Visiting Fan's Guide to Nashville & other local areas & Parking Updates II

[Adz]

This was a trip of convenience so we did the easy as opposed to looking for better choices. It was my kids first game so drinking was decidedly restrained.

Other: did the Parthenon thinking I would hate it, boy was I wrong. It was really good, had to drag my daughter out of there, I think she liked it more than the game.

Weirdest thing: saw a guy with a latendresse jersey. Thought that was a strange choice then wondered if it might have been Guillaume. Can't say either way.

Overall it was a great experience, people were nice, arena is really good with sightlines and really efficient at moving people. Also there is huge value in the downtown arena. Would be a great choice for buddies weekend if you were staying downtown. Plus it was like 70 degrees in January.

Parthenon--told you! It is...stunning.

Latendresse--if it was a Preds fan it was probably a local. That's a name that pops up here and there--I know there's some sort of country music fashion designer but it is also a very old Nashville name, like one of the settlers of the 1800's or something. I'd never heard the name til I read something in the paper in a history of Nashville section probably 10 years ago now, then saw the name associated with hockey the very same day.

70 degrees in January...of course we had snow and 18 degrees today (4 days later) so that's what I mean. Check the weather...twice.

Glad to hear you had a good time! I don't mind the Ole's and I thought the fan base was pretty respectful.

 

[TheBigZ]

A bit OT, but I am coming in from Boston for the game on Thursday and had a couple of questions.

1. Do the Preds sell souvenir cups?
2. What time does Bridgestone Arena open before a game?

Thanks in advance for any help!!

 

[NSH615]

A bit OT, but I am coming in from Boston for the game on Thursday and had a couple of questions.

1. Do the Preds sell souvenir cups?
2. What time does Bridgestone Arena open before a game?

Thanks in advance for any help!!

1) I think they sell the cups, but I think they are no different than those large plastic cups at the movies with certain movies on them.
2) Doors typically open 90 minutes before puck drop.

 

[sparkle twin]

A bit OT, but I am coming in from Boston for the game on Thursday and had a couple of questions.

1. Do the Preds sell souvenir cups?
2. What time does Bridgestone Arena open before a game?

Thanks in advance for any help!!

Yes. This year they have Smashville on them and shots of the crowds.

Every year I say I'm only going to take one home, but I end up with 5 or 6 by the end of the year, lol!

 

[sandysan]

Latendresse--if it was a Preds fan it was probably a local. That's a name that pops up here and there--I know there's some sort of country music fashion designer but it is also a very old Nashville name, like one of the settlers of the 1800's or something. I'd never heard the name til I read something in the paper in a history of Nashville section probably 10 years ago now, then saw the name associated with hockey the very same day.

sorry I should have been clearer, it was a guy in a habs jersey in a group of other habs fans. I suppose he could have been a local habs fan but I'm guessing he was visiting. He had the right number ( I think he wore 84 as a hab) and I know he was " liked" in montreal but he never scored more than 30 points or so, it just seemed a weird choice for a jersey. There were TONS of Subban jerseys, slightly less Price jerseys ( my son was wearing his over a preds jersey) a couple of Beliveau's and Paccioretty's, a Nilan and of course the obligatory nordiques jersey.

but you were right about the Parthenon, it was really good and I lived in memphis for like 8 years and never even knew it existed.

 

[Adz]

sorry I should have been clearer, it was a guy in a habs jersey in a group of other habs fans. I suppose he could have been a local habs fan but I'm guessing he was visiting. He had the right number ( I think he wore 84 as a hab) and I know he was " liked" in montreal but he never scored more than 30 points or so, it just seemed a weird choice for a jersey. There were TONS of Subban jerseys, slightly less Price jerseys ( my son was wearing his over a preds jersey) a couple of Beliveau's and Paccioretty's, a Nilan and of course the obligatory nordiques jersey.

but you were right about the Parthenon, it was really good and I lived in memphis for like 8 years and never even knew it existed.

I have a Jarnkrok jersey. Sometimes people just like to get away from the usual players. In this case it's both admiration and an inside joke between my son and me.

Nashville is called "The Athens of the South." It is said this is because of all the colleges and universities, but architects also took it to heart. If you like historical architecture, you should visit the Downtown Presbyterian Church next time. It is the one of very few examples of Greek Revival architecture in the US and the inside is a masterpiece. The church is still in operation--it isn't a museum.

