Gaylord Opryland® is Clearing the Air
Resort's new non-smoking environment is welcomed by clients.
Nashville, Tenn.—( January 8, 2007 ) Gaylord Opryland® Resort and Convention Center announced that it will be a 100 percent non-smoking facility starting February 12, 2007. The new policy is clearing the air by prohibiting smoking in all of its 2881 guest rooms, restaurants, lounges, meeting rooms and public spaces. The hotel touts the move to kick the habit as being driven by health concerns and consumer preferences.“This was a gradual process that stared with the reduction in the number of smoking rooms that we offered,” said Arthur Keith, senior vice president and general manager, Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center. “No ifs, ands or ‘butts’ about it, our guests have become more selective when choosing a hotel and hotel room. It is clear to us that a non-smoking environment is important to the majority of our guests whether they are here on leisure travel or attending a conference.”
As part of its effort to clear the air, Gaylord Hotels gathered its 10,577 vintage ashtrays, some of which will be auctioned on the Internet along with a package to stay at a Gaylord hotel of the winner’s choice either in Nashville, Kissimmee, Florida, or Grapevine, Texas. The proceeds from the vintage ashtray sale will be donated to the American Lung Association.
Gaylord Opryland in Nashville has 2,881 guest rooms, including 165 suites and 741 atrium garden rooms with private balconies overlooking nine acres of lush gardens enclosed by three majestic, climate-controlled atriums. With 600-thousand square feet of meeting space, the move to clear the air is especially important to most meeting professionals.
“As a meeting professional, this is an important feature to be able to offer to my clients,” said Kerry L. Price, CMP, senior director strategic networking events, Amerinet. “More and more companies demand this healthier, cleaner environment for their employees and as a setting for important conferences where they will be investing a lot of time and money.”
Keith explains that the cost of converting to a non-smoking facility is minimal and will be recovered through reduced maintenance expenses. “Because the demand for smoking rooms had so dramatically declined, we had fewer than 90 of them. Those rooms have been put through a purifying process involving a deep cleaning. Hard surfaces, walls and carpets have been treated to eliminate allergens, air filters have been replaced and air conditioning units have been cleaned. Soft surfaces such as bedspreads have been changed. We are fully prepared for this transition.”
ABOUT GAYLORD OPRYLAND NASHVILLE
Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center – the largest non-gaming in-hotel facility in the continental United States – is known for providing superior products and services to the meetings and convention industry. Winner of numerous prestigious awards including the coveted Gold Key Elite Award in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006 and Gold Platter Elite in 2004, 2005 and 2006, Gaylord Opryland Nashville is the flagship property of the Gaylord Hotels brand owned by Gaylord Entertainment (NYSE: GET), a leading hospitality and entertainment company based in Nashville, Tenn. For more information, visit www.gaylordentertainment.com or www.gaylordopryland.com.
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Media Contacts:
Ann Dee McClane amcclane@gaylordhotels.com 615.458.2896
Kim Keelor kkeelor@gaylordhotels.com 615.458-2877