainment district. Growth and development reporter Molly Davis asked: “What defines the latest iteration of celebrity-themed bars and restaurants bringing in millions of tourists per year?” In short, new honky tonks are all about bold celebrity brands.
Molly found that, despite years of rising values for Broadway properties, the strip’s growth is still expected to reach unprecedented heights in the coming years because of its growing international appeal. Visitors to Music City are increasingly coming from Canada, Ireland, Germany, and Australia.
The real estate and hospitality companies that run the establishments range from longtime Nashville businessman Bill Miller, a friend of Johnny Cash, to Big Plan Holdings launched in 2023. The street has become a critical stop for longstanding and emerging country-music stars alike. New honky tonks bear the names of Eric Church, Morgan Wallen, Tanya Tucker, Garth Brooks, Lainey Wilson and more.
This demonstrates a newfound worldwide audience for country music
