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Building Nashville’s Next Chapter: The East Bank Transformation

Burke Nihill
Keynote

Burke Nihill

President and CEO

Tennessee Titans

Shawn Seaman
Keynote

Shawn Seaman

Chief Development Officer

The Fallon Company

Benjamin York
Keynote

Benjamin York

CEO

East Bank Development Authority

Burke Nihill

President and CEO

Tennessee Titans

Burke Nihill is President and Chief Executive Officer for the Tennessee Titans. During his time with the Titans, Nihill has overseen the team’s bid for Nashville’s record-breaking 2019 NFL Draft; the expansion and renovation of Vanderbilt Health Football Center, the Titans practice facility; and the approval, design, and construction of the team’s new, enclosed stadium on Nashville’s East Bank.

Among his first projects as CEO, Nihill led the team’s development of a new mission statement–“Win, Serve, Entertain”–which has become a centering statement for the franchise. The statement guides strategy and decision-making throughout the organization, from the football team and content creators to human resources and fan engagement.

Nihill was recently named a ‘Most Admired CEO’ by the Nashville Business Journal. He also serves on the Board of Directors at the United Way of Greater Nashville, Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp., Belmont University, and Nashville Chamber of Commerce.

He resides in the Nashville area with his wife, Holly, and their three children.

Shawn Seaman

Chief Development Officer

The Fallon Company

Shawn Seaman is responsible for leading The Fallon Company’s large-scale development projects and driving strategic growth across its national portfolio. Based in the company’s Nashville office, Shawn plays a key role in overseeing transformative initiatives, including the multi-billion-dollar East Bank development.

With more than two decades of experience in real estate development, urban planning, and architecture, Shawn has a proven track record of delivering award-winning mixed-use projects. Prior to joining The Fallon Company in 2025, he served as President of Hoffman & Associates, where he spent 23 years leading acquisitions, development, and market expansion efforts, including delivering the Wharf in Washington, D.C., a $2.5 billion, 3.2-million-square-foot mixed-use waterfront development.

A registered architect in Florida and Washington, D.C., and a LEED AP certified professional, Shawn holds a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Miami and a Master of Architecture and Urban Design from the University of Pennsylvania, where he also earned a certificate in Real Estate Design and Development.

Before the Groundbreak: The Decisions That Make (or Break) a Deal

Site Selection, Design Strategy, Entitlements & Capital Alignment in Nashville’s Next Wave of Development

Jeff Pape

Jeff Pape

Chief Development Officer

GBT Realty

Meg Epstein

Meg Epstein

CEO & Founder

CA South

Mike Cimorelli

Mike Cimorelli

President

TI Builders

Tom Partin

Tom Partin

VP

Southern Building Group

Keith Randall
Moderator

Keith Randall

Shareholder

Winstead PC

Meg Epstein

CEO & Founder

CA South

Born in California, but today calls Nashville,

Tennessee home, real estate developer Meg Epstein

has over a decade of experience creating efficient,

modern lifestyles for people where it matters most:

their homes and neighborhoods. Developing and

establishing spaces that support whole living and

simplify home and work life for individuals is a

personal passion of hers.

Mike Cimorelli

President

TI Builders

Mike Cimorelli, Founder and President of TI Builders, has construction in his

blood, and it’s a passion he was raised with. His grandfather, father and uncles

were all part of the construction world, and they were the catalyst for Mike's love

of the construction industry and real estate development. Mike is proud to say

that 5 of his sons and daughters have joined him in the company as well, working

both in the field and the office. His love of construction led him to California State

University, Sacramento, where he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Construction

Engineering Management in one of the pioneering construction programs in the

country.

As the leader of TI Builders, Mike’s management style is hands-on for all six

branches, which are in Tennessee, California, Massachusetts, Florida,

Pennsylvania, and Texas. He’s a seasoned construction executive and industry

specialist, excelling at design/build projects in all major construction sectors.

Known for credibility and integrity, in 35+ years Mike has built a team equipped

with the skills and knowledge to handle all projects large and small, successfully

completing over 2,000 commercial construction projects.

Mike is driven to help businesses design/build their new locations. He

communicates with all team members in daily/weekly meetings ensuring all

branches are running smoothly. He also frequently meets with our partners to

ensure thriving ongoing relationships.

