Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center
Encyclopedia
Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center, formerly known as Opryland Hotel, is a large hotel
and convention center
located in Nashville, Tennessee
and owned by Gaylord Hotels
, a division of Gaylord Entertainment Company
. It is the largest non-casino hotel in the Continental United States outside of Las Vegas
.
", opened as The Opryland Hotel in 1977 adjacent to the Opryland USA theme park
and the Grand Ole Opry
house, from which the hotel took its name. The hotel originally featured 600 guest rooms, a 20000 square feet (1,858.1 m²) ballroom
, and 30000 square feet (2,787.1 m²) of convention space. Originally built by the National Life & Accident Insurance Company, Opryland Hotel was sold to then-Oklahoma City
-based Gaylord Broadcasting Company (which soon after changed its name to Gaylord Entertainment Company
) in 1982, along with most of National Life's entertainment properties, including WSM radio
, Opryland USA
, and the Grand Ole Opry
.
In 1983, six years after opening, Opryland Hotel completed its first major expansion, dubbed "Phase II". This large undertaking added 467 guest rooms, moving the total to 1,067. Phase II also brought 30000 square feet (2,787.1 m²) more of ballroom space, and added the hotel's first signature atrium
, the Garden Conservatory. Under large panes of glass and filled with plant life and fountains, the Garden Conservatory is designed to allow guests to experience a walk in a tropical garden without going outdoors. Hundreds of rooms have balconies overlooking the Conservatory. This was the first truly unique thing the hotel had to offer, and it set the stage for the next two expansions.
By 1988, Opryland Hotel had expanded to 1,891 guest rooms. In the "Phase III" expansion, another 18000 square feet (1,672.3 m²) ballroom was added along with the Cascades, a second atrium designed to complement the Garden Conservatory. The Cascades is covered by an acre
of glass, and features thousands of plant species and large artificial waterfalls. As part of Phase III, but delayed by one year, another 4000 square feet (371.6 m²) ballroom opened, designed for more intimate settings and smaller functions.
Separate from the Phase III expansion was the addition of an 18 hole golf course
, "Springhouse Golf Club", located 2 miles (3.2 km) east of the hotel. The par-72 links-style course was home to the BellSouth Senior Classic at Opryland on the Champions Tour
from 1994 to 2003. It was renamed "Springhouse Links" in 2001, and then "Gaylord Springs" in 2006.
Opryland Hotel completed its "Phase IV" expansion in 1996. The $175-million "Delta" added 922 guest rooms, bringing the total to its current 2,881, and was the largest construction project in the history of Nashville at the time (it was eclipsed in 1999 by Adelphia Coliseum, now known as LP Field
). Also part of the expansion, which more than doubled the size of the existing structure, was an additional 55465 square feet (5,152.9 m²) ballroom, a 289000 square feet (26,849 m²) exhibit hall, and the Delta Atrium. The 150 feet (45.7 m) tall, 4.5 acres (1.8 ha) atrium was given a Cajun
theme, borrowing many elements from New Orleans, Louisiana
. Also under the large glass roof is the Delta River, a 0.25 mile (0.402335 km) artificial waterway. For a $9 fee, guests may ride in a "Delta Flatboat" through a guided tour of the atrium. When it was christened, water samples from more than 1,700 rivers throughout the world
, including every registered river in the United States, were poured into the Delta River.
The Delta expansion solidified the trend that Gaylord was focusing more efforts on its hotel division than its theme park, as the massive undertaking swallowed up any and all land the theme park could have expanded upon. Indeed, following the 1997 season, the Opryland USA
theme park ceased operations and was demolished. Simultaneously, Gaylord Entertainment announced a joint venture
with the Mills Corporation
for construction of the 12000000 square feet (1,114,836.5 m²) Opry Mills
shopping mall
on the site. The park closure hurt occupancy rates at Opryland Hotel for the next five years. Gaylord Entertainment later divested its share of the mall and now leases the property and the "Opry" name to Simon Properties, the successor to Mills Corporation.
After the theme park closed, Gaylord considered taking the "Opryland" name off the hotel, since "Opryland" (a name which was considered to be most synonymous with the theme park) no longer existed. Extensive market research
showed that the hotel would have to rebuild its reputation
without the "Opryland" name, so it was kept.
In the late 1990s, Gaylord Entertainment acquired the Ramada
Inn on McGavock Pike, just across the street from Opryland Hotel. It was given a major renovation and dropped its Ramada affiliation to be known simply as "The Inn at Opryland". It is now affiliated with Radisson Hotels
. This motel
is marketed toward guests wishing to receive Opryland Hotel quality and amenities at economy prices.
