Grand Ole Opry Gets a Facelift With $12 Million Renovation
Big things are happening to one of country music’s most iconic locations: The Grand Ole Opry is getting a cool $12 million worth of upgrades.
As first reported by Nashville’s WKRN, the extensive renovation began in early 2018 and is scheduled to be completed by the end of the year. The changes include relocating the Opry’s box office and creating a 5,000-square-foot structure that will serve as a new retail and entertainment space.
“Folks will be able, of course, to come up and purchase tickets for tours, shows, etc., right here at the Opry House,” says Grand Ole Opry Director of Marketing and Communication Dan Rogers, “and … we’ll have a brand-new facility that will be a cinematic experience for those 200,000 or so folks who take a daytime or post-show tour throughout the year.”
The retail expansion, specifically, will allow for a better experience for visitors who want to interact with the talent that comes to the Opry: “You’ll have a lot of customer experiences in the shop — interactive experiences — and then, on almost every night we have an Opry performance … we’ll do an in-store signing, where some of country music’s most popular artists will sign their latest product either before or after the shows.”
The Grand Ole Opry is one of Tennessee’s biggest attractions. Since 1925, it’s been the location of some truly incredible country music moments, courtesy of the genre’s biggest stars from multiple generations. Prior to the Grand Ole Opry House’s opening in 1974, Opry shows were held at the Ryman Auditorium, at which the Grand Ole Opry now occasionally hosts shows.
Despite the extensive renovations happening in 2018, shows at the Grand Ole Opry are continuing as usual, as are the backstage tours. More information about the Opry can be found on the official Opry website.
The Grand Ole Opry Through the Years
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