With its 1,500 guests evacuated, managers and employees of the Opryland Hotel in Nashville spent Monday watching the water inside the historic hotel rise to 10 feet above floor level. Images taken in the hotel and of the surrounding area show a facility likely to face major repairs once the floodwaters recede.
As the Cumberland River rose hotel officials initially evacuated guests to a ballroom on Sunday. Once the seriousness of the situation became apparent, all 1,500 were sent to other area hotels and many to a local high school.
Video shot by the Tennessean Monday morning shows the hotel’s courtyard under water. Chairs and other debris are floating in the water while tables in water not quite as deep still have their table clothes and silverware on them.
Other famous Music City attractions have been impacted including the Country Music Hall of Fame which has water in a mechanical room and Schermerhorn Symphony Center whose basement is flooded with several feet of water.
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Sports facilities in the city have been impacted by the flooding as well. LP Field, home of the NFL’s Tennessee Titans now has its entire field surface under water. Users on Twitter are reported that Bridgestone Arena where the NHL’s Nashville Predator’s play has flooding.
The city of Nashville received a record-setting two day rainfall Saturday and Sunday. 13.53 inches of rain was recorded between the two days, more than double the previous record.
Emergency officials expected the Cumberland crest Monday.