In 1999, the new Gaylord subsidiary "Opryland Lodging Group", which was formed in 1997 to plan expansions, was renamed "Opryland Hotels" as it began to see its plans for sister properties in Kissimmee, Florida
and Grapevine, Texas
come to fruition. Another hotel was later announced for Prince George's County, Maryland
. As a result of these new plans, the hotel was renamed Opryland Hotel Nashville and given designation as the company's flagship
property. The other hotels in the chain were to be named "Opryland Hotel Florida", "Opryland Hotel Texas" and "Opryland Hotel Potomac", respectively.
On October 26, 2001, Opryland Hotel Nashville was rebranded as Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center (or Gaylord Opryland, for short), taking its name from its corporate parent. Gaylord Entertainment made the change seeking to take the "Opryland" name off of the new property in Florida. The Opryland Hotels division was renamed "Gaylord Hotels
", and the Florida property was given the name "Gaylord Palms." The Texas hotel was initially going to be called "Gaylord Opryland Texas", but was later changed to "Gaylord Texan", after more market research concluded it needed an identity of its own. The yet-to-be-opened Maryland property was renamed "Gaylord National
." Company officials at the time stated that the "Opryland" branding was strong to Nashville (and Texas, initially), but didn't fit with projects in other parts of the United States. Despite the rebranding effort, most locals (including the broadcast media) still refer to Gaylord Opryland as "Opryland Hotel."
In lieu of another expansion and as a result of the rebranding, the hotel underwent a $5 million renovation in 2003. With it came a refurbishment and rebranding of several of the hotel's restaurants and pubs, new retail establishments, and building improvements. Plans were also announced to renovate and refurnish all of the hotel's 2,881 guest rooms over the next few years.
According to a 2003 press release, Gaylord Opryland planned to build a 5,000-seat amphitheatre
on the site in the near future, but those plans seem to have been abandoned in favor of a convention center expansion.
, which jumped its banks after two days of torrential rainfall. Pictures from the inside of the hotel showed the Cascades restaurant area swamped with water and debris, as were the adjacent tropical gardens. Aerial shots confirm the entire complex, as well as the nearby Opry Mills Mall, was completely inundated by water. Gaylord's other riverfront properties—Springhouse Golf Course, and The Wildhorse Saloon—are also directly affected by the flooding Cumberland River. The golf course was completely underwater, and Wildhorse Saloon was partially flooded along First Avenue in downtown Nashville. (WKRN, WSMV, WTVF)
The Gaylord Opryland Hotel reopened its doors on November 15, 2010.
.
The plans hinged on $80 million in public financing through the Metro government that would be repaid through the property taxes generated by the expansion. The first step in this process would be getting the Tennessee General Assembly
to designate the site a "special tourism development zone".
This expansion would have also made Gaylord Opryland the largest convention hotel outside of Las Vegas. It was expected to be completed by 2010, but following the economic slowdown of 2008-2009 and the May 2010 flood, the plans are on indefinite hold.
Gaylord Opryland currently features three exhibit halls and five ballrooms. Coupled with its massive hotel, Gaylord Opryland Convention Center can easily accommodate upwards of 10-12 separate gatherings at one time. On most weekends, guests will find at least two conventions taking place.
The convention center is divided into five areas: the Magnolia
, Tennessee
, Presidents, Governors, and Delta sections; each of which specializes in terms of rooms' size, and purposes. There are currently three levels in the convention center to accommodate the variation in height among the different ballrooms and exhibit halls.
The hotel currently boasts 109465 square feet (10,169.6 m²) of ballroom space and 319000 square feet (29,636.1 m²) of exhibit space. A planned expansion (see above) will nearly double its size.
s. It is also known for being one of Nashville's hottest "first-date" spots because of its central location, restaurants, walkways, and scenery. Many local companies also take advantage of the Convention Center's abundant meeting space. Unlike most other non-casino hotels, a sizable portion of Gaylord Opryland's visitors are not actually guests of the hotel. The scenery of the various atria along with the various shops and dining options attract many walk-in visitors to the hotel every day.
Outside vendor Town Parke currently charges $18 to park automobile
s at the hotel , but locals have found a way around this charge by parking at nearby Opry Mills
free of charge and walking the short path to Gaylord Opryland. This is not recommended for overnight stays, both for lack of security and the risk of being towed. Valet parking
service is also available to hotel guests for $25 a night.
decorations, dubbed A Country Christmas. Millions of decorative lights are placed in the trees at the resort, and all three atria contain various decorations, including animatronics
. The hotel begins installing lights in July of each year. In addition, several special holiday-themed shows and attractions take place, including ICE!, a display of ice sculptures, and the Radio City Rockettes Christmas Spectacular. During the Christmas seasons of 2007 and 2008, ICE! has had a theme of Dr. Seuss's How the Grinch Stole Christmas, The season of 2009 had a theme of A Charlie Brown Christmas
, and 2010 had a theme of Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town
. 2010 marked the 27th anniversary of Gaylord Opryland's A Country Christmas.
and coming in April 2010 Johnston & Murphy.
