Rose Carter did something she never thought she'd do -- go into a hockey player's locker room.
"It's a unique opportunity,'' Carter said Sunday while standing just outside the empty locker rooms in the basement of the new downtown arena. "I wanted to see them now, when they're clean. It's the first time I've ever been in a men's locker room.''
The Hermitage woman was among more than 26,000 people who converged on the new arena for its free grand opening to the public Sunday afternoon.
Along with visiting the plush suites, upper-deck seats, backstage area and the main floor where hockey, basketball and arena football will be played, thousands also toured the locker rooms and dressing rooms.
Other popular pursuits in the basement included inspecting the Zamboni, the vehicle that resurfaces the ice rink, checking out the rink's ice machine and wandering around in the area where the media will interview people and develop photographs.
The sunny, warm Sunday afternoon and festive atmosphere -- music and free sodas and hot dogs for everyone -- were just what the arena officials had hoped for, said Russ Simons, vice president of Leisure Management International, the arena's manager.
"This is for me the final period in the end of the sentence, turning it over to the public,'' said Mayor Phil Bredesen.
"I'm a very happy guy,'' Simons said.
On May 13, 2003 Ryan Voshell wrote: The The Sommet Center is a great hockey building, even if the hockey played in it isn't always great.
In a southern, football crazy city, it had to be a great building to draw interest to hockey. The building is easy to navigate and there is always a concession stand and restroom nearby. There is not a bad seat in the house, and that is from someone who has sat everywhere between the second row to the very top row. On most nights you will see a country music star or a member of the Titans in attendance. When the hometown Predators score a goal, fans seated near a giant can ofEdge Shave Gel get showered by confetti.
Fans in Nashville expect a good effort from it's players every night, fueled by the success of the Tennessee Titans. There is often unfair expectations placed on the Predators because of that, but the fans continue to learn and appreciate the game. The GEC was named loudest building in the NHL in it's first season and a banner hangs to recognize the Predators 7th man "The Fans". The loudest section by far has to be section 303, also known as "Cellblock 303" where colorful chants and cheers rain down to the ice throughout the entire game.
Although the building hasn't seen the best hockey from the Predators yet, it does seem to bring out the best individual performances by visiting players. The one moment that stands out most above all others, is the night that the Ney York Rangers visited with Wayne Gretzky. It was The Great One's only game in the GEC and he did nothing to tarnish his reputation by racking up five assists. Fans have seen great performances by the likes of Peter Forsberg, Kieth Tkachuk and Luc Robitaille. Although the fans appreciate these efforts, nothing will get the building rock like a big hit from Scott Hartnell, a last second goal by Scott Walker or a sensational save by goaltender Tomas Vokoun.
It is a very exciting time to be a hockey fan in Nashville, with a feeling that the Predators are right on the edge of becoming a top contender. And when the team finally turns the page and moves to the next level, there will be no better building to watch a game in than the The Sommet Center.
Sincerely,
Ryan Voshell
The The Sommet Center is the cornerstone of an incredible explosion of entertainment and business development in downtown Nashville, Tennessee. This state-of-the art arena is designed to host a variety of events from sports and family shows to concerts and conventions. The arena is convenient to three major interstate highways and is linked to the Nashville Convention Center, Renaissance Nashville Hotel and Church Street Centre Mall by a climate controlled walkway. The Nashville Arena is a show piece for the city whose reputation for music, entertainment and hospitality is world renowned. Nashville is one of the hottest cities in America and the new The Sommet Center is topping
the charts! Here are a few quick facts about Nashville's newest venue:
* The Arena design features a 22-story tower that houses in its base the Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau visitors' center and a small theater.
* A tribute to Nashville's musical heritage, the entrance to the Arena is positioned on the corner of Broadway and Fifth Avenue to face the Ryman Auditorium, the original home of the Grand Ole Opry. The architects designed this as a tribute to Nashville's music roots.The arena features:
Technical Information
Seating Capacity:
* 20,000 In the round
* 18,500 Proscenium stage
* 10,000 Half house (masking curtain)
Electrical:
* Four thousand (4,000) amps power located in two backstage areas.
