National Association of Bond Lawyers
American College of Bond Counsel — Fellow
Vanderbilt Law School – J.D., 1996
Jeff Oldham has developed one of the leading public finance practices in Tennessee. Jeff’s ability to creatively structure complex financings has contributed to some of the more pivotal projects across the region. Whether he is helping a utilities district secure funding for emergency repairs following flood damage, or helping bring a high-profile, one million square foot convention center to life through construction financing, Jeff’s experience with complex transactions has earned him a reputation as a go-to public finance lawyer throughout Tennessee.
A member of the National Association of Bond Lawyers, Jeff serves as bond counsel to help cities, counties and local utilities finance public projects ranging from sports facilities to schools to utility improvements. As underwriter’s counsel, he works with underwriters, banks and entities that lend to local governments.
Jeff also works with corporate, real estate and governmental clients to facilitate economic development projects through public-private partnerships. Whether it’s a property tax abatement transaction, a tax increment or special assessment financing, or an urban redevelopment project, Jeff brings the firm’s unique public finance and commercial real estate experience to bear on behalf of his clients.
We served as bond counsel to Metro Nashville and its Industrial Development Board in connection with the issuance of over $40 million of special assessment revenue bonds. The bonds will help fund the construction of roads into Century Farms, a 300-acre mixed-use development located at the new I-24 interstate exit in southeast Nashville.
The development is home to Community Health System’s 35-acre headquarters campus, the corporate headquarters and training facility for Nashville SC, and multiple multifamily, commercial, retail and hotel facilities. The bonds are payable solely from special assessment revenues levied on properties within the development, which lies within the new South Nashville Central Business Improvement District.
Represented the Metro Nashville Sports Authority as bond counsel in connection with the issuance of $225 million of bonds in December 2020 to finance the construction of the new Major League Soccer (MLS) Stadium at the Nashville Fairgrounds
Represented Montgomery County, Tennessee as bond counsel in connection with the issuance of $110 million of bonds in July 2020 to finance the construction of a Multi-Purpose Event Center in downtown Clarksville
Representation of the Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation (MTE), the largest electric co-op in the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) region and among the five largest in the United States, in its acquisition of Murfreesboro Electric Department for $245 million
Represented cities and counties across Tennessee on more than 200 general obligation bond transactions valued at a combined total of approximately $4.5 billion
Represented Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County as bond counsel in connection with approximately $3 billion of general obligation and utility system bond issues
Served as bond counsel or underwriters’ counsel in approximately $2.8 billion of utility system bond financings since 2014
Represented Guesthouse at Graceland, LLC as bond counsel in the recent closing of a $100 million transaction as part of the ongoing revitalization of the area surrounding Elvis’ home, Graceland in Memphis
Served as underwriter’s counsel in connection with the closing of a $12 million tax increment financing for public infrastructure improvements related to the Scarlett Pearl Casino Resort in D’Iberville, Mississippi
Represented Akebono Brake Corporation in equipment lease transactions and in connection with payment in lieu of tax (PILOT) transactions in excess of $150 million
Represented Hankook Tires as bond counsel in connection with a $300 million taxable bond financing for its new Clarksville, Tennessee, manufacturing facility
Represented the developer in connection with approximately $100 million in financing for the Westin Nashville Hotel project
Have served as bond counsel to 50+ counties and cities across the state of Tennessee in approximately $4 billion of bond financings for public improvement projects since 2010
Served as underwriters’ counsel in approximately $1.4 billion of higher education bond issues for the Tennessee State School Bond Authority
Represented the Sports Authority of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County in a $65 million bond issue to finance a new baseball stadium at the historic Sulphur Dell site north of downtown Nashville
Represented the Sports Authority of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County in the issuance of $14 million of revenue bonds to finance a new community ice hockey and skating recreation complex in southeast Nashville to be leased to an affiliated entity of the NHL’s Nashville Predators
Served as underwriter’s counsel to Stephens Inc. and SunTrust Bank in connection with a $56 million financing for Belmont University to finance student housing facilities
Served as underwriter’s counsel to Morgan Stanley in connection with Kentucky Infrastructure Authority’s (KIA) financing of $111 million of water and sewer infrastructure projects
Served as underwriter’s counsel to Piper Jaffray in connection with DeSoto County’s refinancing of $14 million of general obligation debt service
Represented the Metropolitan Nashville/Davidson County Convention Center Authority in the issuance of approximately $620 million of bonds to finance the construction of a 2.1 million square foot convention center located on 16 acres in downtown Nashville