Free Republic

NASHVILLE -- As many as 5,000 people were evacuated on Tuesday night after an explosion at the Opryland Hotel and Convention Center in Nashville -- where hundreds of the nation's sheriffs are attending a conference. The blast occurred in a mechanical room at the convention center about 8:30pm local time, WSMV-TV reported, adding that no injuries had been reported. The convention center suffered significant damage from the blast and a Nashville Fire Department spokesperson told the station there was a smell of natural gas in the area. Gas was switched off in the building as officials responded to the scene.

<p>NASHVILLE, Tenn., -- The Tennessee Department of Labor is preparing for the mass layoff of 1,700 Gaylord employees. The department is taking steps now to prevent thousands of others already looking for jobs from being affected.</p> <p>Anyone who’s ever had to call the Tennessee unemployment hot line knows it can sometimes be tough to get through. Now think about adding 1,700 more people suddenly unemployed. Romona Pasimio and her daughter worked in a restaurant at the Gaylord Hotel until the flood literally washed their jobs away. This past Wednesday they, along with hundreds of others learned that on June 12 they would officially be fired, walking away with two weeks final pay and health benefits through September.</p>

<p>NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- The sprawling Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center, Nashville's cornerstone in the travel industry, is closed indefinitely because of floodwaters from the nearby Cumberland River.</p> <p>On Monday, neatly arranged dining tables at the resort east of downtown were sitting in up to 10 feet of dirty water as crates of wine glasses floated by.</p>

NASHVILLE, Tenn. Authorities are investigating a vehicle explosion at Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Resort that has left one person dead. Authorities say the vehicle was in a parking lot used primarily for staging and overflow parking during the holiday season. Police say Gaylord security officers notified them just before midnight of the explosion.