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
and convention center
Convention center
A convention center is a large building that is designed to hold a convention, where individuals and groups gather to promote and share common interests. Convention centers typically offer sufficient floor area to accommodate several thousand attendees...
located in Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
and owned by Gaylord Hotels
Gaylord Hotels
Gaylord Hotels is the hospitality arm of Gaylord Entertainment Company. It oversees four large hotels and convention centers which the company refers to as "resorts":*Gaylord Opryland in Nashville, Tennessee*Gaylord Palms in Kissimmee, Florida...
, a division of Gaylord Entertainment Company
Gaylord Entertainment Company
The Gaylord Entertainment Company operates a number of hotel, resort, and media companies that were built by Edward Gaylord. It was previously a subsidiary of the Oklahoma City-based Oklahoma Publishing Company, which is owned by the Gaylord family and publishes the Daily Oklahoman newspaper...
. It is the largest non-casino hotel in the Continental United States outside of Las Vegas
Las Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
.
History
The property, given a general theme toward "Southern hospitalitySouthern hospitality
Southern hospitality is a phrase used in American English to describe the stereotype of residents of the Southern United States as particularly warm and welcoming to visitors to their homes, or to the South in general.__FORCETOC__...
", opened as The Opryland Hotel in 1977 adjacent to the Opryland USA theme park
Opryland USA
Opryland USA was an amusement park located in suburban Nashville, Tennessee. It operated seasonally from 1972 until 1997...
and the Grand Ole Opry
Grand Ole Opry
The Grand Ole Opry is a weekly country music stage concert in Nashville, Tennessee, that has presented the biggest stars of that genre since 1925. It is also among the longest-running broadcasts in history since its beginnings as a one-hour radio "barn dance" on WSM-AM...
house, from which the hotel took its name. The hotel originally featured 600 guest rooms, a 20000 square feet (1,858.1 m²) ballroom
Ballroom
A ballroom is a large room inside a building, the designated purpose of which is holding formal dances called balls. Traditionally, most balls were held in private residences; many mansions contain one or more ballrooms...
, and 30000 square feet (2,787.1 m²) of convention space. Originally built by the National Life & Accident Insurance Company, Opryland Hotel was sold to then-Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Oklahoma City is the capital and the largest city in the state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, the city ranks 31st among United States cities in population. The city's population, from the 2010 census, was 579,999, with a metro-area population of 1,252,987 . In 2010, the Oklahoma...
-based Gaylord Broadcasting Company (which soon after changed its name to Gaylord Entertainment Company
Gaylord Entertainment Company
The Gaylord Entertainment Company operates a number of hotel, resort, and media companies that were built by Edward Gaylord. It was previously a subsidiary of the Oklahoma City-based Oklahoma Publishing Company, which is owned by the Gaylord family and publishes the Daily Oklahoman newspaper...
) in 1982, along with most of National Life's entertainment properties, including WSM radio
WSM (AM)
WSM is the callsign of a 50,000 watt AM radio station located in Nashville, Tennessee. Operating at 650 kHz, its clear channel signal can reach much of North America and various countries, especially late at night...
, Opryland USA
Opryland USA
Opryland USA was an amusement park located in suburban Nashville, Tennessee. It operated seasonally from 1972 until 1997...
, and the Grand Ole Opry
Grand Ole Opry
The Grand Ole Opry is a weekly country music stage concert in Nashville, Tennessee, that has presented the biggest stars of that genre since 1925. It is also among the longest-running broadcasts in history since its beginnings as a one-hour radio "barn dance" on WSM-AM...
.
Atrium (architecture)
In modern architecture, an atrium is a large open space, often several stories high and having a glazed roof and/or large windows, often situated within a larger multistory building and often located immediately beyond the main entrance doors...
, the Garden Conservatory. Under large panes of glass and filled with plant life and fountains, the Garden Conservatory is designed to allow guests to experience a walk in a tropical garden without going outdoors. Hundreds of rooms have balconies overlooking the Conservatory. This was the first truly unique thing the hotel had to offer, and it set the stage for the next two expansions.
By 1988, Opryland Hotel had expanded to 1,891 guest rooms. In the "Phase III" expansion, another 18000 square feet (1,672.3 m²) ballroom was added along with the Cascades, a second atrium designed to complement the Garden Conservatory. The Cascades is covered by an acre
Acre
The acre is a unit of area in a number of different systems, including the imperial and U.S. customary systems. The most commonly used acres today are the international acre and, in the United States, the survey acre. The most common use of the acre is to measure tracts of land.The acre is related...
of glass, and features thousands of plant species and large artificial waterfalls. As part of Phase III, but delayed by one year, another 4000 square feet (371.6 m²) ballroom opened, designed for more intimate settings and smaller functions.
