Former transit critic Mark Bloom backs new referendum proposal

A prominent downtown developer who helped finance the opposition to the 2018 transit referendum supports the new proposal from Mayor Freddie O'Connell .

Why it matters: The success of the $3.1 billion transportation plan hinges on O'Connell's ability to win over voters who opposed the plan in 2018.

• Voters rejected that ballot measure by nearly a two-to-one margin .

Driving the news: Mark Bloom tells Axios he backs O'Connell's Choose How You Move plan because it excludes two elements from the previous proposal: light rail and an underground tunnel downtown.

What he's saying: "The subway tunnel would have destroyed tourism downtown for years," Bloom says. "Bus systems are much less expensive than light rail and much more flexible."

Flashback: Bloom says he expressed his reservations about the 2018 proposal to O'Connell in a meeting at the Country Music Hall of Fame.

• "We had a really lively conversation for an hour and a half. He ended it by saying, 'Well, I think you're wrong,' but he was really good about listening." A few months after the referendum, Bloom says, O'Connell reached out and the two got lunch.
• "I think the mayor and his staff have done a really good job. I think they looked at what other cities have done since the 2018 loss. I think this is probably as good of a plan as you could put together."
• Bloom, whose prominent projects include the downtown Hilton, the Adelicia condo tower and the revitalization of the historic Union Station hotel, wasn't just a vocal critic of the 2018 measure. He contributed financially to the well-funded political group that formed to oppose that proposal.

Behind the scenes: O'Connell has deliberately talked about his plan with former opponents, according to Jeff Morris, campaign manager for the group supporting the referendum.

• "So many people who had issues in the past find themselves in support, or at least not actively in opposition," Morris says.
• He pointed to Vice Mayor Angie Henderson as another example of a 2018 opponent-turned-supporter. "I have always supported dedicated funding for our transportation system and was disappointed not to be able to support the 2018 referendum, which was focused on five short corridors of light-rail," Henderson tells Axios.
• "This is a more comprehensive program that will serve all Nashvillians. Choose How You Move is front-loaded with the priority sidewalk network, safe crossings, and some 600 synchronized signals, reaching across our entire 526-square mile county," she says.

Bloom acknowledges that it's hard to predict if the current proposal will be successful.

• "Look, anybody who tells you they know what's going to happen is just throwing spaghetti up against the wall. It's very difficult in this environment to be certain of anything. But I'm cautiously optimistic it will pass."
• "There are more benefits that can be attracted to voting 'yes' for this plan versus the 2018 plan. But, it's almost a 50-50 coin flip if something's going to pass if you're asking people to pay more taxes. If you're a gambler, you just can't tell."

The bottom line: Voters will have the final say on the proposal, which will be on the November ballot. But, backing from critics of the previous plan is a good sign for supporters.

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