Hotel Online Special Report Significant Economic Impact Created With 1,400 Room Opryland Hotel Florida Project KISSIMMEE-ST.CLOUD, Fla. – June 30, 1999–Though not opening until February 2002, today’s groundbreaking for Opryland Hotel Florida signifies the beginning of an economic bonanza in Kissimmee-St. Cloud.
“The addition of Opryland Hotel Florida’s 1,400 guestrooms increases the county’s room inventory substantially.
If the hotel were open today, it would increase the current number of 25,000 dedicated hotel rooms, by a full five percent,” said E.K. Gaylord II, chairman of the Board of Directors of the Gaylord Entertainment Company, parent of Opryland Hospitality Group. “Plus, once open, total payroll will generate in excess of $40 million.”
Gaylord Entertainment is a nationally recognized leader in the business of entertainment and hospitality, operating in three business segments: hotel and attractions, broadcasting and music and cable networks. Among its properties are WSM radio, the Grand Ole Opry, Acuff-Rose Music Publishing, Word Entertainment, Z Music Television, Country Music Television International, the Wildhorse Saloon and the Ryman Auditorium.
Its subsidiary, the Opryland Hospitality Group, includes the Opryland Hotel in Nashville and their latest hotel projects: Opryland Hotel Florida and Opryland Hotel Texas (breaking ground spring 2000).
Projections indidcate that if the 1,400-room Florida hotel maintains a 75 percent occupancy figure, approximately $3 million in resort revenues will be added to the county’s tourism funding.
At the groundbreaking, Gaylord noted, “Our hotel’s presence will help Osceola County contribute to Central Florida’s goal of becoming the ‘meetings destination for the 21st century.”
The arrival of Opryland Hotel Florida signifies an economic milestone of tremendous proportion for both Gaylord Entertainment and the Kissimmee-St. Cloud area at the onset of the new millennium. Situated five minutes from the main gates of WALT DISNEY WORLD® Resort, the 65-acre property will feature 1,400 guestrooms including 118 suites, 80+ oversized rooms, 4-acres of gardens under glass, 380,000 square feet of meeting, convention, exhibition and pre-function space including a 178,000 square foot exhibit hall, three restaurants and several entertainment venues.
Opryland Hotel Florida Breaks Ground in Kissimmee-St. Cloud
June 30, 1999– Approximately 200 guests representing a cross-section of political, tourism, lodging, meeting planning and regulatory institutions participated in the official groundbreaking for the new Opryland Hotel Florida on June 29.
Arriving at 8:00 a.m., attendees were greeted by and introduced to key officials of Gaylord Entertainment—parent company of Opryland Hospitality Group—along with executives of the lodging company, their national sales organization and the hotel’s pre-opening sales team.
Terry London, president and chief executive officer of Gaylord Entertainment officiated, introducing chairman of the board of directors, E.K. Gaylord II, and a succession of presenters including: Jerry Wayne, senior vice president of marketing for Opryland Hospitality Group, Osceola County Commission Chairman Charles “Chuck” Dunnick, Austin Mott, chief executive officer of Visit Florida USA, Tim Hemphill, executive director Kissimmee-St. Cloud Convention Visitors Bureau and Dave Jones, president and chief executive officer of Opryland Hospitality Group.
Greeting his guests, London said: “Throughout the entire three-year planning process that has led to this morning, you have made Opryland feel at home in Florida. To get together with you this morning is something we have looked forward to, because we are sharing the moment with friends, old and new.”
Honored at the event were meeting planners representing nearly a dozen advance bookings to the hotel whose groups are expected to consume 52,155 room nights. Those organizations with bookings at the Opryland Hotel Florida for 2002 and beyond include: American Bus Association, IMARK Communication, Meeting Professionals International, National Association of Truck Stop Operators, National Pest Control Association, National Sash Door Jobbers Association, Professional Baseball Promotion Corps. and Visit Florida USA.
As guests assembled, a 35-foot shovel was hoisted 65-feet into the Florida sky. With music building, a cavalcade of pyrotechnics, confetti and smoke were dispersed and the shovel plummeted to unearth the official first scoop for the hotel foundation. Simultaneously, as music reached a crescendo, a giant logo announcing “OPRYLAND HOTEL FLORIDA, OPENING 2002” arose from the central Florida soil and a large banner reading “Kissimmee-St. Cloud, Florida” unfurled.
The Opryland Hotel Florida is the Opryland Hospitality Group’s first property to be built outside of Nashville.