Separate from the Phase III expansion was the addition of an 18 hole golf course
Golf course
A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
, "Springhouse Golf Club", located 2 miles (3.2 km) east of the hotel. The par-72 links-style course was home to the BellSouth Senior Classic at Opryland on the Champions Tour
Champions Tour
The Champions Tour, a golf tour run by the PGA Tour, hosts a series of events annually in the United States and the United Kingdom for golfers 50 years of age and older. Many of the PGA Tour's most successful golfers have gone on to play on the Champions Tour.The Senior PGA Championship, founded in...
from 1994 to 2003. It was renamed "Springhouse Links" in 2001, and then "Gaylord Springs" in 2006.
Opryland Hotel completed its "Phase IV" expansion in 1996. The $175-million "Delta" added 922 guest rooms, bringing the total to its current 2,881, and was the largest construction project in the history of Nashville at the time (it was eclipsed in 1999 by Adelphia Coliseum, now known as LP Field
LP Field
LP Field is a football stadium in Nashville, Tennessee, United States, owned by the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County....
). Also part of the expansion, which more than doubled the size of the existing structure, was an additional 55465 square feet (5,152.9 m²) ballroom, a 289000 square feet (26,849 m²) exhibit hall, and the Delta Atrium. The 150 feet (45.7 m) tall, 4.5 acres (1.8 ha) atrium was given a Cajun
Cajun
Cajuns are an ethnic group mainly living in the U.S. state of Louisiana, consisting of the descendants of Acadian exiles...
theme, borrowing many elements from New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
. Also under the large glass roof is the Delta River, a 0.25 mile (0.402335 km) artificial waterway. For a $9 fee, guests may ride in a "Delta Flatboat" through a guided tour of the atrium. When it was christened, water samples from more than 1,700 rivers throughout the world
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
, including every registered river in the United States, were poured into the Delta River.
Opryland USA
Opryland USA was an amusement park located in suburban Nashville, Tennessee. It operated seasonally from 1972 until 1997...
theme park ceased operations and was demolished. Simultaneously, Gaylord Entertainment announced a joint venture
Joint venture
A joint venture is a business agreement in which parties agree to develop, for a finite time, a new entity and new assets by contributing equity. They exercise control over the enterprise and consequently share revenues, expenses and assets...
with the Mills Corporation
Mills Corporation
The Mills Corporation was a publicly traded real estate investment trust headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, United States, acquired on April 3, 2007 by an investment group composed of Simon Property Group and Farallon Capital Management. The company developed, owned, and operated major...
for construction of the 12000000 square feet (1,114,836.5 m²) Opry Mills
Opry Mills
Opry Mills is a super-regional shopping mall owned by Simon Property Group, formerly by its initial owners Mills Corporation and Gaylord Entertainment...
shopping mall
Shopping mall
A shopping mall, shopping centre, shopping arcade, shopping precinct or simply mall is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version...
on the site. The park closure hurt occupancy rates at Opryland Hotel for the next five years. Gaylord Entertainment later divested its share of the mall and now leases the property and the "Opry" name to Simon Properties, the successor to Mills Corporation.
After the theme park closed, Gaylord considered taking the "Opryland" name off the hotel, since "Opryland" (a name which was considered to be most synonymous with the theme park) no longer existed. Extensive market research
Market research
Market research is any organized effort to gather information about markets or customers. It is a very important component of business strategy...
showed that the hotel would have to rebuild its reputation
Reputation
Reputation of a social entity is an opinion about that entity, typically a result of social evaluation on a set of criteria...
without the "Opryland" name, so it was kept.
In the late 1990s, Gaylord Entertainment acquired the Ramada
Ramada
Ramada is a hotel chain owned and operated by Wyndham Worldwide.- History :The lodging chain was founded in 1953 by longtime Chicago restaurateur Marion W...
Inn on McGavock Pike, just across the street from Opryland Hotel. It was given a major renovation and dropped its Ramada affiliation to be known simply as "The Inn at Opryland". It is now affiliated with Radisson Hotels
Radisson Hotels
Radisson Hotels is one of the leading, full-service global hotel companies with more than 420 locations in 73 countries. The first Radisson Hotel was built in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1909, and was named after the 17th-century French explorer Pierre-Esprit Radisson...
. This motel
Motel
A motor hotel, or motel for short, is a hotel designed for motorists, and usually has a parking area for motor vehicles...
is marketed toward guests wishing to receive Opryland Hotel quality and amenities at economy prices.
In 1999, the new Gaylord subsidiary "Opryland Lodging Group", which was formed in 1997 to plan expansions, was renamed "Opryland Hotels" as it began to see its plans for sister properties in Kissimmee, Florida
Kissimmee, Florida
Kissimmee is a city in Osceola County, Florida, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 59,682. It is the county seat of Osceola County...
and Grapevine, Texas
Grapevine, Texas
Grapevine is a city in northeast Tarrant County, Texas, United States located within the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census the city population was 46,334. The city's moniker is derived from the native grapes prevalent in the area. In recent years several wineries have...
come to fruition. Another hotel was later announced for Prince George's County, Maryland
Prince George's County, Maryland
Prince George's County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland, immediately north, east, and south of Washington, DC. As of 2010, it has a population of 863,420 and is the wealthiest African-American majority county in the nation....
