The fate of 22 cherry blossom trees has caused quite a stir in Nashville. It was announced Saturday that the trees would be removed Monday( 4-1) morning from an area that lined 1^st Ave. along the downtown Riverfront Park in order for a stage to be built to hold the upcoming NFL Draft. Vice Mayor Jim Shulman stated that the plan was to have the trees mulched and spread to line paths in other parks. However, several defenders of the trees stepped forward with protests. Saturday night, Mayor David Briley said that the trees will no longer be chopped down, but instead, will be removed intact to be replanted in the city. Briley stated that officials had to weigh the option of originally cutting down the trees versus the economic impact and size of the event, which warranted the building of a 400-foot stage. The Nashville Visitors and Convention Corp (NVCC) and the NFL will oversee the replacement of the 21 original trees, along with 18 new ones, along the Riverfront Park. They will also plant 200 more such trees across the city.