Estimated building cost is $350 million. When opened in February 2002, it will be the largest hotel in the Kissimmee-St. Cloud resort area. The opening of the hotel is a great boon for Central Florida, the number of dedicated hotel rooms in Osceola County increases by five percent with completion of construction.
“If the 1,400-room Opryland Hotel Florida maintains a 75 percent occupancy figure, nearly $4 million in resort tax revenues will be added to the county’s tourism funding,” announced E.K. Gaylord II, chairman of the board of directors of Gaylord Entertainment.
The Opryland Hotel Florida will be designed to bring a combination of southern hospitality at its finest with the exceptional levels of service, family-oriented entertainment and recreation for which Opryland Nashville and its parent company Gaylord Entertainment are well known. Situated five minutes from the main gates of WALT DISNEY WORLD® Resort, the 65-acre property will feature 1,400 guestrooms including 118 suits, 80+ oversized rooms, 4 acres of gardens under glass, 380,000 square feet of meeting, convention, exhibition and pre-function space including a 178,000 square foot exhibit hall, three restaurants and several entertainment venues.
Opryland Hotel Florida Breaks Ground in Kissimmee-St. Cloud
June 30, 1999– Approximately 200 guests representing a cross-section of political, tourism, lodging, meeting planning and regulatory institutions participated in the official groundbreaking for the new Opryland Hotel Florida on June 29.
Arriving at 8:00 a.m., attendees were greeted by and introduced to key officials of Gaylord Entertainment—parent company of Opryland Hospitality Group—along with executives of the lodging company, their national sales organization and the hotel’s pre-opening sales team.
Terry London, president and chief executive officer of Gaylord Entertainment officiated, introducing chairman of the board of directors, E.K. Gaylord II, and a succession of presenters including: Jerry Wayne, senior vice president of marketing for Opryland Hospitality Group, Osceola County Commission Chairman Charles “Chuck” Dunnick, Austin Mott, chief executive officer of Visit Florida USA, Tim Hemphill, executive director Kissimmee-St. Cloud Convention Visitors Bureau and Dave Jones, president and chief executive officer of Opryland Hospitality Group.
Greeting his guests, London said: “Throughout the entire three-year planning process that has led to this morning, you have made Opryland feel at home in Florida. To get together with you this morning is something we have looked forward to, because we are sharing the moment with friends, old and new.”
Honored at the event were meeting planners representing nearly a dozen advance bookings to the hotel whose groups are expected to consume 52,155 room nights. Those organizations with bookings at the Opryland Hotel Florida for 2002 and beyond include: American Bus Association, IMARK Communication, Meeting Professionals International, National Association of Truck Stop Operators, National Pest Control Association, National Sash Door Jobbers Association, Professional Baseball Promotion Corps. and Visit Florida USA.
As guests assembled, a 35-foot shovel was hoisted 65-feet into the Florida sky. With music building, a cavalcade of pyrotechnics, confetti and smoke were dispersed and the shovel plummeted to unearth the official first scoop for the hotel foundation. Simultaneously, as music reached a crescendo, a giant logo announcing “OPRYLAND HOTEL FLORIDA, OPENING 2002” arose from the central Florida soil and a large banner reading “Kissimmee-St. Cloud, Florida” unfurled.
The Opryland Hotel Florida is the Opryland Hospitality Group’s first property to be built outside of Nashville.
Estimated building cost is $350 million. When opened in February 2002, it will be the largest hotel in the Kissimmee-St. Cloud resort area. The opening of the hotel is a great boon for Central Florida, the number of dedicated hotel rooms in Osceola County increases by five percent with completion of construction.
“If the 1,400-room Opryland Hotel Florida maintains a 75 percent occupancy figure, nearly $4 million in resort tax revenues will be added to the county’s tourism funding,” announced E.K. Gaylord II, chairman of the board of directors of Gaylord Entertainment.
The Opryland Hotel Florida will be designed to bring a combination of southern hospitality at its finest with the exceptional levels of service, family-oriented entertainment and recreation for which Opryland Nashville and its parent company Gaylord Entertainment are well known. Situated five minutes from the main gates of WALT DISNEY WORLD® Resort, the 65-acre property will feature 1,400 guestrooms including 118 suits, 80+ oversized rooms, 4 acres of gardens under glass, 380,000 square feet of meeting, convention, exhibition and pre-function space including a 178,000 square foot exhibit hall, three restaurants and several entertainment venues.
Contact: YPB Public Relations, Orlando Mary Jane Kolassa 407/875-1111 Also See: Gaylord Entertainment Creates Opryland Hospitality Group to Unite All of Its Hotel Operations to Build Opryland Brand / May 1999