Iconic Gaylord Opryland Resort Reopens After May Flood
Newly Renovated Resort is Back and Better than Ever with Major Enhancements for Guests
Nashville, Tenn—( November 15, 2010 )Nashville’s iconic Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center officially reopened to guests today—195 days after unprecedented flooding the first weekend of May forced the hotel to shut down.
“We are ready for the world to see that Gaylord Opryland is back and more beautiful than ever,” said Pete Weien, senior vice president and general manager of Gaylord Opryland. “Although parts of our famous atriums were under up to 10 feet of water, we pulled together with passion, perseverance and pride to not only restore the hotel to its original splendor but to make it even more incredible for our guests.”
Nearly 3,600 STARS (hotel employees) stand ready to welcome the hotel’s first guests today, many of whom will be participating in a three-day reopening celebration that kicks off with Gaylord Opryland’s annual Lighting Ceremony for “A Country Christmas” on Nov. 18 at 6 p.m.
“This is a week full of major celebrations,” said Weien. “Of course, the much-anticipated re-opening day of our resort is today. Then, the popular Christmas Lighting Ceremony is Thursday, followed by a Community Benefit Concert with Trace Adkins and Craig Morgan inside the hotel. And our private re-opening celebration ceremony is Friday night, the 19th, which is also the official start of our world-famous ‘A Country Christmas’ season. And we are eager and ready for all of it!”
More than 1,000 meeting planners, political leaders, media members, various travel industry representatives and their guests will participate in an impressive lineup of exclusive reopening celebration events, which range from performances with recording artists Keith Urban and Sheryl Crow to Christmas entertainment events, educational sessions with special guests, even an interactive lunch experience with the popular TV host and celebrity chef Guy Fieri.
Gaylord Opryland’s reconstruction and renovations include numerous enhancements throughout the property. Among the changes is an impressive redesign of the Cascades lobby aimed at creating a more streamlined arrival and check-in experience.
The entire Magnolia wing of the hotel, which did not sustain damage, received a refresh that infuses modern sophistication and glamour with its traditional roots. Its 600 guestrooms, five presidential suites and lobby feature new furniture and contemporary finishes. Ornamental magnolia-patterned carpet was added throughout the Magnolia wing as an additional way-finding tool for guests.
The 115 lower-level Delta guestrooms that were affected by the flood were torn down to the studs and completely refurbished and are ready for guests today.
Guests will also find all-new restaurants and bars in both the Cascades and Garden Conservatory areas of the hotel. The Falls Bar replaces the rotating Cascades Bar and provides an elegant space to enjoy hand-crafted cocktails and take in stunning views of the twin waterfalls in the Cascades Atrium. The Cocoa Bean, located off the Cascades Lobby provides a respite for coffee drinkers in a contemporary setting.
Gaylord Opryland’s Garden Conservatory is now home to three new dining venues featuring fresh, contemporary menus: Solario for authentic Mexican fare; Ravello for Southern Italian cuisine with a seasonal flair and The Conservatory Bar, which serves both new restaurants and features an Enomatic® wine system that allows convenient by-the-glass tasting options for upscale wines from around the world.
The extensive restoration also included rebuilding power facilities, technology systems and laundry areas with an eye on energy conservation and green technologies.
About Gaylord Opryland
Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville, Tenn., is the largest non-gaming in-hotel facility in the continental United States and is the flagship property of the Gaylord Hotels brand owned by Gaylord Entertainment (NYSE: GET), a leading hospitality and entertainment company also based in Nashville. With 2,881 rooms and more than 6,000 square feet of meeting, convention and exhibit space, the resort is known for providing superior products and services to the meetings and convention industry as well as unsurpassed entertainment, vacation packages and dining for leisure travelers. The property is best known for its massive and lavish gardens and waterfalls, which are situated under nine acres of sparking glass roofs. For more information, visit www.gaylordopryland.com.
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Media Contacts
Jenny Barker
Director of Public Relations Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center
jbarker@gaylordhotels.com
(615) 415-3204
Amy Atkinson
VP of Leisure Marketing & PR Gaylord Hotels
aatkinson@gaylordhotels.com
