Opryland theme park

[Violindude]

I grew up in Nashville area and I remember going to Opryland even though it's almost been closed now for ten years. What I think Nashville needs right now is a theme park, people came from all over to visit Opryland but now there's a mall where that wonderful park use to stand. I've lived in Orlando for the past five years and I think Opryland was much better then Disney and is comparable to Universal or Busch Gardens in Tampa. Nashville is one of the best cities to live in but right now I wouldn't say Nashville is a vacation destination and I think that a theme park would really help.

[cheeriokid61]

I agree with you that a theme park will help Nashville become more of a tourist destination, but I think we can easily become one without having a theme park, which is good, because it doesn't look like we'll be getting one anytime soon.

[Jeeper12]

I grew up in Nashville area and I remember going to Opryland even though it's almost been closed now for ten years. What I think Nashville needs right now is a theme park, people came from all over to visit Opryland but now there's a mall where that wonderful park use to stand. I've lived in Orlando for the past five years and I think Opryland was much better then Disney and is comparable to Universal or Busch Gardens in Tampa. Nashville is one of the best cities to live in but right now I wouldn't say Nashville is a vacation destination and I think that a theme park would really help.

Couldn't disagree more. Let's leave the theme parks in Pigeon Forge and Dollywood and focus on more high quality sustainable development that will be attractive to tourists AND residents alike.

Gaylord closed the theme park because despite significant annual escalations in cap expenditures (to keep the park current/competitive) they were getting fewer and fewer visitors each year. It was in a tailspin and short of spending a hundred million bucks or more to try and compete with the mega parks they were doomed to an ever diminishing return on their invested capital; not a good story for shareholders. And they were wise enough not to think they should bet many millions that they could compete with Disney, Six Flags, BG, etc.

[nashscan]

Gaylord closed the theme park because despite significant annual escalations in cap expenditures (to keep the park current/competitive) they were getting fewer and fewer visitors each year. It was in a tailspin and short of spending a hundred million bucks or more to try and compete with the mega parks they were doomed to an ever diminishing return on their invested capital; not a good story for shareholders. And they were wise enough not to think they should bet many millions that they could compete with Disney, Six Flags, BG, etc.

I'm not so sure about that.

[cheeriokid61]

Yeah, I think Opryland could easily compete, just as Dollywood is.

[nashscan]

I'm not so sure about that.

There was nothing wise about what they did when the handful of greedy execs decided to close the park. Compete with Disney?? Strawman argument.

[nashvillwill]

The untold story that I have heard (albiet hearsay) about Opryland is more about tax breaks than revenue. This is coming from someone who knows little about the economics of such, yet loves the details. From what I understand, the reason that Opryland closed is the same thing we will see with the Titans. When an entity is considered a "tourist attraction" (or when people will only come to the area for a specific attraction/event) they can recieve a substantial tax break for up-to 30 years. Hence, the year Opryland closed was it's 30 year anniversary, which is what I predict for the Titans. I suppose when the deal is up, if the attraction is not generating enough revenue to cover the difference, it's not considered a profitable investment for the shareholders.

However, as I stated before, this is all hearsay. I have no idea if the has any validity. Any info?

[cheeriokid61]

I never knew that about the tax breaks. I guess that could be one reason that the park closed, but I doubt it would be the only reason. And I don't think that this would cause the Titans to go away. Are they even considered a tourist attraction?

[Violindude]

I'm guessing the reason why TN sales tax is so high because there aren't alot of tourists to tax. Here in FL it's 6.5% and I find that 9% TN tax ridiculously high. If that's not the reason why could you tell me cause it boggles my mind to have that high of sales tax.

[franktown]

I'm guessing the reason why TN sales tax is so high because there aren't alot of tourists to tax. Here in FL it's 6.5% and I find that 9% TN tax ridiculously high. If that's not the reason why could you tell me cause it boggles my mind to have that high of sales tax.

We have no State Income Tax.

[Violindude]

We have no State Income Tax.

Neither does FL. I know this doesn't have to do with theme parks but I am asking cause I am trying to figure out if I should stay in FL or go back to TN or go to TX for college. I wanna get the whole realm of how much it will cost to live in each place.

[nashscan]

Neither does FL. I know this doesn't have to do with theme parks but I am asking cause I am trying to figure out if I should stay in FL or go back to TN or go to TX for college. I wanna get the whole realm of how much it will cost to live in each place.

Cost of living calculator

I hope that's not your primary deciding factor in deciding where to go to school.

[jcoop]

you're lucky then with no state income tax that your sales tax is that low...the 8.25% used to shock the out of town people but now 9.25% just makes their jaws drop at times when they hear the total as they purchase goods. But, most of them just kind of go "ohh okay" when I explain there is no state income tax

[linclink]

Actually, 6.5% is in the Orlando area... ( I think the city ads the .5, for themselves) in Davie (South Florida) it's 6%... and again, no state income tax... I for one was shocked when I first went to tn and had to pay the 9% sales tax for food, and a whopping 14% for the hotel !!!!!!!!!!!!! OUCH!!!!!

But, on the other hand... houses are much cheaper in Tn, property taxes are about half, car insurance is about half, etc.. etc.. etc... Perhaps if property taxes there were as high as they are here (about 4 dollars per 100, on the cheap... close to the beach its even higher), then the sales tax would be lower? I know for a 300,000 home here, the annual property tax will be about $7,000... I've read in our local paper (they did a big article on all the south floridians moving to tn), that in the greater nashville area, a house worth 300,000 will have a property tax of about $3,800. If that is correct... I guess it explains the high property tax.

Tell me if I am wrong though...

[linclink]

By the way... Nashville isn't on that cost of living calculator... Fort Lauderdale and Murfreesboro are... but not nashville... weird...

