Gaylord Entertainment to Move Forward with Major Expansion of Opryland Resort and Convention Center

Gaylord Entertainment to Move Forward with Major Expansion of Opryland Resort and Convention Center
Expansion expected to create 1,300 new jobs
Plans driven by exceptional demand for Gaylord offering

NASHVILLE, Tenn., August 10, 2007 - Gaylord Entertainment Company (NYSE: GET) today announced that it is moving forward with plans for a major expansion of its Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville, Tenn. The expansion will add more than 400,000 square feet of convention and meeting space and a new 400-room, luxury all-suites hotel adjacent to Gaylord Opryland’s current facility. The expansion is expected to create 1,300 new jobs, bring an added 400,000 visitors to the Nashville metro area each year and generate $165 million in additional economic capital for the region.

Nashville Mayor Bill Purcell signed legislation paving the way for Gaylord to move ahead with its planned $400-million expansion at Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center. Gaylord will begin construction in 2008 with intended completion in 2011.

“Today’s announcement marks an important milestone in our ongoing strategy to strengthen the Gaylord brand through targeted expansion of our existing properties,” said Colin V. Reed, Gaylord Entertainment chairman and chief executive officer. “The Opryland expansion, which was driven by the incredible demand we continue to see for this property as well as the others across our network, will create new jobs and generate additional tourism for the area. We applaud the efforts of the Metro Council and the Tennessee General Assembly and their recognition of the benefits of this expansion to the city of Nashville.”

Upon completion of the expansion, Gaylord Opryland will offer convention customers and meeting planners 3,281 hotel rooms and more than one million square feet of convention and meeting space.

The expansion comes on the heels of a three-year $125-million effort to improve the property’s leisure and outside-the-room offerings. The upgrade includes the renovation of 2,297 rooms, the addition of Relâche Spa, an indoor pool and exercise facility as well as new entertainment and dining venues.

The high occupancy levels and excess demand at Gaylord Opryland drove the Company to turn down an estimated two million room nights in 2006. In July, the Company announced that second quarter 2007 occupancy had exceeded 80 percent across its network of hotels for the first time in its history, and delivered strong advanced bookings at Gaylord Opryland, further underscoring the need for expansion.

ABOUT GAYLORD ENTERTAINMENT
Gaylord Entertainment (NYSE: GET), a leading hospitality and entertainment company based in Nashville, Tenn., owns and operates Gaylord Hotels (www.gaylordhotels.com), its network of upscale, meetings-focused resorts and the Grand Ole Opry (www.opry.com), the weekly showcase of country music's finest performers for 80 consecutive years. The company's entertainment brands and properties include the Radisson Hotel Opryland, Ryman Auditorium, General Jackson Showboat, Gaylord Springs, Wildhorse Saloon, and WSM-AM. For more information about the company, visit www.GaylordEntertainment.com.