Land renewal plus people renewal: urban renewal, adult businesses, and public health in Nashville

The urban landscape of Nashville, Tennessee dramatically changed in the twentieth century. The efforts of politicians to increase tourism revenue altered the culture and economy of downtown Nashville. Under a consolidated government, local officials used the first Congressional funded urban renewal program and, later, public health policy to oust legal adult businesses. The downtown areas that were once home to pornography stores, adult theaters, and strip clubs were transformed in the push for a more family-friendly environment anchored by the rise of country music.