 

[Nothing Else Maattas]

Penguins fan coming in peace. I visited Nashville Labor Day weekend 2015, and must say I fell in love with the city walking past bridgestone arena made me yearn to see the Predators play in person, so slowly I adopted the city as my 2nd favorite place to be next to Pittsburgh, and decided to finally buy a PK Subban shirsey that I proudly wear a Erie Otters games.

I can't even imagine being on Broadway after a weekend game or after a home playoff game.
I stayed at a fancy hotel up on the west end right across the Vandy, went to a local joint (The Row) to eat dinner before the night out, then went to so many bars I forgot to keep track.
And the amount of cab services was pretty impressive.

 

[Adz]

Glad you enjoyed yourself.

Broadway after a weekend game or playoff game is pretty amazing. We're pretty used to the throngs of people just as a general rule, but those days it really ramps up.

 

[LeighDx59]

Any tips on where to eat or what do to while i'm in Nashville. I'm coming down from the 9th to the 13th for the two home games against Florida and Dallas. I know you guys have the skating rink setup, and the NHL is going to have their Centennial festival thing that weekend and im hoping the Preds will have an open practice either friday or monday but other than that im not sure what else to do ...any suggestions?

 

[sparkle twin]

Any tips on where to eat or what do to while i'm in Nashville. I'm coming down from the 9th to the 13th for the two home games against Florida and Dallas. I know you guys have the skating rink setup, and the NHL is going to have their Centennial festival thing that weekend and im hoping the Preds will have an open practice either friday or monday but other than that im not sure what else to do ...any suggestions?

Our bye week starts Feb. 13 so there definitely won't be a practice that day.

IF they have a practice it would be Friday. If it's at Centennial Sports Plex, it's open to the public. If it's at Bridgestone, it's closed. Most are at centennial. There is a practice schedule on the Preds website (under "schedule", then practice schedule), I would check that a few days beforehand.



As far as food, there is anything you want around the arena area or w/in 2-3 blocks. Barbeque, hamburgers, steak, seafood, Italian, wings, Mexican. Margaritaville, Hard Rock, BB Kings, Hooters, Mortons, the Palm are some chains around there. There are a lot of places really, just depends on your preference.

Plenty of museums to explore. The Ryman. Souvenir shopping. Walk the pedestrian bridge for great city views. The Parthenon (see other reviews here, everyone loves it). Or you could just go to different honky tonks and listen to music.



If the Preds have a practice at centennial, you could go to that then go across the street to centennial park where the Parthenon is and check it out. There are a ton of restaurants around that area as well since that is around the Vanderbilt campus.

 

[LeighDx59]

Our bye week starts Feb. 13 so there definitely won't be a practice that day.

IF they have a practice it would be Friday. If it's at Centennial Sports Plex, it's open to the public. If it's at Bridgestone, it's closed. Most are at centennial. There is a practice schedule on the Preds website (under "schedule", then practice schedule), I would check that a few days beforehand.



As far as food, there is anything you want around the arena area or w/in 2-3 blocks. Barbeque, hamburgers, steak, seafood, Italian, wings, Mexican. Margaritaville, Hard Rock, BB Kings, Hooters, Mortons, the Palm are some chains around there. There are a lot of places really, just depends on your preference.

Plenty of museums to explore. The Ryman. Souvenir shopping. Walk the pedestrian bridge for great city views. The Parthenon (see other reviews here, everyone loves it). Or you could just go to different honky tonks and listen to music.



If the Preds have a practice at centennial, you could go to that then go across the street to centennial park where the Parthenon is and check it out. There are a ton of restaurants around that area as well since that is around the Vanderbilt campus.

Thats what im hoping, im heading back home monday the 13th so hopefully they will have a practice then. But thanks for the info im definitely gonna check those out.

 

[shoeshine boy]

do the Preds practice at Centennial? I just assumed they practiced at Ford Ice?

 

[NSH615]

do the Preds practice at Centennial? I just assumed they practiced at Ford Ice?

They practice at Bridgestone when there isn't an event going on, Centennial about 95% of the remaining time, then Ford Ice Center on special one offs. I think they go to Ford Ice about 3 or 4 times during the season.

 

[LeighDx59]

So they released the practice schedule for next month. It just says practice, but not Bridgestone Arena practice, so that means its at Centennial?

 

[NSH615]

So they released the practice schedule for next month. It just says practice, but not Bridgestone Arena practice, so that means its at Centennial?

