Gaylord's Plans

[ATLBrain]

That's right. Wasn't some number (thrown around) associated with that rumored project too?

Obviously, Gaylord won't sit back and be ignored amid the talk of a new CC downtown.

BTW: Has anybody been to the resorts in FL or TX?

[Hankster]

Holey moley!!!! I'm floored. This proposed expansion would create a true monster of a hotel complex. I believe they're talking about at least a doubling of meeting space to a Million Sq. Ft. That would make it one of the largest convention center's in the country by itself. Add to that a 3,281 room hotel! That could well constitute the largest hotel complex in the world in pure square footage. I know there are a number of hotels in Vegas larger than 3,281 rooms. I'm thinking the largest is about 5,000 rooms. But, do any of them have 1,000,000 Sq Ft of meeting space attached to the hotel? I sincerely doubt it. After all, Las Vegas has their own enormous convention center to fill that need. Gaylord is certainly thinking big here. If the city gets both this convention center and the new downtown convention center, the city would immediately transform itself into to a major convention destination in a very short time!

[MidTenn1]

The diagrams refer to a new Hotel 'tower'. I wonder how high a 400 room hotel would go?

Even 20 rooms per floor would require 20+ floors. The diagram seems to indicate a small hotel footprint, so maybe even taller?

Would this lead to taller developments in the Pennington Bend area?

[elguapo731]

Wow, parking garage, hotel tower, new convention space, amazing stuff. Good photos from the Tennessean.

The news said the convention center would be the largest outside of Vegas. Is this a true statement?????

[nashscan]

The timing of this project is absolutely perfect. Especially with the completeion of the Briley Parkway expansion. Nashville has earned a convention center of this magnitude. I do have one question though. Would a hotel tower look out of place with the timeless architecture already in Place at the hotel?

[smeagolsfree]

From the Tennessean this morning:

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ar...ESS02/702130373

The whole concept of the Gaylord expansion and the DT CC is amazing. The article states we will be back in competition with tier one cities. This would be the largest convention hotel outside of Las Vegas.

I truly hope this thread gets as much attention as the Signature thread, as both projects are of huge magnitude but one is not a skyscraper but the other is larger in dollars as the Signature

[smeagolsfree]

Here is a related article from the NBJ.

http://nashville.bizjournals.com/nashville...ml?surround=lfn

[frankliner]

Maybe I am not reading the articles closely enough, but I can't seem to get a handle on where exactly they would be placing these new buildings? On some of those gaping surface lots that surround the hotel?

I do know that I read somewhere that this does not include the site across Briley which they were trying to get land from that church. I look forward to seeing what they have in development for that location (please a theme park with monorail, PLEASE!!!!!)

[smeagolsfree]

Your wish is my command.

Here is a detailed map on the location from the Tennessean.

[nashvillwill]

i'm sure that part of the mills parking will be needed for the expension. However, don't forget that there is a large buffer of unused land inbetween the hotel and Parking area for the mall. This site is actually the old site of the "Grizzly River Rampage" water ride, if anyone remembers that from the theme park. If you walk along the pedestrian trail between the two monster buildings you will see that the canals for the ride are actually still in existence. I always hoped that they would re-open this ride just for the fun of it. Oh well, i guess the very last memory of Opryland USA will finally be erased forever.

[barakat]

It's going on top of the Grizzly River Rampage.

[facilities man]

Wow, parking garage, hotel tower, new convention space, amazing stuff. Good photos from the Tennessean.

The news said the convention center would be the largest outside of Vegas. Is this a true statement?????

Not a true statement. Chicago has 2.2 million square feet. Oralndo has 2.1 million square feet. Las Vegas has just under 2 million square feet. Not taken into account for Orlando and Las Vages are the dozens of other hotel complexes that have their own convention facilities with anywhere from tens of thousands of additional square feet to hundreds of thousands of additional square feet. Chicago, Orlando, and Vegas are in their own league. This will bring Nashville up to Atlanta's range though.

[smeagolsfree]

They may be talking number of rooms instead of convention floor space.

[cheeriokid61]

Yeah, they mean combined hotel and convention center space. Can you imagine, though having two convention centers with over 1,000,000 square feet? That's crazy. All these other cities only have one this size.

[it's just dave]

Yeah, they're combining the entire center and hotel. It's all one thing anyway. Outside of Vegas, not many, if any, can boast nearly 3300 rooms. So, in this interpretation, the superlative should stand. But what does it matter, it's pretty darn big already.

I think if this was SSP and any other city and a hotel announced a $400 million dollar expansion on top on the ongoing $125 million renovation, the horns of Gabriel would begin to sound and all the followers of that horn would lay down in spasms. But around here, that was yesterday, we've got two new ones to talk about now. And that's just today. lol. Maybe we'll a new Krispy Kreme too.

Que sera sera.