. As a result of these new plans, the hotel was renamed Opryland Hotel Nashville and given designation as the company's flagship
Flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...
property. The other hotels in the chain were to be named "Opryland Hotel Florida", "Opryland Hotel Texas" and "Opryland Hotel Potomac", respectively.
Gaylord Hotels
Gaylord Hotels is the hospitality arm of Gaylord Entertainment Company. It oversees four large hotels and convention centers which the company refers to as "resorts":*Gaylord Opryland in Nashville, Tennessee*Gaylord Palms in Kissimmee, Florida...
", and the Florida property was given the name "Gaylord Palms." The Texas hotel was initially going to be called "Gaylord Opryland Texas", but was later changed to "Gaylord Texan", after more market research concluded it needed an identity of its own. The yet-to-be-opened Maryland property was renamed "Gaylord National
Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center
The Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center is a large hotel and convention center located in National Harbor, Maryland and owned by Gaylord Hotels, a division of Gaylord Entertainment Company...
." Company officials at the time stated that the "Opryland" branding was strong to Nashville (and Texas, initially), but didn't fit with projects in other parts of the United States. Despite the rebranding effort, most locals (including the broadcast media) still refer to Gaylord Opryland as "Opryland Hotel."
In lieu of another expansion and as a result of the rebranding, the hotel underwent a $5 million renovation in 2003. With it came a refurbishment and rebranding of several of the hotel's restaurants and pubs, new retail establishments, and building improvements. Plans were also announced to renovate and refurnish all of the hotel's 2,881 guest rooms over the next few years.
According to a 2003 press release, Gaylord Opryland planned to build a 5,000-seat amphitheatre
Amphitheatre
An amphitheatre is an open-air venue used for entertainment and performances.There are two similar, but distinct, types of structure for which the word "amphitheatre" is used: Ancient Roman amphitheatres were large central performance spaces surrounded by ascending seating, and were commonly used...
on the site in the near future, but those plans seem to have been abandoned in favor of a convention center expansion.
May 2010 Flood
On May 3, 2010 the entire Opryland Hotel complex and its surrounding campus—including Music Valley Drive and parts of Briley Parkway—was under 5-10 feet of floodwaters generated from the swollen Cumberland RiverCumberland River
The Cumberland River is a waterway in the Southern United States. It is long. It starts in Harlan County in far southeastern Kentucky between Pine and Cumberland mountains, flows through southern Kentucky, crosses into northern Tennessee, and then curves back up into western Kentucky before...
, which jumped its banks after two days of torrential rainfall. Pictures from the inside of the hotel showed the Cascades restaurant area swamped with water and debris, as were the adjacent tropical gardens. Aerial shots confirm the entire complex, as well as the nearby Opry Mills Mall, was completely inundated by water. Gaylord's other riverfront properties—Springhouse Golf Course, and The Wildhorse Saloon—are also directly affected by the flooding Cumberland River. The golf course was completely underwater, and Wildhorse Saloon was partially flooded along First Avenue in downtown Nashville. (WKRN, WSMV, WTVF)
The Gaylord Opryland Hotel reopened its doors on November 15, 2010.
Future expansion
On February 12, 2007, Gaylord Hotels announced plans to expand Gaylord Opryland once again, this time focusing on the Convention Center. The $400 million expansion would have nearly doubled the size of the existing Convention Center and added a 400-room, stand-alone, all-suite hotel. A large parking garage would also have been added to the site. The expansion will be built on the south side of the existing structure, pushing the building more toward Opry MillsOpry Mills
Opry Mills is a super-regional shopping mall owned by Simon Property Group, formerly by its initial owners Mills Corporation and Gaylord Entertainment...
.
The plans hinged on $80 million in public financing through the Metro government that would be repaid through the property taxes generated by the expansion. The first step in this process would be getting the Tennessee General Assembly
Tennessee General Assembly
The Tennessee General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Tennessee.-Constitutional structure:According to the Tennessee State Constitution of 1870, the General Assembly is a bicameral legislature and consists of a Senate of thirty-three members and a House of Representatives of...
to designate the site a "special tourism development zone".
This expansion would have also made Gaylord Opryland the largest convention hotel outside of Las Vegas. It was expected to be completed by 2010, but following the economic slowdown of 2008-2009 and the May 2010 flood, the plans are on indefinite hold.