[jcoop]

Tell me if I am wrong though...

couldn't tell you if you were wrong. I only know about the sales tax from working retail...I'm too young to know about any of the other stuff thank goodness...although I need to start paying attention if I really do plan on trying to end up back in nashville after I graduate

[Rural King]

A primary reason Tennessee has a higher sales tax is that unlike TX and FL we are a long thin state that borders many states with lower sales tax rates and/or no tax on food. With over half our population being able frequent these states via an hour commute for big ticket items, weekly grocery runs, etc. the state can and does lose a substantial amount of sales tax revenue. Its harder for most of the population of TX and FL to scoot across the border for tax advantages, thus they retain more commercial activity and can make due on a lower tax rate, plus as stated by others these states may also have higher rates for other taxes and/or other forms of taxation (ie a personal property tax on cars like KY has).

[smeagolsfree]

I'm guessing the reason why TN sales tax is so high because there aren't alot of tourists to tax. Here in FL it's 6.5% and I find that 9% TN tax ridiculously high. If that's not the reason why could you tell me cause it boggles my mind to have that high of sales tax.

Florida also has a lot more tourist than Tennessee. A lot more individuals living in the state than TN. This may answer some of that question. Remember that almost the entire state of FL has a beach within an hour of everywhere and that many beaches plus all the theme parks around Orlando bring a lot more people there than the Smokey's, Dollywood, Nashville, Chattanooga and Memphis combined.

[bwithers1]

In a somewhat related front, I visited my grandparents in Franklin, KY this weekend and was reading in their local newspaper that Cabelas (the outdoor clothing and gear store) is trying to put up not only a large outlet store but also an accompanying RV park and what their newspaper described as "the world's largest ferris wheel" as well as a large aquarium and animal exhibits. Apparently, there are some tax incentive considerations there as well. I was a little bit stunned by this prospect. Could the addition of such a theme park make it even harder to market another theme park just 45 minutes down the road in Nashville?

I can definitely corroborate from experience that at least half of the license plates in the Wal-Mart and other stores in Franklin are from TN.

[cheeriokid61]

Hm, I doubt it will affect Nashville much, especially if we get a Dollywood or something similar. Also, is this even a theme park? It sounds like a zoo with a ferris wheel. And how will this be the worlds tallest? They're building one like 600 feet tall somewhere in Asia.

[AmandaHugginkiss]

Thats got to be one of the worse moves by the city? I went to the mall that took Opryland's place and was not impressed. It looked nice but the shopping was not good at all.

[it's just dave]

The city didn't close the park, Gaylord did. I remember when they built Opryland, I remember when they closed it. I went the first few seasons, sometimes dozens of times, but by the time they closed it, I hadn't been in over 12 years. Time to let it die. It's long gone.

[bwithers1]

Also, is this even a theme park? It sounds like a zoo with a ferris wheel. And how will this be the worlds tallest? They're building one like 600 feet tall somewhere in Asia.

I would have to agree: "world's tallest" or "world's largest" seems more like bombast than fact. I'm even trying to imaging the ferris wheel at Navy Pier being plopped down at exit 2 off of I-65 and it seems more than a little absurd even with the growth/sprawl that Franklin, KY is experiencing. But I was interested to know whether anyone on the board had heard of this prospect.

[Dukeis#1]

Gaylord closed the theme park because despite significant annual escalations in cap expenditures (to keep the park current/competitive) they were getting fewer and fewer visitors each year. It was in a tailspin and short of spending a hundred million bucks or more to try and compete with the mega parks they were doomed to an ever diminishing return on their invested capital; not a good story for shareholders.

Have to correct you there...

Opryland closed because Gaylord Entertainment felt it could be making more money with something other than a theme park - The park was still profitable at the time it closed; it just wasn't making as much as Gaylord Ent desired. There wasn't a "tailspin" or anything of that sort.

In 1997, Opryland's last operating season, the park still drew nearly 2 million visitors. For a regional theme park, 2 million is a GREAT number. Not even Six Flags in Atlanta can boast that it pulled in that many people in 2005.

And they were wise enough not to think they should bet many millions that they could compete with Disney

Opryland wasn't trying to compete with Disney. That's like comparing apples to oranges.

Opryland was a regional/seasonal theme park, meaning it drew guests from within a 300-mile radius. Disney World is a year-round resort destination - it draws people from all over the country and around the world, with an attendance of nearly 30 million people annually between it's four theme parks.

Opryland did compete with Dollywood, and to some extent Six Flags Over Georgia (Atlanta); but both of those parks are also regional. Dollywood's annual total is usually just above 2 million, while SFoG's attendance has slipped just below 2 million in recent years.

[nashscan]

Thank you from a 1997 themepark employee!

Have to correct you there...

Opryland closed because Gaylord Entertainment felt it could be making more money with something other than a theme park - The park was still profitable at the time it closed; it just wasn't making as much as Gaylord Ent desired. There wasn't a "tailspin" or anything of that sort.

In 1997, Opryland's last operating season, the park still drew nearly 2 million visitors. For a regional theme park, 2 million is a GREAT number. Not even Six Flags in Atlanta can boast that it pulled in that many people in 2005.

Opryland wasn't trying to compete with Disney. That's like comparing apples to oranges.

Opryland was a regional/seasonal theme park, meaning it drew guests from within a 300-mile radius. Disney World is a year-round resort destination - it draws people from all over the country and around the world, with an attendance of nearly 30 million people annually between it's four theme parks.

Opryland did compete with Dollywood, and to some extent Six Flags Over Georgia (Atlanta); but both of those parks are also regional. Dollywood's annual total is usually just above 2 million, while SFoG's attendance has slipped just below 2 million in recent years.