Gaylord Entertainment Co. today reopened the 2,881-room Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center, the largest hotel in the United States outside of Las Vegas. The property has been closed since experiencing damage following the historic flooding in Nashville, Tenn., on May 2 and May 3, 2010. The timing of the reopening, as well as the costs associated with the restoration of the property, are both within the original projections the Company communicated in early June.
“This is not only a tremendous moment for Gaylord, but for the whole city of Nashville,” said Colin V. Reed, chairman and chief executive officer of Gaylord Entertainment. “Although the road to this point has been a challenging one for our company, I am incredibly proud of the passion and spirit with which our entire team responded. I especially want to thank our STARS, our contractors, Nashville Mayor Karl Dean and the rest of the officials here in Nashville, the state of Tennessee, our customers, and our management team. This would not have been possible without all of you.”
The reopening of Gaylord Opryland follows the restoration and successful return of Gaylord’s additional Nashville assets which were damaged by the flooding. The Grand Ole Opry reopened its permanent home—the world-famous Opry House—at the end of September with a triumphant celebratory concert. The General Jackson Showboat and Wildhorse Saloon have also resumed normal operation, along with the Gaylord Springs Golf Links.
Although the damage to the hotel was extensive with approximately 70 percent of the common areas and 100 percent of the subterranean areas under water, the property is returning with a number of improvements and redesigns to enhance the guest experience. These include the addition of three new restaurants and a wine bar, the redesign for improved comfort and luxury of hundreds of hotel rooms that were untouched by the flood, an upgrade of both the technology and the layout of the lobby area for a better entry experience, and improved meeting rooms and equipment, among other modifications. The company also invested in superior energy efficiency and sustainability in its power generation and HVAC systems, as well as its laundry facilities.
“A silver lining of this process has been the opportunity to give Gaylord Opryland a significant overhaul, allowing us to take what was already a world-class property and bring it back as an even greater experience for our guests,” continued Reed. “Meeting planners who have been given a preview of the modifications have already expressed their enthusiasm. We have every confidence that the hotel will seamlessly return to business as usual and be a strong contributor to our brand—a belief supported by the fact that we already have 50 points of occupancy booked at the property for 2011.”
Gaylord will be hosting a three-day Grand Reopening event at the property later in the week, from November 18-20. The Company has invited 1,000 of the industry's leading meeting planners and other travel industry leaders to Nashville for the event, which is designed to showcase the entire city as a travel destination. The celebration will kick off with the traditional holiday lighting ceremony to begin Gaylord Opryland’s annual A Country Christmas festivities, and events throughout the weekend will include the introduction of this year’s ICE! exhibition, celebrity chef sessions, and performances from Nashville recording artists Trace Adkins, Craig Morgan, Keith Urban, and Sheryl Crow.
"This is an opportunity to generate a greater sense of excitement about what we have to offer as a city and to drive tourism back to Nashville for years to come. We look forward to welcoming back our guests and showcasing the tremendous improvements at Gaylord Opryland,” concluded Reed.