Hotel areas
Unlike its sister properties, Gaylord Opryland has no universal structure layout as a result of its continued expansion. Because of this, the property can be very confusing to navigate, even for frequent visitors. Employees are even said to get lost in the hotel from time to time.- Magnolia - The original lobby and retail area of the hotel. Currently features "The District" and Grand Staircase, modeled after the TaraTara PlantationTara, the fictional plantation found in Margaret Mitchell's 1936 novel Gone with the Wind, was located near Jonesborough , Georgia...
from Gone With the WindGone with the Wind (film)Gone with the Wind is a 1939 American historical epic film adapted from Margaret Mitchell's Pulitzer-winning 1936 novel of the same name. It was produced by David O. Selznick and directed by Victor Fleming from a screenplay by Sidney Howard...
. - Garden Conservatory - The first atrium constructed, considered by many to be the heart of the hotel. Several weddings take place in the Garden Conservatory's romantic setting each year, near the Lionhead Fountain and Crystal Gazebo.
- Cascades - The second atrium constructed. Features the rotating Cascades Terrace Lounge as well as Wasabe (a Japanese sushi restaurant) and the hotel's largest waterfalls. Connects to the main lobby, which is where the main, and only, registration desk, is located.
- Delta - The third and largest atrium constructed. Currently the center of activity at Gaylord Opryland. Home to the Delta River, several retail stores, a few eateries, and Gaylord Opryland's finest restaurant, the Old Hickory Steakhouse. This area of the hotel also features a connection to Opry Mills Shopping Mall. The Delta project was the main inspiration for the company's expansion into other markets.
- Convention Center - The largest convention area in TennesseeTennesseeTennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
with three main exhibit areas and five ballrooms.
Restaurants, Bars and other eateries
There are many varieties of places to eat and entertain throughout the property:| Name | Location | Type | Reservations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Old Hickory Steakhouse | Delta Atrium | Fine Dining | Recommended | |
| Ravello | Conservatory Atrium | Italian | Recommended | |
| Solario | Garden Conservatory Atrium | Mexican Cuisine | ||
| Cascades American Café | Cascades Atrium | Regional Americana | Recommended | Breakfast Lunch Dinner |
| Findley's Irish Pub | Magnolia Section | European Pub fare | ||
| Jack Daniel's | Magnolia Section | Southern BBQ | ||
| Opry Backstage Grill | Radisson Hotel At Opryland | BBQ & Burgers | Offsite, but Shuttle available | |
| Paisano's Pizzaria & Vino | Delta Island | Pizza | ||
| Stax | Delta Island | Burgers | ||
| Conservatory Café | Garden Conservatory | Pasteries, Croissants, Muffins & Coffees | ||
| Cocoa Bean | Cascades Lobby | Coffee, pastries & Sandwiches to-go | WiFi | |
| Gaylord Springs Honors Grill | Gaylord Springs Golf Links | Grill | ||
| Relâche Pool Bar & Grill | Relâche Outdoor Pools | Salads, burgers, Wraps | Example | |
| Haägen-Dazs Häagen-Dazs Häagen-Dazs is a brand of ice cream, established by Jewish-Polish immigrants Reuben and Rose Mattus in the Bronx, New York, in 1961. Starting with only three flavors: vanilla, chocolate, and coffee, the company opened its first retail store in Brooklyn, New York, on November 15, 1976... |
Delta Island | Ice Cream | ||
| Christie Cookies | Garden Conservatory | Pastries, Cappuccinos, Gelato | ||
| In-Room Dining | In-Room | |||
| The Falls | Cascades Atrium | Bar, Lounge, Desserts & coffee | WiFi | |
| The Conservatory Bar | Garden Conservatory | Wine & Cocktails | ||
| Library Lounge | Delta Atrium | Upscale Bar | ||
| Fuse Sports Club | Magnolia Section | Bar, Wings, nachos | 100 HD TVs |
Convention Center
The Convention Center at Gaylord Opryland is in direct competition with the Metro government-owned Nashville Convention Center. Gaylord Opryland is built to handle large conventions, while the NCC is suited more for smaller gatherings. Nashville is currently building the larger Music City Center, claiming they were unable to attract major conventions due to the NCC's relatively small size. In contrast, Gaylord Opryland has expanded its convention center twice since NCC opened in downtown Nashville in 1987 and regularly attracts major conventions to the city.Gaylord Opryland currently features three exhibit halls and five ballrooms. Coupled with its massive hotel, Gaylord Opryland Convention Center can easily accommodate upwards of 10-12 separate gatherings at one time. On most weekends, guests will find at least two conventions taking place.
The convention center is divided into five areas: the Magnolia
Magnolia
Magnolia is a large genus of about 210 flowering plant species in the subfamily Magnolioideae of the family Magnoliaceae. It is named after French botanist Pierre Magnol....
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, Presidents, Governors, and Delta sections; each of which specializes in terms of rooms' size, and purposes. There are currently three levels in the convention center to accommodate the variation in height among the different ballrooms and exhibit halls.
The hotel currently boasts 109465 square feet (10,169.6 m²) of ballroom space and 319000 square feet (29,636.1 m²) of exhibit space. A planned expansion (see above) will nearly double its size.
