Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center - Future Expansion

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 Mills.

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, the decision by the Metropolitan Nashville government to build its own large-scale convention center a few miles away, and the May 2010 flood, the plans are on indefinite hold.

On January 19, 2012 Gaylord Entertainment announced a new partnership with Dolly Parton's The Dollywood Company to build a new water and seasonal snow park on acreage the company owns across Briley Parkway from Gaylord Opryland. The $50 Million Phase 1 of the overall project was expected to open in Spring of 2014. On September 28th, 2012, Dolly decided to withdraw her partnership in the new Nashville theme park.