Back to the Tennessee Titans Newsfeed

Mayor: Trees can't be cut down for NFL draft

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The city of Nashville won't cut down 21 ornamental cherry trees to make space for an NFL draft stage, Mayor David Briley said Saturday.

In a news release, Briley said he had informed the NFL and Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp. that they will have to remove the trees intact and replant them in the city. Any trees that are diseased or near death will be replaced with new, healthy trees.

The trees were to be cut down on Monday, just ahead of Nashville's annual Cherry Blossom Festival. The festival includes a walk along the cherry tree-lined downtown riverfront on April 13.