Up and Running in Time for Busy Tourist Season

Nashville, Tenn. (May 20, 2010) – The world-famous Wildhorse Saloon will be ready to reopen its doors just one month after unprecedented flooding struck downtown Nashville. The legendary venue has set Friday, June 4, as its grand reopening date. The full facility will be up and running with live music, great food and—of course—the massive, 3,300 sq. ft. dance floor.

The Wildhorse Saloon is reopening just in time for the busy tourist season, including the Country Music Association (CMA) Music Festival, when country music fans and tourists will line the city’s streets to celebrate the music that put Nashville on the map. The Wildhorse, a three-story converted warehouse in the heart of the city’s Second Avenue entertainment district, is famous for launching country music careers and attracts more guests each year than any other restaurant in Tennessee.

“The loss of five Gaylord properties to floodwaters has been a significant hit to the city’s tourism industry and tax revenues. The Wildhorse Saloon is the first of these attractions to complete its restoration process and announce its return,” said Pete Weien, senior vice president and general manager of the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center. “We’re thrilled to welcome back our guests to Second Avenue, even as the hard work continues at our other properties throughout the city. The people of Nashville have been tremendous to us, and we cannot thank everyone enough for the support and encouragement sent our way.”

The company’s other properties include the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center, the Grand Ole Opry House, the General Jackson Showboat and the Gaylord Springs Golf Links.

On the night of Sunday, May 2, flood waters poured into the lower level of the Wildhorse Saloon, affecting offices, kitchen areas, the production bay and the parking garage.  Fortunately, the stage was completely unharmed, and so was Nashville’s largest dance floor. All damage to the Wildhorse will be completely restored by opening night.

The Wildhorse Saloon will celebrate its grand re-opening with a series of high-profile performances leading up to the CMA Music Festival. Artists include rock bands Puddle of Mudd and Saliva onFriday, June 4; the Darius Rucker & Friends Benefit Concert for St. Jude’s Research Hospital on Monday, June 7; Country Weekly Fashion Show & Concert benefiting Musicians on Call on Tuesday, June 8; CMT Music Awards Viewing Party on Wednesday, June 9; Blake Shelton’s Fan Club Party on Thursday, June 10; After MidNite with Blair Garner on Friday, June 11; and New Faces on Saturday, June 12.

Media interested in interviews or photos/video of the Wildhorse Saloon should contact Ann Dee McClane-Bunn in Gaylord’s media department for more information.

For tickets or more information, please call 615-902-8211 or visit www.wildhorsesaloon.com.

ABOUT THE WILDHORSE SALOON
The Wildhorse® Saloon turned a three-level historic warehouse into a 66,000 square foot live music and dance destination.  The Wildhorse is simultaneously a restaurant, bar, concert site and dance venue.  Annually, more than 1.5 million music fans stampede to the Wildhorse to have a great meal, catch the hottest concerts and learn the newest dance steps.  Over the course of a normal year, the Wildhorse uses around 3,000 gallons of barbecue sauce and about two million pickle slices in its famous fried pickle recipe.  The Wildhorse has been involved in more than 4,000 television shows and tapings.  The Wildhorse is the largest per capita restaurant in all of Tennessee and also has the largest television screen in Music City, not to mention the largest dance floor.  The Wildhorse Saloon is owned by Gaylord Entertainment (NYSE: GET), a leading hospitality and entertainment company based in Nashville, Tenn.  For more information, visit www.WildhorseSaloon.com.