He has been married to his lovely wife Lynne for over 35 years; together they

share 11 children and 12 grandchildren and counting. He is a wine connoisseur

and enjoys long bike rides, the gym, and grilling for his family.

Tom Partin

VP

Southern Building Group

Tom Partin is a Vice President specializing in the delivery of large-scale student housing and multifamily developments across the United States. As a leader at Southern Building Group, he works closely with developers and design teams from early concept through completion to deliver complex projects on schedule and on budget. Tom brings deep expertise in preconstruction strategy, cost control, and field execution, with a strong focus on building high-quality student housing communities in competitive university markets.

Keith Randall

Moderator

Winstead PC

Winstead Shareholder Keith Randall is a trusted advocate for real estate owners and developers, safeguarding their interests in negotiating design and construction agreements for complex, high-profile projects in Tennessee and nationwide. His extensive experience with high-impact commercial projects spans a wide array of sectors, including healthcare, hotel & hospitality, multifamily housing, mixed-use, and manufacturing.

Areas of Experience

Complex Project Experience: Keith has played a key role in shaping the landscape of major commercial developments. He notably contributed to the 2017 revision of the proprietary design and construction agreements for a publicly traded healthcare company.

Affordable Housing: Keith led the creation of a new suite of documents for a large public affordable housing agency in Middle Tennessee and represents numerous private and public affordable housing developers in the region.

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) Advisor: He also provides counsel to REITs on a diverse range of construction projects, demonstrating his versatile skill set.

Shaping the Nashville Skyline: Keith has been instrumental in drafting construction agreements for a number of prestigious projects that are redefining the Nashville skyline, showcasing his impact on the local landscape.

Prior to entering private practice, Keith gained valuable insights as an Extern for Judge William J. Haynes Jr. of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee and as a Law Clerk in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee.

From Dirt to Delivery: Executing in a High-Cost, High-Stakes Environment

Labor, Materials, Cost Control & Risk Mitigation in Today’s Nashville Construction Cycle

Martin Stroble

Martin Stroble

Director, Head of Construction

SomeraRoad

Ken Berling

Ken Berling

VP, Design-Build

Merus

Jason Bennett

Jason Bennett

Region President

Hoar Construction

Emily Trapani
Moderator

Emily Trapani

Head of Sales

GFiber

Martin Stroble

Director, Head of Construction

SomeraRoad

Martin is a Director and Head of Construction at SomeraRoad, helping oversee all aspects of the firm's construction projects. He brings over 15 years of engineering and construction experience to the firm. Prior to joining SomeraRoad, Martin was a Project Executive at Toll Brothers City Living. There, he led diverse interdisciplinary teams in the design and execution of complex, urban, high-rise residential and mixed-use buildings. His projects spanned various U.S. markets and had cumulative construction costs exceeding $1 billion. Prior to joining Toll Brothers, Martin was a Professional Engineer and Project Manager for Severud Associates in New York City. In this role, he oversaw a structural engineering team in the design and construction of ground-up and adaptive reuse projects. Martin received a B.S. and an M.S. in Civil Engineering from the Bagley College of Engineering at Mississippi State University, as well as an M.B.A. with a concentration in Finance from the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina. Martin resides in Nashville with his wife and two sons.

Jason Bennett

Region President

Hoar Construction

Jason Bennett is Region President for Hoar Construction, bringing more than two decades of experience leading complex projects and high-performing teams across diverse markets. He joined the firm in 2000 as a project engineer in Hoar’s Birmingham headquarters before relocating to Nashville, where he played a key role in expanding the company’s presence—particularly within the healthcare sector.

Based in Nashville, Bennett oversees a team of more than 160 professionals across Hoar’s East Region and leads work spanning a diverse portfolio, including commercial, higher education, civic and government, healthcare, and multifamily projects. As Region President, he provides strategic direction for operations in Nashville, Chattanooga, and Memphis, with a strong focus on market growth, talent development, and long-term client partnerships. Known for his collaborative leadership style and disciplined approach to execution, Bennett is committed to building strong teams and delivering lasting value in dynamic, high-growth environments.

