10/2/2018
In 2019, Nashville hosted the NFL Draft for the first time — and the city turned downtown and the riverfront into a multi-day football and music festival. This post was originally written before the event as a “coming soon” announcement. We have updated it as an evergreen look at what happened, and at why downtown is still the easiest place to stay when Nissan Stadium and Broadway host big crowds.
When the NFL Draft came to Nashville
The 2019 NFL Draft was held April 25–27, 2019. NFL team owners had approved the Tennessee Titans’ bid to bring the 84th draft to Music City, with the event spread across downtown landmarks rather than a single indoor arena.
The main draft stage stood at First Avenue and Broadway, so fans could watch picks announced in the honky-tonk district. Team representatives made their selections at Selection Square inside the Schermerhorn Symphony Center. The NFL Draft Experience, a free three-day festival with interactive exhibits, games, autograph sessions, and a concert series, filled the parking lots and areas around Nissan Stadium. A red-carpet event took place at The Green at Riverfront Park on April 25.
A record turnout
The NFL later reported that Nashville delivered the most-watched and highest-rated draft up to that point and shattered attendance figures, with greater than 600,000 fans on hand over the three days. Early planning materials had discussed crowds in the hundreds of thousands and a large festival footprint from Lower Broadway to the stadium; the turnout exceeded those expectations. Coverage aired across NFL Network, ESPN, ABC, and digital channels.
City and team leaders at the time — including then-Mayor David Briley, Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk, and Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp leadership — had framed the bid as a chance to put Music City on a national sports stage. The event itself mixed football with live music, which is still how Nashville hosts many of its largest weekends.
Staying downtown for stadium and Broadway events
Music City Loft’s two buildings sit in the same downtown core that hosted draft week. The Ambrose lofts at 162 4th Ave N. and the Bettye lofts on Union Street are within walking distance of Broadway, the riverfront, Bridgestone Arena, and Nissan Stadium. That walkable layout is useful any time the Titans play at home, when Nashville SC or a concert takes over the stadium, or when a major event fills Lower Broadway.
We have 18 lofts that sleep 2 to 10 guests, and groups can book more than one loft for a game weekend or a large visiting party. Read more about staying near Nissan Stadium, or browse all downtown lofts for your dates.
