Garth Brooks‘ Friends in Low Places Bar & Honky-Tonk in Nashville will include an in-house police station.
Brooks has teamed up with the Metro Nashville Police Department and the Nashville Department of Transportation Multimodal Infrastructure to develop a new substation and traffic control room on Lower Broadway to “reduce traffic congestion and keep the city’s busiest few blocks secure,” according to a press release from Mayor John Cooper’s office.
Cooper lauded the move which will be authorized at no cost to Nashville taxpayers.
“Lower Broadway is an iconic destination for fans of world-class music, sports and a good time, but as Nashvillians know well, it can also create safety and traffic challenges that my office is working hard to tackle across multiple fronts,” Cooper said via the same release.
“I commend Garth Brooks for stepping up to help make Lower Broadway safer and more enjoyable for everyone. These additional resources will add new tools to reduce traffic and improve community safety downtown while continuing to prioritize other initiatives for neighborhoods and families throughout Davidson County,” he added.
Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake echoed Cooper’s sentiment.
“I am deeply grateful to Garth [Brooks] and his team for including space that will serve as a mini hub for our operations in the Broadway entertainment district,” Drake said of the venture. “This unique partnership will help enhance public safety for downtown residents and visitors,” he shared.
Brooks announced his plans to open a bar on Lower Broadway back in April. The bar, named Friends in Low Places Bar & Honky-Tonk after Brooks’ hit 1990 song “Friends in Low Places,” will be three stories high.
Brooks purchased 411 Broadway in December 2021. In addition to being three stories high, the property, which is the former home of the Nashville Sporting Club, covers 40,000+ square feet.
“We feel very lucky to have the chance to be part of Lower Broad, which is arguably THE hottest spot in the country,” Brooks said of his latest business move. The goal is a classic honky-tonk that welcomes all and encourages love and kindness while playing the greatest music in the world in the home of Country Music!,” he continued.
In addition to the local police and transportation and infrastructure departments, Brooks has also teamed up with Strategic Hospitality, a Nashville-based hospitality company, to aid in the planning and execution of his vision for the honky-tonk.
