Nashville's Music Row neighborhood has been a recent topic of debate between those for and those against preserving the historic area. Now, Kix Brooks is sharing his opinion on saving the iconic streets.

Music historians and preservationists argue that Music Row's musical heritage and legacy are worth keeping intact, but on the other side of the coin, many believe that economic development in the area would be a good thing for Music City. Much of the controversy has specifically surrounded the historic RCA Studio A, which was under threat of demolition until it was sold to a trio of buyers who plan to maintain the studio. For his part, Brooks sees both sides of the conversation but says that he'd like to see his city continue to grow.

"Music Row has sort of evolved from a neighborhood into a low-key business community," he tells the Nashville Business Journal. "I think that probably when a building like Studio A was built at the time, that was pretty progressive, like the [Capitol Records] Tower building. I'm sure people were probably protesting that it looked too corporate.

"It's easy to just stand on the grounds of nostalgia," Brooks adds. "Obviously you don't want to see tradition just totally washed down the drain, but you have to accept there will be a new amount of progress, especially in a city that's growing like Nashville."

Brooks can be considered an expert of sorts when it comes to Nashville's economic growth. He served some time on the board of the Nashville Convention Center and Visitors Corp while the city was proposing and building their new convention center.

"We've got a lot of really forward-thinking civic leaders in Nashville," Brooks says. "In the '80s, downtown was a mess, there was nothing good going on down there. The fact that we've had some great business leaders and civic leaders ... it's really been exciting to watch. The sky's the limit. Now we'll have to deal with the challenges of the growth we're seeing."

In a win for preservationists, Music Row was named a national treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation in January.

“Music Row is the very definition of a national treasure. The sounds created here have echoed throughout the country for decades, earning it an unparalleled place in America’s cultural life,”  David Brown, NTFHP executive vice president and chief preservation officer explains. “As a native Tennessean who grew up with a deep love of the sounds of Nashville, I am especially passionate about helping ensure the future of Music Row as a vibrant center of culture, economy and creativity.”

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