Local purposes
While Gaylord Opryland caters largely to the out-of-town convention market, it serves a large purpose for the local community as well. Many local high schools use the ballroom space for their yearly promProm
In the United States and Canada, a prom, short for promenade, is a formal dance, or gathering of high school students. It is typically held near the end of the senior year. It figures greatly in popular culture and is a major event among high school students...
s. It is also known for being one of Nashville's hottest "first-date" spots because of its central location, restaurants, walkways, and scenery. Many local companies also take advantage of the Convention Center's abundant meeting space. Unlike most other non-casino hotels, a sizable portion of Gaylord Opryland's visitors are not actually guests of the hotel. The scenery of the various atria along with the various shops and dining options attract many walk-in visitors to the hotel every day.
Outside vendor Town Parke currently charges $18 to park automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
s at the hotel , but locals have found a way around this charge by parking at nearby Opry Mills
Opry Mills
Opry Mills is a super-regional shopping mall owned by Simon Property Group, formerly by its initial owners Mills Corporation and Gaylord Entertainment...
free of charge and walking the short path to Gaylord Opryland. This is not recommended for overnight stays, both for lack of security and the risk of being towed. Valet parking
Valet parking
Valet parking is a parking service offered by some restaurants, stores, and other businesses, particularly in North America. In contrast to "self-parking", where customers find a parking space on their own, customers' vehicles are parked for them by a person called a valet...
service is also available to hotel guests for $25 a night.
A Country Christmas
During the months of November, December, and through mid-January of each year, Gaylord Opryland attracts thousands of visitors to see the large display of ChristmasChristmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
decorations, dubbed A Country Christmas. Millions of decorative lights are placed in the trees at the resort, and all three atria contain various decorations, including animatronics
Animatronics
Animatronics is the use of mechatronics to create machines which seem animate rather than robotic. Animatronic creations include animals , plants and even mythical creatures...
. The hotel begins installing lights in July of each year. In addition, several special holiday-themed shows and attractions take place, including ICE!, a display of ice sculptures, and the Radio City Rockettes Christmas Spectacular. During the Christmas seasons of 2007 and 2008, ICE! has had a theme of Dr. Seuss's How the Grinch Stole Christmas, The season of 2009 had a theme of A Charlie Brown Christmas
A Charlie Brown Christmas
A Charlie Brown Christmas is the first prime-time animated TV special based upon the comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. It was produced and directed by former Warner Bros. and UPA animator Bill Melendez, who also supplied the voice for the character of Snoopy...
, and 2010 had a theme of Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town
Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town (TV special)
Santa Claus is Comin' to Town is a 1970 stop motion television special, made by Rankin-Bass with models carved from wood . The film stars actor Fred Astaire as S.D. Kluger, the narrator, and Mickey Rooney as Kris Kringle/Santa Claus...
. 2010 marked the 27th anniversary of Gaylord Opryland's A Country Christmas.
Features
- Home to the studios of 650 WSMWSM (AM)WSM is the callsign of a 50,000 watt AM radio station located in Nashville, Tennessee. Operating at 650 kHz, its clear channel signal can reach much of North America and various countries, especially late at night...
, the company-owned 50 kW clear channel country musicCountry musicCountry music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
radio station. - Light and dancing water shows can be found in the Delta and Cascades atria.
- 238 pieces of art from 207 artists, all from TennesseeTennesseeTennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. "river", home to several fishFishFish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
species - Adjacent to Grand Ole OpryGrand Ole OpryThe Grand Ole Opry is a weekly country music stage concert in Nashville, Tennessee, that has presented the biggest stars of that genre since 1925. It is also among the longest-running broadcasts in history since its beginnings as a one-hour radio "barn dance" on WSM-AM...
and Opry MillsOpry MillsOpry Mills is a super-regional shopping mall owned by Simon Property Group, formerly by its initial owners Mills Corporation and Gaylord Entertainment... - Adjacent to Cumberland RiverCumberland RiverThe Cumberland River is a waterway in the Southern United States. It is long. It starts in Harlan County in far southeastern Kentucky between Pine and Cumberland mountains, flows through southern Kentucky, crosses into northern Tennessee, and then curves back up into western Kentucky before...
, though it is not visible from within the hotel. - Summerfest, a little block party, featuring real dancers and performers, happens every Summer in the Delta atrium, near the Haggen-Dazs & Opry Shop. In 2011, it moved to the Magnolia Pool.
Specifications
- 2,881 guest rooms, including:
- 200+ suites
- 750+ atrium-facing rooms with private balconies, patios, or large bay windows which overhang into the atrium
- 109,465 square feet (10,170 m²) of ballroom space
- 319,000 square feet (30,000 m²) of exhibit space
- 6 full-service restaurants which include Ristorante Volare, The Old Hickory Steakhouse, Cascades American Cafe, Solario, Ravello, and Findley's Irish Pub.