[Hankster]

Yeah, they're combining the entire center and hotel. It's all one thing anyway. Outside of Vegas, not many, if any, can boast nearly 3300 rooms. So, in this interpretation, the superlative should stand. But what does it matter, it's pretty darn big already.

I think if this was SSP and any other city and a hotel announced a $400 million dollar expansion on top on the ongoing $125 million renovation, the horns of Gabriel would begin to sound and all the followers of that horn would lay down in spasms. But around here, that was yesterday, we've got two new ones to talk about now. And that's just today. lol. Maybe we'll a new Krispy Kreme too.

Que sera sera.

I believe that the Opryland Hotel already is the largest hotel in the U.S. outside Las Vegas. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong. This expansion makes it larger than all but maybe six or seven Vegas hotels. But the big news is the huge expansion in meeting space to 1,000,000 Sq Ft. I challenge someone to find any hotel in America (or in the world, perhaps?) with 1,000,000 Sq Ft of meeting space.

[producer2]

It is not the largest in total rooms but it will be the largest hotel/convention center property in the world that is under one roof. The Las Vegas Hilton would be but it is not "under one roof" with the convention center and Mandalay Bay is a close second.

[L'burgnative]

Yeah, they're combining the entire center and hotel. It's all one thing anyway. Outside of Vegas, not many, if any, can boast nearly 3300 rooms. So, in this interpretation, the superlative should stand. But what does it matter, it's pretty darn big already.

I think if this was SSP and any other city and a hotel announced a $400 million dollar expansion on top on the ongoing $125 million renovation, the horns of Gabriel would begin to sound and all the followers of that horn would lay down in spasms. But around here, that was yesterday, we've got two new ones to talk about now. And that's just today. lol. Maybe we'll a new Krispy Kreme too.

Que sera sera.

Man; if they could put a Krispy Kreme in it, that would pay for the project itself. One thing though; they may need a Dunkin Donut too for the Yankee folks.

But seriously; (I'm not doubting, but asking) can Nashville handle two CC of this size?

[jcoop]

But seriously; (I'm not doubting, but asking) can Nashville handle two CC of this size?

I think most of the studies that have been done show that it could. One of the main reasons being that many groups want the downtown proximity (walking distance) and others don't mind being farther away because of all that the Opryland property brings in one package. That means a lot of groups pass over Opryland and vice versa.

Personally, I think the competition, even though I hesitate to use that word, can be a good thing. You also look at the ability for one center to host a huge group while there is still prime convention space available at the same time for other groups.

[frankliner]

Your wish is my command.

Here is a detailed map on the location from the Tennessean.

Thanks for that, really helps me picture it.

I'm gonna miss going to stare at the remnants of Grizzly River Rampage but hopefully this will do a more effective job of filling in between the hotel to the mall/boat docks. I really think that they need to do something to link it all together, maybe like a skytrain a la Detroit airport.

I'm still really intrigued about what they have under wraps for across Briley...

[producer2]

Man; if they could put a Krispy Kreme in it, that would pay for the project itself. One thing though; they may need a Dunkin Donut too for the Yankee folks.

But seriously; (I'm not doubting, but asking) can Nashville handle two CC of this size?

There is another large group of meetings that can only fit downtown and those are the citywide conventions that bring in 10,000 to 20,000 people and would probably need the GEC for their general sessions and the convention center for trade show space. Opryland cannot handle groups of this size. Some of those are known as rated groups (meaning they want some inexpensive hotel options) but they fit the downtown profile better becasue of the variety of hotel options.

[Hankster]

It is not the largest in total rooms but it will be the largest hotel/convention center property in the world that is under one roof. The Las Vegas Hilton would be but it is not "under one roof" with the convention center and Mandalay Bay is a close second.

That's how I think the Opryland Hotel complex should promote itself..... "The largest hotel / convention center in the world under one roof." That's a most significant statement that I beleive is not widely known.

Imagine this statement: "the largest hotel / convention center in the world under one roof is getting BIGGER!" Wow! What a concept!

[smeagolsfree]

A great Q&A session with the CEO of Gaylord from the Tennessean today.

I think the keys in the interview are the 105 acres may be an eclosed venue and not a Branson or Opryland type of operation. Gaming is talked about as well and seems very unlikely to happen.

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ar.../702250357/1003

[ATLBrain]

I have heard various rumors that seem to line up on the 105 acres across Briley. They involve three components: a collection of auditoriums (auditoria??) around a mainstreet theme for television production; time-share living units in a collection (2-3) midrise above parking; and a big draw like an aquarium (not decided but mentioned as one option). None of the rumors I've heard include a venue for amusement rides.

[producer2]

WOW, what an arrogant SOB! I think most people appreciate what Gaylord has done in the past but let's be real, "The City" does not benifit from the money put into the Gaylord coffers, only Gaylord does and they like to keep it that way. Look at the post at the end of the article. This person says it all!