Art News

Opryland Hotel Reopens in Tennessee After Flood Damage

By: Joe Edwards, Associated Press
NASHVILLE (AP).- Decked out in more than 2 million Christmas lights, the sprawling Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center reopened Monday after historic Nashville flooding shuttered the cornerstone of the city’s tourism business for six months. The hotel, known for its indoor waterfalls and garden-filled atriums, has 2,881 guest rooms and bills itself as the largest non-gaming hotel in the continental United States. In May, flooding from the nearby Cumberland River caused about $200 million in damage and left part of the resort in up to 10 feet of water. Ten people died in Nashville after it rained 13.5 inches over two days. Among the guests Monday were newlyweds Stephen and Mary Doty of Evansville, Ind., who set their wedding date so their honeymoon would coincide with the reopening. “We’ve walked all around and there’s no sign of damage,” said Stephen, a desi