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Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center facts for kids

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Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center
Cascades Atrium
Cascades Atrium
Hotel facts and statistics
Location Nashville, Tennessee
Coordinates 36°12′41″N 86°41′40″W / 36.21139°N 86.69444°W / 36.21139; -86.69444
Opening date November 24, 1977
Architect Earl Swensson Associates
Management Marriott International
Owner Ryman Hospitality Properties, Inc.
No. of restaurants 15
No. of rooms 2,888
of which suites 220
No. of floors 7

The Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center is a huge hotel and convention center in Nashville, Tennessee. It used to be called the Opryland Hotel. This amazing place is owned by Ryman Hospitality Properties and run by Marriott International. With 2,888 rooms, it's one of the biggest hotels in the entire world!

History of Gaylord Opryland

The Opryland Hotel first opened its doors on Thanksgiving Day in 1977. It was built right next to the Opryland USA amusement park. The main idea was to support the famous Grand Ole Opry, a big country music show in Nashville.

Early Days and First Expansion

When it first opened, the hotel had 580 guest rooms and a large ballroom. The main lobby, called the Magnolia Lobby, looked like a grand old Southern mansion. It even had a beautiful staircase and a fancy chandelier.

In 1983 and 1984, the hotel grew bigger. They added over 400 more guest rooms. They also built new areas for business meetings and conventions. A special place called the Garden Conservatory was added. It looked like a Victorian garden and always stayed at a comfy 71 degrees. This area was home to more than 10,000 plants!

Adding the Cascades Atrium

In 1988, the hotel expanded again, adding 2 acres and 797 guest rooms. This is when the amazing Cascades Atrium was built. It features a huge 3.5-story waterfall! More than 8,000 tropical plants fill this beautiful space. The Cascades Lobby also got bigger, with 24 check-in desks. This allowed them to check in many guests very quickly.

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The waterfalls of the Cascades Atrium

The Delta Atrium and Major Growth

A massive expansion finished in 1996. It made the resort twice as big! About 1,000 more guest rooms were added. They also built 10 new meeting rooms and a huge exhibit hall.

The most famous part of this expansion was the Delta Atrium. It has a fun Cajun theme. Inside, you'll find a quarter-mile-long indoor river! Guests can ride along the river in special flatboats. There's even a water show with jets that dance to music. When the Delta River was first filled, water from over 1,700 rivers worldwide was poured into it. This included water from every registered river in the United States! The Old Hickory Steak House, designed like an old mansion, was also added.

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Delta Atrium at the Gaylord Opryland

Becoming Gaylord Opryland

On October 26, 2001, the Opryland Hotel Nashville got a new name. It became the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center. It's often just called Gaylord Opryland. The name "Gaylord" came from the company that owned it. This change helped the company connect its hotels in other parts of the country.

The 2010 Flood and Reopening

On May 2, 2010, a big flood hit Nashville. The Opryland Hotel was badly damaged. Guests had to leave as floodwaters reached up to 10 feet high in some areas. The hotel worked hard to repair everything. It reopened on November 15, 2010. The repairs included adding five new restaurants. All the beautiful atriums and guest rooms were also restored.

Other Places Owned by Ryman Hospitality in Nashville