- 3 lounges which The Falls, The Jack Daniel'sJack Daniel'sJack Daniel's is a brand of sour mash Tennessee whiskey that is among the world's best-selling liquors. It is known for its square bottles and black label. As of November, 2007, one blogger was claiming that it was the best-selling whiskey in the world. It is produced in Lynchburg, Tennessee by...
Saloon, and The Library at Old Hickory - 8 eateries which include STAX Hamburgers, Paisano's Pizza, Häagen-DazsHäagen-DazsHäagen-Dazs is a brand of ice cream, established by Jewish-Polish immigrants Reuben and Rose Mattus in the Bronx, New York, in 1961. Starting with only three flavors: vanilla, chocolate, and coffee, the company opened its first retail store in Brooklyn, New York, on November 15, 1976...
, Christie Cookies, Conservatory Café, WasabiWasabi, also known as Japanese horseradish, is a member of the Brassicaceae family, which includes cabbages, horseradish, and mustard. Its root is used as a condiment and has an extremely strong flavor. Its hotness is more akin to that of a hot mustard rather than the capsaicin in a chili pepper,...
's SushiSushiis a Japanese food consisting of cooked vinegared rice combined with other ingredients . Neta and forms of sushi presentation vary, but the ingredient which all sushi have in common is shari...
, The Coffee Bean, and Godiva Chocolatier. - 14 retail stores including Amelia's, Savannah's and Miss Scarlet's, the three of which are women's fashions stores, Alexzander Kalifano's, a jewelry shop, the Magnolia, and Delta Necessities Stores, Signature, Cowboys and Angels, Delta Gifts and Decor, Bushels and Baskets, The Opry Shop, Bookmark, Sunny G Children's Boutique,
and coming in April 2010 Johnston & Murphy.
- Fuse Nashville Nightclub which specializes in an assortment of gourmet food and cocktails, including the signature "Cotton Candy Martini".
- Relâche Spa and Salon which offers a variety of massages and upscale services featuring a full-service salonBeauty salonA beauty salon or beauty parlor is an establishment dealing with cosmetic treatments for men and women...
, saunaSaunaA sauna is a small room or house designed as a place to experience dry or wet heat sessions, or an establishment with one or more of these and auxiliary facilities....
, shopping boutique, as well as a fitness center which is open 24 hours. Relâche also houses the hotel's indoor pool and one of the outdoor pools. - The Arcade which features many games and prizes.
Sister properties
- Gaylord Palms - Kissimmee, FloridaKissimmee, FloridaKissimmee is a city in Osceola County, Florida, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 59,682. It is the county seat of Osceola County...
- Gaylord Texan - Grapevine, TexasGrapevine, TexasGrapevine is a city in northeast Tarrant County, Texas, United States located within the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census the city population was 46,334. The city's moniker is derived from the native grapes prevalent in the area. In recent years several wineries have...
- Gaylord NationalGaylord National Resort & Convention CenterThe Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center is a large hotel and convention center located in National Harbor, Maryland and owned by Gaylord Hotels, a division of Gaylord Entertainment Company...
- Prince George's County, MarylandPrince George's County, MarylandPrince George's County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland, immediately north, east, and south of Washington, DC. As of 2010, it has a population of 863,420 and is the wealthiest African-American majority county in the nation....
Related Gaylord-owned properties in Nashville
- Grand Ole OpryGrand Ole OpryThe Grand Ole Opry is a weekly country music stage concert in Nashville, Tennessee, that has presented the biggest stars of that genre since 1925. It is also among the longest-running broadcasts in history since its beginnings as a one-hour radio "barn dance" on WSM-AM...
- General Jackson ShowboatGeneral Jackson (riverboat)The General Jackson is a riverboat—more specifically, a showboat—based on the Cumberland River in Nashville, Tennessee.The Jackson was named after another riverboat of the same name that was built in 1817; that boat was in turn named for Andrew Jackson. The modern boat was originally an attraction...
- Ryman AuditoriumRyman AuditoriumThe Ryman Auditorium is a 2,362-seat live performance venue, located at 115 5th Avenue North, in Nashville, Tennessee and is best known as the historic home of the Grand Ole Opry....
- Wildhorse SaloonWildhorse SaloonThe Wildhorse Saloon is a country/western-themed restaurant, live music venue, and dance club located in downtown Nashville, Tennessee. It is owned by Gaylord Entertainment Company. Originally opened on June 1, 1994 in a converted warehouse, the Wildhorse initially capitalized on the line dancing...
- 650 WSMWSM (AM)WSM is the callsign of a 50,000 watt AM radio station located in Nashville, Tennessee. Operating at 650 kHz, its clear channel signal can reach much of North America and various countries, especially late at night...
- Gaylord Springs Golf Links
- Opryland USA theme parkOpryland USAOpryland USA was an amusement park located in suburban Nashville, Tennessee. It operated seasonally from 1972 until 1997...
(defunct)