Representatives with Ryman Hospitality Properties announced a $90 million investment for Gaylord Opryland Resort that they called a “luxury indoor/outdoor water experience.”
The planned water park at the resort has been named “Soundwaves,” and will, of course, include music within the attraction. It will be catered to hotel guests, not open to the public.
The plans showed 111,000 square feet of indoor space and around 106,000 square feet of outdoor water features.
Colin Reed, the CEO of Ryman Hospitality Properties, and Mayor Megan Barry stated during a press conference Wednesday morning that more and more people visit Nashville each day, and they have planned the water park as a way to get families to stick around longer to experience more of Nashville.
Soundwaves was described as transformational for the Nashville area and for the region, and it has been planned as an add-on amenity for hotel guests that’s different from other water parks.
Opryland water park to feature multiple slides, lazy river, wave pool, adult-only areas with bars, and family areas for everyone. @NC5 pic.twitter.com/U2vaaBw3gy
— Jesse Knutson (@NC5_JKnutson) January 25, 2017
The lower level of the indoor section of the attraction has been set to include a rapid river, lazy river, an activity lagoon with rock climbing and pool basketball, and waterfalls.
Many other areas have been planned indoors, including a sun deck, restaurant, and an adult-only level with a pool. Thrill seekers will find multiple slides and what was described as a “dramatic family ride.”
Outdoors, guests will experience a wave pool surrounded by cabanas and a movie screen.
Outdoor music programming will be planned each summer. There will also be a private adult-only pool outside and additional thrill rides.
Reed was asked during the press conference about Opryland USA, the amusement park which closed nearly 20 years ago.
“I’ve been on the record on this before,” Reed said. “The closing of that theme park I really don’t think was particularly a sensible move to take customers who come for a leisure experience away and put an outlet mall in it’s place. You can see the occupancy decline in this hotel in the summer months when that park was closed.”
Soundwaves has been expected to provide the area with around 1,300 jobs during construction, as well as around 700 permanent jobs upon opening. Ryman Hospitality Properties CEO also said the water park has been expected to generate $4.6 million a year in state and local taxes.