From the notes at the bottom of that page:

• Sessions are at Centennial Sportsplex unless indicated

https://www.nhl.com/predators/team/practice-schedule

 

[shoeshine boy]

They practice at Bridgestone when there isn't an event going on, Centennial about 95% of the remaining time, then Ford Ice Center on special one offs. I think they go to Ford Ice about 3 or 4 times during the season.

interesting. I've played in a few tourneys at Centennial but it's been a few years. the last I heard it sounded like they almost closed it. local players I knew complained about the ice. I didn't think it was that bad though I could've done without the chlorine smell coming from the pool. when I heard about Ford Ice I just assumed that the Preds had done a whole complex there kind of like the Thrashers did with the IceForum here in ATL.

 

[NSH615]

interesting. I've played in a few tourneys at Centennial but it's been a few years. the last I heard it sounded like they almost closed it. local players I knew complained about the ice. I didn't think it was that bad though I could've done without the chlorine smell coming from the pool. when I heard about Ford Ice I just assumed that the Preds had done a whole complex there kind of like the Thrashers did with the IceForum here in ATL.

Ford Ice is mainly about getting more sheets of ice in the area. We had 6 outside the arena when it was built, but A-Game in the Franklin/Cool Springs area closed leaving 4 again. Centennial just makes more sense as a regular facility than Ford Ice because it is just down the road, and Ford Ice is down in Antioch.

 

[Adz]

If memory serves, they practice on the back sheet-- the one that is newer and farther away from the chlorine. Though, really, what's a little chlorine smell when your gear smells like...that.

I never heard any rumors about them closing Centennial but they did shut down the older rink around 9 years ago and did a pretty extensive overhaul--stripped down to the wood, replaced stuff, that sort of thing. It's possible they updated the freezer mechanics at that time, too.

 

[triggrman]

If memory serves, they practice on the back sheet-- the one that is newer and farther away from the chlorine. Though, really, what's a little chlorine smell when your gear smells like...that.

I never heard any rumors about them closing Centennial but they did shut down the older rink around 9 years ago and did a pretty extensive overhaul--stripped down to the wood, replaced stuff, that sort of thing. It's possible they updated the freezer mechanics at that time, too.

They practice on both, but mostly you're correct.

The ripped rink A up 2 years ago and redid it all. Come to think of it, they might have done both, one at a time.

 

[Adz]

I'm thinking of the older one. Is that A or B? It was definitely farther back than 2 years ago, though it could have been far enough back that they've done it again.

 

[Drake744]

I'm thinking of the older one. Is that A or B? It was definitely farther back than 2 years ago, though it could have been far enough back that they've done it again.

I think the older one is (was?) rink A. I used to go back in the day for mainly high school hockey and that's how I think it was in the mid 2000s

 

[sparkle twin]

I never heard any rumors about them closing Centennial but they did shut down the older rink around 9 years ago and did a pretty extensive overhaul--stripped down to the wood, replaced stuff, that sort of thing. It's possible they updated the freezer mechanics at that time, too.

I think that was just the bleachers, glass, boards, bathrooms, locker rooms, etc. But the ice they just did a couple of years ago.




I'm pretty sure they did both sides. The Preds rink (the one in the back) had that blue tint to it, and now it doesn't so that makes me think they did that side, too.

 

[shoeshine boy]

Ford Ice is mainly about getting more sheets of ice in the area. We had 6 outside the arena when it was built, but A-Game in the Franklin/Cool Springs area closed leaving 4 again. Centennial just makes more sense as a regular facility than Ford Ice because it is just down the road, and Ford Ice is down in Antioch.

yeah, sadly I was (sort of) affected by that dumpster fire out at A-Game. we were supposed to have a tourney there a few weeks before it was scheduled to close when the owner just decided to close it with no notice. we almost had to move our tourney to Evansville, IN. fortunately they were able to get A-Game opened up for the remaining weeks. the ice there was never as good as it could've been but I enjoyed tourneys there because the surrounding area is great and downtown Nashville is just a short drive away.

 

[SauceMyBiscuit]

Hey Guys,

I'm going to the game tonight with upper bowl tickets. I've been looking at the game day upgrades. The options that look appealing to me are the upgrades to club level and lower level. The Preds app says that the club level tickets are going to be located in section 207-218, which is the home team goal side. The lower bowl tickets, I assume are going to be in the corners of the stadium? Does anyone have experience upgrading their tickets? I'm trying to figure out if there's a method to the madness. Thanks!

 

[Adz]

I've never upgraded because I already sit in Club Level and love it. I'm in 219, which is almost to the corner--would be similar to 212 or 213. I'm on Shoot 1x, player bench side. Great, great seats. Not too high, not too low, fewer problems with constant up and down and easy access to bathrooms and concessions.