Emily Trapani

Moderator

GFiber

Emily Trapani is a tech business leader with over 15 years of experience, including more than 8 years in leadership at Google, creating and executing sales strategies and innovation for technology products and services. As the Head of Retail at Google Fiber, she oversees strategy, innovation and operations in retail and other non-traditional sales and service experiences for the company's high-speed internet offerings.

She has an invariable track record of delivering results and growth for Google Fiber and its parent company, Alphabet Inc., by developing and managing various sales channels and partnerships, including B2B, B2B2C, multifamily, direct, indirect and nontraditional. She is also an author and a futurist, who has published two books and a podcast on technologies and industry trends. She is passionate about empowering women and underrepresented groups in technology and STEM, and volunteers as an instructor and facilitator for several Google programs and initiatives.

Shovels Ready: Why You Can't Miss this Conference

Why This Matters: 

Nashville’s commercial real estate market remains one of the most dynamic in the country—but the margin for error has narrowed.

Today, project success is determined long before groundbreaking. Entitlements, zoning, infrastructure capacity, and design alignment with capital partners are shaping whether deals move forward at all. Once construction begins, developers face a different set of pressures: labor constraints, material volatility, insurance increases, financing carry costs, and execution risk that can materially impact returns. If you are making decisions around land acquisition, underwriting, capital deployment, or project execution in Nashville, this is an opportunity to:

  1. Understand where deals are breaking down—and why

  2. Learn how experienced players are mitigating entitlement and construction risk

  3. Gain insight into how capital partners are recalibrating expectations

  4. Identify practical strategies to protect yield and accelerate timelines

  5. Build relationships with the decision-makers shaping Nashville’s next cycle of growth

In a market where small decisions early can have outsized impacts later, being in the room isn’t just informative—it’s strategic.

What You'll Learn: 

  • When evaluating a new site in Nashville today, learn what is the primary “go or no-go” factor—zoning risk, basis, infrastructure capacity, political climate, or capital stack feasibility?

  • Learn how has the entitlement process evolved over the last 12–24 months, and where are projects encountering the most friction—community pushback, council approvals, overlay restrictions, or infrastructure constraints?

  • How are design decisions being influenced by today’s capital markets, and how are lenders and equity partners pushing specific risk mitigations or return thresholds that affect scope and density?

  • What infrastructure or municipal capacity concerns—water, sewer, traffic, utilities—are shaping site selection today?

  • To pivot, reposition, or convert: how are Nashville's owner thinking about adaptive reuse versus ground-up development in the current cost and entitlement climate?

  • Lessons learned: what are the mistakes developers make in pre-construction that becomes expensive later in the lifecycle, and how can they be avoided?

  • Construction costs have moderated in some areas but remain volatile—where are you still seeing unpredictability in materials, and how are you underwriting that risk?

  • What does the skilled labor pipeline look like in Nashville today, and how is it affecting timelines?

  • How are owners and GCs structuring contracts differently to manage risk—GMP, cost-plus, shared savings, contingencies?

  • When projects stall or budgets tighten, what are the first levers today's owners and investors pull to protect yield without sacrificing long-term asset quality?

Who You'll Meet: Owners, developers, investors, policymakers, CRE stakeholders, and providers who are actively proposing, building, developing, or designing Nashville's latest projects. 

For questions, recommendations, comments, or press inquiries please email our Vice President of Production, Elizabeth Baker at liz.baker@bisnow.com. To request disability-related accommodations, please contact sabrina.cole@bisnow.com no later than seven business days prior to the event.

Agenda

Time Activity
1:00 PM
2:00 PM
Registration, Networking, and Breakfast
2:00 PM
2:45 PM
Building Nashville’s Next Chapter: The East Bank Transformation

How The Fallon Company, the Tennessee Titans, and the East Bank Development Authority are partnering to deliver a community-driven district redefining connectivity, development, and growth along the Cumberland River

2:45 PM
3:00 PM
Networking Break!
3:00 PM
3:45 PM
Before the Groundbreak: The Decisions That Make (or Break) a Deal

Site Selection, Design Strategy, Entitlements & Capital Alignment in Nashville’s Next Wave of Development

3:45 PM
4:30 PM
From Dirt to Delivery: Executing in a High-Cost, High-Stakes Environment

Labor, Materials, Cost Control & Risk Mitigation in Today’s Nashville Construction Cycle

4:30 PM
5:00 PM
More Networking!

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