Arthur Keith, Senior Vice President
Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center

"Think Big, Act Small, Fail Fast.....and Learn"

Getting people to dream and think big. When someone asks Arthur Keith, what his job is, that is how he responds. And he has a lot of people dreaming with more than 4,000 STARS (employees) to coach. Named American Hotel & Lodging Association's General Manager of the Year in 2006, Arthur has launched the landmark resort to new levels of excellence since joining Gaylord Opryland in 2004. Every year that he has been managing the property, the hotel has been ranked as one of the world's best facilities by being named a Meetings & Conventions Magazine Gold Key Elite and Gold Platter Elite award winner. This prestigious award is given to only the top five meeting and convention resorts in the world by the readers of this industry publication, who are meeting professionals that demand excellence and found it at Gaylord Opryland under Arthur's leadership. The resort has been honored with more than 70 distinguished awards under Arthur's management.
Under the mentoring of Arthur Keith, the STARS (employees) at Gaylord Opryland have restored occupancy to its highest level in years. With more group room nights booked at Gaylord Opryland than at any other hotel, the resort's occupancy rate is setting standards for the brand and for the future. Guest satisfaction scores have also risen each year since Arthur took the helm.

One of Arthur's key goals is increasing STAR retention, by increasing STAR satisfaction is beginning to flourish in all areas and that is the accomplishment of which he is most proud. His philosophy of “Think Big, Act Small, Fail Fast and Teach” is one that has gained him the respect of the STARS on all levels.

Arthur is now leading Gaylord Opryland's team of STARS through a period of evolution as the resort undergoes a renaissance. A more modern, stylized Gaylord Opryland is emerging, with renovated guest rooms, a sleek new nightclub, a wine bar, and new restaurants designed to bring more bring more fun and adventure to the Gaylord Opryland experience. Unique yearround, live entertainment will contribute to the WOW-moments that intrigue guests along with the “high-touch” services that Arthur demands be flawless. A battery of new, high-tech meeting rooms is already complete, and Arthur Keith will direct a proposed expansion that will double the size of the of the existing 600,000 square-foot convention center. Arthur describes the new Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center as a complete package that will truly be second to none. The landmark resort is currently the largest non-gaming facility in the continental United States, with 2,881 guest rooms and 600,000 square feet of meeting, convention and exhibit space. It is also the 17th largest hotel in the world. Arthur is also responsible for the operations of Gaylord Opryland's attractions which include the 300-room Radisson Hotel Opryland, General Jackson Showboat, Gaylord Springs Golf Links and Wildhorse Saloon, which is thriving in downtown Nashville.

Arthur joined Gaylord Entertainment from Harrah's Entertainment, where he was vice president of hotel operations, for the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. Before Harrah's, Arthur held a similar position at The Venetian Resort Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. He also served as assistant general hotel manager at Station Casino Hotel & Casino in Kansas City, Missouri, and was part of the team that designed and constructed the $300 million Station Casino complex. Arthur's other positions included the Stouffer Renaissance Hotel Company, where he began his career as a management trainee and rose to become assistant general manager of the Stouffer Harborplace Hotel in Baltimore, Md., one of Stouffer's largest hotels.

He is a graduate of Cornell University's renowned School of Hotel Administration, where he served on the Cornell Student Management Corporation Board and played on the Cornell University football team. He has been a guest speaker in the Dean's Distinguished Guest Lecture Series, as well as a participant in Cornell's Masters Program. Currently, Arthur serves on the board of directors for the Greater Nashville Hotel & Lodging Association, The Tennessee Hotel Lodging Association, The Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau, American Bus Association, the Girl Scouts, Cumberland Valley Region, the Boy Scouts of Middle Tennessee, The National Coalition of Black Meeting Planners, The Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, Youth About Business and Nashville State Community College. Arthur is also a member of the advisory board for Retail, Hospitality, and Tourism Management - The University of Tennessee, as well as the advisory council of Associated Luxury Hotels. He is a member of the executive committee for the Tennessee Hotel & Lodging Association, and is on the diversity committee of the American Society of Association Executives. He is also a member of 100 Black Men of Middle Tennessee.

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