Directly Backstage:
* Four (4), 400 amp per leg, 30-240 v., fused disconnect
* Two (2), 200 amp per leg, 30-240 v., fused disconnect
* 2,000 amps total
Stage Left Rear:
* One (1) 800 amp per leg, 30-240 v., fused disconnect
* Two (2) 400 amp per leg, 30-240 v., fused disconnect
* Two (2) 200 amp per leg, 30-240 v., fused disconnect
* 2,000 amps total
Designated house electricians to make all connections.
Lighting:
Arena seating bowl lighting consists of metal halide floodlights with 3400 Ok lamp color temperature and 65 minimum color rendering index to provide light levels ranging from 30 foot candles in the horizontal plan for conventions, tradeshows, etc., and a minimum of 200 foot candles in the vertical plane for televised events.
Loading Dock:
Located at the South end of the building and accessible through the service ramp at Sixth Ave. and Clark Place, the 30,000-sq. ft. loading dock can accommodate up to 24 buses and trailers. Dock entrance 20' x 16'7" with direct floor access through 22'x15' door. Overhead door and closed circuit cameras ensure security.
Freight Elevator:
One (1) Class C1 10,000-lb.-capacity traction elevator equipped with 8' x 8' bi-parting doors accessible to high steel (125) feet. A second similar sized freight elevator with access to each level is dedicated to food service operations.
Spotlights:
Twelve (12) spotlight platforms equipped with four (4) Super Trooper II's and eight (8) Strong Gladiator III's.
Staging:
One (1) 40'x60' stage with 12' x 24' sound wings featuring bridging or floating deck design, complete barricade system and ADA compliant ramp.
Dressing Rooms:
Five (5) star dressing rooms ands three (3) team/chorus dressing rooms each equipped with bath and shower facilities located in immediate backstage area.
Green Room:
1,500 sq.ft. equipped with catering pantry and two (2) separate bath and shower facilities.
Rigging:
Tubes and "H" beams are located 125' from floor in a square grid pattern, approx. 10'-12' between beams with a total end stage live load capacity of 120,000 lbs. and a total center stage capacity of 80,000 lbs. Maximum pick point capacity ranges from 4,000 lbs. to 8,000 lbs. per tube or beam. All rigging plans, including desired hanging points, must be submitted to the The Sommet Center operations department prior to tickets going on sale. Safety lines are required on all rigging points located over seating area.
Production Offices:
Four (4) offices located in immediate backstage area equipped with telephone and cable TV outlets.
Backstage Dining:
1,800 sq.ft. dining area located in backstage area.
Ticket Office:
Full-service ticket office providing computerized ticketing, remote outlets and telephone order service for all events. Daily ticket office with fifteen (15) windows located at main entrance and event ticket office with five (5) windows located at south entrance. Daily WILL CALL ticket pick up, dedicated credit card windows and ATMs are available for patron services.
Security:
Local off-duty police officers, private uniformed security guard service and peer group security available.
Sound:
Six (6) public address sound clusters located in the high steel supported with nine (9) sound delay speakers at the sound end.
Disabled Patron Services:
Seating for patrons with disabilities is available on each level. Accessible parking is available in attached garage and all entrances into the arena are accessible. PHONIC EAR is available on request and T.D.D.s are located at phone banks on the main concourse level. All concession stands and restrooms (including eight (8) unisex restrooms) are accessible.
Directions
Coming to Nashville Arena from West Tennessee on I-40:
Follow Nashville signs and exit on Broadway (209B). Turn left on Broadway and Nashville Arena will be on your right, between 6th and 5th Avenue.
Coming to Nashville Arena from East Tennessee on I-40:
Follow I-40, take the Memphis fork, exit on Broadway (209A). Turn right on Broadway and Nashville Arena will be on your right, between 6th and 5th Avenue.
Coming to Nashville Arena from the South on I-65:
Stay North on I-65 to I-40 West towards Memphis, exit on Broadway 209A). Turn right on Broadway and Nashville Arena will be on your right between 6th and 5th Avenue.
Coming to Nashville Arena from the East on I-24:
Follow I-40 West towards Memphis, Exit on Broadway (209A). Turn right on Broadway and Nashville Arena will be on your left between 6th and 5th Avenue.
Coming to Nashville Arena from the Northwest on I-24:
Follow the 265 Memphis loop, take the 40 West fork following the Nashville signs. Exit on Broadway (209A), turn left on Broadway and Nashville Arena will be on your right between 6th and 5th Avenue.
