This is sad for a number of reasons. For Don and me personally, this is a place we enjoy going for a free date. It is just a few minutes from our house, and is a wonderful place to walk around, enjoying the indoor atriums, sometimes stopping to eat or get ice cream. Here is a previous blog I did with some pictures I took at Christmas time.
Here is a video of what it looks like now.
Opryland is one of the largest employers in the Nashville area. It is estimated that it will be 3-6 months before the hotel opens again, and in the meantime, thousands of people are without jobs. This includes several people we know personally, one of which is my brother, who works there part-time. Nashville's job market was already in pretty bad shape before this happened.
Another way it will affect us is the tourism industry. The Opryland Hotel, one of the largest hotels in the country, is a major tourist spot, hosting vacationers and conventions from all over the world.
The nearby Opry Mills mall, also flooded, was a big part of our economy as well, along with the Grand Ole Opry, shown here:
This is, of course, in addition to the many people who have lost their homes (a good number of which didn't have flood insurance), cars, pets and all their possessions. A few even lost their lives.
Apparently the national news media isn't giving us much coverage compared to other current events, but from an insider's perspective, this is a very sad time in our city which will have far-reaching implications. I pray that God will bring good out of it, and perhaps this great city, known as the "buckle of the Bible belt" will turn tragedy into triumph.
1 comment:
I've noticed this story isn't on the news much either. And it's a shame. It's a real story and real lives of Americans are affected. I can't even fathom this sort of devastation right in my own backyard like that. Praying for your area as you work through all of this.
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