Chief’s is heading to the airport. Eric Church’s Nashville bar and restaurant will open a new location inside Nashville International Airport’s rebuilt Concourse A, bringing the concept to travelers when the new concourse opens in 2028. The announcement was reported by The Tennessean following a Metro Nashville Airport Authority meeting.
According to The Tennessean, BNA Vice President of Concessions Lisa Leyva announced Chief’s among the new tenants being recruited for the $855 million Concourse A project. The airport authority board is expected to vote on the proposed subleases during its September meeting.
While the Broadway location is known for its multi-level bar and live entertainment experience, the airport outpost will take a different shape. Leyva told The Tennessean that Chief’s will operate at BNA as a full-service restaurant rather than replicating the multi-level downtown concept.
The new location will arrive as part of a much larger transformation at BNA. According to the publication, the $855 million Concourse A renovation will add more gates, two 120-foot-long moving walkways, an outdoor terrace and a second story of lounges for passengers.
The addition also continues BNA’s push to give travelers a distinctly Nashville experience inside the airport. The Tennessean reported that the airport shifted toward prioritizing local businesses in 2019, building its concessions program around Nashville restaurants, bars and retailers rather than relying primarily on national chains.
That strategy has continued to gain recognition. As reported by the publication, after dozens more Tennessee businesses made their BNA debut in 2025, the Airports Council International named Nashville’s concessions program the best in North America.
For Chief’s, the airport location offers a new setting for the concept while keeping it rooted in the city that inspired it. With Concourse A scheduled to open in 2028, Chief’s will have another Nashville address — this time, just before takeoff.
