Skip to Main Content

 View All News


Nashville Downtown Partnership and Vanderbilt University Bring Urbanist Richard Florida to Nashville

Media Contacts:

Alexis Bell, Nashville Downtown Partnership

abell@nashvilledowntown.com

615-983-0802


Carrie Moore, Vanderbilt University

Carrie.f.moore@vanderbilt.edu

202-905-696


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: NASHVILLE DOWNTOWN PARTNERSHIP AND VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY TO BRING URBANIST RICHARD FLORIDA TO NASHVILLE

Centered around the Partnership’s November 2 Annual Meeting & Awards Luncheon, the collaboration symbolizes innovative thought partnership in understanding downtown’s unique position.


September 30, 2021, Nashville, Tenn. – Nashville Downtown Partnership and Vanderbilt University are teaming up for a first-of-its-kind collaboration to bring renowned urbanist Richard Florida to Nashville for a special engagement. Florida is an internationally acclaimed urban theorist, professor (University of Toronto), and author of numerous books on the building of 21st century cities including The New Urban Crisis. Professor Florida will speak at the Partnership’s signature event, the Annual Meeting & Awards Luncheon, on November 2, 2021, addressing 1,000+ from Nashville’s business community. Florida will also engage with key campus leaders on the Vanderbilt Campus during his visit. The 2021 Annual Meeting & Awards Luncheon is presented by Vanderbilt University, a collaboration that symbolizes innovative thought partnership in understanding downtown’s unique position and trajectory.

“Each year, this event serves as a platform to recognize outstanding community and developmental achievements in the downtown neighborhood.” says Partnership President & CEO, Tom Turner. “It’s also a space where we aim to deliver a thought-provoking presentation that invites our city’s leaders to reflect, ask questions, and be inspired about the potential of our city. Under Chancellor Diermeier’s leadership, this partnership is showcasing Vanderbilt University’s commitment to building what Nashville’s downtown can and should be.”

“Richard Florida is one of the foremost voices in urban theory. His insights will be invaluable for Nashville as our city seeks ways to ensure our current growth and prosperity benefits everyone the community,” said Chancellor Daniel Diermeier. “Vanderbilt is proud to work with Nashville Downtown Partnership for this unique collaboration aimed at developing a shared strategic vision for our future.”

Nashville, and particularly the city’s urban core, is one of the country’s most sought after places to LIVE, WORK, PLAY and INVEST. “We’ve not been able to assemble as a community and reflect meaningfully in where we’ve most recently been and where we’re going in more than two years” says Turner. “And it’s been quite an unbelievable two years, in many respects. We are looking forward to the opportunity to deliver an exciting program thanks to Vanderbilt University and all our sponsors.

This year’s award winners in the categories of LIVE, WORK, PLAY and INVEST will be announced at the event. Tickets to the Partnership’s Annual Meeting & Awards Luncheon are available for purchase starting today at nashvilledowntown.com/events/annual-meeting.


About Vanderbilt University

Vanderbilt University is a globally renowned research university located in Nashville, Tennessee. Ranked No. 14 among national universities, Vanderbilt offers an immersive living-learning undergraduate experience, with programs in the liberal arts and sciences, engineering, music, education and human development. The university also is home to nationally and internationally recognized graduate schools of law, education, business, medicine, nursing and divinity, and offers robust graduate-degree programs across a range of academic disciplines. Vanderbilt is committed to inclusive excellence, drawing the world’s brightest students, faculty and distinguished visitors from across all cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds and provides a collaborate atmosphere of discovery that drives positive change in the world. Learn more at www.vanderbilt.edu.


About Nashville Downtown Partnership

Organized in 1994, the Nashville Downtown Partnership is a private-sector nonprofit corporation and membership organization whose core purpose is “to make Downtown Nashville the compelling urban center in the Southeast in which to LIVE, WORK, PLAY and INVEST.” The Nashville Downtown Partnership works to advance the downtown experience for residents, employees, businesses and visitors alike. From its Clean and Safe teams to effective collaboration with public and private leaders to identify and implement resources that serve all of downtown, the Nashville Downtown Partnership enhances Nashville’s economic vitality and manages sustainable growth. For more information, For more information, visit nashvilledowntown.com.


About Richard Florida

Richard Florida is a researcher and professor, serving as University Professor at University of Toronto’s School of Cities and Rotman School of Management, and a Distinguished Fellow at NYU’s Schack School of Real Estate. He is a writer and journalist, having penned several global best sellers, including the award winning The Rise of the Creative Class and his most recent book, The New Urban Crisis. He is co-founder of CityLab, the leading publication devoted to cities and urbanism. He is an entrepreneur, as founder of the Creative Class Group which works closely with companies and governments worldwide. For more information, visit creativeclass.com/richard_florida/.