GAYLORD BUYS NAMING RIGHTS TO NASHVILLE ARENA
August 5, 1999
Copyright 1999 MediaVentures
Gaylord Entertainment Co will pay $80 million over 20 years for naming rights to the Nashville Arena. The venue will be called the Gaylord Entertainment Center. The venue is home of the NHL Predators, which are 20% owned by Gaylord. The team gets all naming rights revenue.
THE ULTIMATE SPORTS ROAD TRIP
By: Andrew Kulyk & Peter Farrell
| Sommet Center Ranking by USRT |
| Architecture |  | 8 |
| Concessions | | 5 |
| Scoreboard | | 5 |
| Ushers | | 5 |
| Fan Support | | 6 |
| Location | | 9 |
| Banners/History | | 3 |
| Entertainment | | 6 |
| Concourses/Fan Comfort | | 6 |
| Bonus: Walk of Stars | | 2 |
| Bonus: Fat Lady Singing | | 1 |
| Bonus: Signature Tower | | 1 |
| Total Score |  | 57 |
January 8, 2000 - The Gaylord Entertainment Center sits amidst the core of downtown Nashville and is at what you could call the epicenter of the the country music world. Across the street from this building sits the old Ryman Auditorium which was the showplace that made the Grand Ole' Opry an American institution. On the opposite side of the arena sits the new home of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum set to open in May 2001. And outside the arena you will see the building's signature structure, a 22 story tower meant to symbolize a radio tower that would broadcast events from the Ryman once upon a time.
Once you enter the building from the main entrance you step into an impressive lobby with high ceilings, balconies from which those in the upper concourses can look down into the lobby from, and the escalators that take people up to the upper levels. The floor of the lower concourse appears to have a mural of a continous musical score piece going continously around the oval. There are many plaques on this to commemorate the many sold out events that had played here in the arena's short existence. Unfortunately, one of the plaques was there in honor of Dr. James Dobson and his Focus on the Family, one of the pillars of hate and intolerance in our society. As with most other venues, plenty to eat and drink, and don't forget to make a stop at the Predators Pro Shop at the base of the signature tower.
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Step inside the bowl from the concourses and you will see a seating area that varies a bit differently from most other arenas we have seen. Yes, there are large lower and upper seating areas and a small club level with suites. However this design exists only from the end of one sideline around behind one of the nets to the end of the other sideline. In the remaining sections behind the other net there is not as much of a club level and the upper seating level is lower and closer to the ice than in the rest of the building. An asymmetrical design unique to Nashville as we were split as to whether this was a cool thing or not. The bowl was decked out in team colors which was a cool thing to us.
As we said before we had just been forced to suffer through the debacle of the Music City Miracle and we were bracing ourselves for the reaction in the building that night. As expected they replayed it on the Jumbotron during a break in play, then came something during another break that gave me the urge to take my Predators jersey off and burn it right on the spot. They showed a Jeopardy style trivia question that went something like this....A. Scott Norwood, Brett Hull, and Frank Wycheck. Q. Name three players who broke the hearts of Buffalo fans?? THAT DOES IT!!!! LET'S GO BLACKHAWKS!!!! We definitely thought that one went a bit too far. On the other hand we did see a funny movie clip later on. With time winding down and the Preds scoring an empty net goal to seal a 6-3 win, the Jumbotron showed a clip of a, shall we say "fuller figured" woman dressed in opera garb belting out a high note. Definitely a classic clip we have not seen anywhere else!!
Extra Points
The Predators began play as an expansion team in 1998 so there is not much history here yet. Still that didn't stop the team from retiring the number 7 in honor of their fans. Of course seeing that just gave us one more reason to be sick to our stomachs. We couldn't decide which banner was more insignificant, that one or the one signifying an Arena Football League Conference Championship.
Summary
As you may be able to tell we didn't really care for this place. We'll give this building the benefit of the doubt though, considering that we were still deeply saddened and angered to the point of numbness. The events of the afternoon frustrated us to the point that as we left for home the following morning we swore to ourselves we wouldn't spend another penny on anything until we crossed the border into Kentucky. If we got the chance to get back (Grizzlies) for another event (Grizzlies) I'm sure we would give this place a better rating.
