I came across what might be my most favorite Facebook group today: Let’s build Opryland where Opry Mills once stood.
While the terrible flooding that has struck Tennessee is no laughing matter (as a Memphian I can attest to that), the irony of the current state of the Opry Mills mall opens the door for a lot of discussion.
The Opry Mills mall was a replacement for the Opryland USA amusement park, located in Nashville, Tennessee. Many generations experienced the adventure that a trip to Opryland had to offer and when that adventure was taken away in 1997, many did not take the transition from amusement park to shopping mall quite so well.
One of the most searched terms that people somehow find Coaster101 with is “will opryland usa reopen.” I think this speaks volumes over the buzz surrounding the park that will not subside. It seems at least once a year, Gaylord Entertainment, the owner of the Opryland resort, releases a statement that the company is looking into future entertainment venues. This sparks a blaze of speculation that the return of Opryland USA might be imminent. However, no real plans come to fruition and those longing for the return of their beloved amusement park continue to wait.
Now that the Opry Mills mall is experiencing the same scenario that Opryland USA experienced back in the 70’s with terrible flooding, I wonder if the cycle will repeat itself in 20-30 years, with an amusement park returning to the Opryland resort, possibly even on the same grounds that its predecessor once stood.
Recent Discussion