Grand Ole Opry stage. Photo: opry.com
The Big Apple will soon have a new country music-themed restaurant and live music space in New York City’s Times Square. Ryman Hospitality, which owns and operates the Grand Ole Opry, has plans to open the restaurant and music venue, with a design based on the famous Grand Ole Opry.
The multi-level space will offer a street-level shop featuring Nashville’s premier brands, two distinct entertainment spaces with a restaurant/bar and performance space and a showcase club for ticketed performances and special series. Live performances will be a key part of the overall experience, and video screens throughout will provide a backdrop with performances from the legendary Grand Ole Opry stage. On the menu will be Southern-inspired fare.
Colin Reed, chairman and chief executive officer of Ryman Hospitality Properties, said, “There’s no doubt that Nashville and the Grand Ole Opry are the homes of country music, but the genre’s incredible growth and mainstream appeal means that there are now lovers of country music all over the world. This venue will bring to Times Square and its nearly 40 million annual global visitors a rich country music heritage and an opportunity to experience the unique county music lifestyle.”
Reed continued, “This is also a significant step for our business. We have been saying for some time that we were exploring ways to leverage the incredible power and value of the Opry brand, and this represents just the first stage in our efforts to bring this strategy to fruition.”
“We are excited to launch this new endeavor in New York City and introduce the Opry experience to other parts of the country and the world,” said Steve Buchanan, president of Opry Entertainment Group. “By exposing an increasing number of people to the rich music and truly American cultural tradition of the Opry, we hope to drive even more visitors to Nashville.”
Additional details about the venue and the timeline for construction will be announced at a later date.
Category: Featured
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Jessica Nicholson serves as the Managing Editor for MusicRow magazine. Her previous music journalism experience includes work with Country Weekly magazine and Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) magazine. She holds a BBA degree in Music Business and Marketing from Belmont University. She welcomes your feedback at jnicholson@musicrow.com.View Author Profile
