Ryman unveils concept for Times Square venue

Ryman Hospitality unveiled details on Thursday for its Times Square restaurant and music venue, which will be called Opry City Stage. The project is the latest component of a broad entertainment strategy Ryman CEO Colin Reed believes will increase leisure tourists coming to Nashville.

He said Opry City Stage is likely the first of several country venues and restaurants the company would like to open, mentioning Las Vegas, San Francisco and Orlando, Fla., as other possibilities.

Ryman has already been investing in its Nashville venues, spending a combined $22.6 million to upgrade the Ryman Auditorium and the Wildhorse Saloon in the past two years.

And, Ryman also is doubling down on the content-creation component of its business. The new Opry City Stage will feature simulcasts of “Opry” performances. Reed said in recent months the company has hired talent with the goal of creating digital “country lifestyle content” beyond just music content.

The company is one part of the production team for the country music drama “Nashville.”

Reed estimated there are at least 100 million country music fans across the country, and tens of millions more internationally. The recent investments in entertainment and music are designed to lure visitors to Music City, where Ryman has even more projects in the works.