Metro Frustration Grows as State Advances Music City Loop Under Sole Authority of Tennessee

Source: NewsChannel 5 – “Metro Council says the Boring Company is keeping them out of the Music City Loop”

State Partnership, State Sovereignty

The Music City Loop—a nearly $300 million, 10-mile underground transit tunnel linking Downtown Nashville to Nashville International Airport—is moving forward through a direct partnership between the State of Tennessee and The Boring Company. The project is entirely privately funded, with no local or state tax dollars at risk.

Metro Councilmembers, including At-Large member Delishia Porterfield, have complained that local lawmakers are being “cut out” of discussions. But under Tennessee’s constitutional framework, the state—not Metro—is the sovereign authority. Local governments are creatures of the state, possessing only those powers granted by the Legislature. Just as the states created the federal government—not the other way around—the State of Tennessee created local governments, including Metro Nashville, and retains ultimate authority over state property and state-led projects.

Because the Music City Loop is being developed on state-owned land, with no Metro appropriations, Tennessee is fully within its legal right to proceed. The Boring Company is negotiating with the landowner—the State—just as any other contractor would.

Public Risk: Zero. Public Upside: Significant.

The State’s financing model places all financial risk on The Boring Company and its investors. If the company were ever to walk away, the state would retain ownership of the land and inherit any physical improvements already made—tunnels, shafts, or utilities—without spending a dollar of taxpayer money. It is a no-lose scenario for the public.

Meanwhile, Metro Nashville would still share in the upside. Even without controlling the project, Metro stands to collect:

• Sales and use taxes on fares

• Business taxes paid by The Boring Company and its affiliates

• Property taxes on improvements to state land, which remain taxable

In short, Metro is poised to receive growing, recurring revenue from a privately funded transit system—an extremely rare position for any local government, and only possible because the State of Tennessee acted to encourage and approve this project.

Metro’s Criticism Reflects a Debate Over Speed

Councilmember Porterfield argued that “government does not move that fast,” criticizing the pace of development. Yet many Nashville residents view the state’s rapid progress as a strength, not a flaw. For years, local transportation initiatives have stalled under lengthy processes, endless studies, and bureaucratic friction. Meanwhile, congestion has worsened and long-term solutions have failed to materialize.

Governor Bill Lee celebrated the swift progress, calling the Music City Loop “the coolest announcement that we’ve made since I’ve been here.” The state selected a partner willing to move quickly and to invest private capital. The disagreement, at its core, is philosophical: should innovation be slowed by a multi-year process, or embraced when it arrives without taxpayer cost?

Track Record Debate and Risk Allocation

Critics highlight past Boring Company proposals in other cities that never advanced. But the financing approach in Tennessee makes that concern largely irrelevant. If the project succeeds, the public gains a new, scalable mobility solution that could eventually transform how Tennesseans move around the Nashville area. If it fails, the state loses nothing and keeps any improvements made. The upside is enormous, and the downside is nonexistent.

Environmental, Safety, and Regulatory Oversight

Some have raised questions regarding oversight. But like any major construction project, the Music City Loop must meet or exceed engineering and safety standards for structural integrity, groundwater protection, fire safety, ventilation, emergency egress, and environmental protection. Multiple state and federal agencies will review each phase, and engineers must design and certify the work under minimum professional standards and codes.

The project will require dozens of permits, ongoing inspections, environmental controls, and compliance with labor and workplace safety laws. Privately funded does not mean unregulated—the difference is simply that taxpayers are not financially liable.

A Pivotal Moment for Metro’s Role

Councilmember Porterfield has said the project will have a direct impact on her constituents. That is true—and the intended impact is positive. Faster airport access, reduced congestion, new jobs, private investment, and ongoing tax revenue all stand to benefit Nashville residents.

Metro will have opportunities down the road on surface-level integration, permitting in Metro-controlled areas, and future route expansion. Whether Metro becomes a collaborative partner or an adversary is for Metro to decide. But if Metro were acting prudently, it would lean in—both to maximize benefits for residents and to help The Boring Company expand beyond the initial footprint so the system can grow citywide.

At this stage, the state continues forward, private investors carry the risk, and Nashville stands to gain mobility, economic growth, and tax revenue. The next move—and the tone of the relationship—is up to Metro.