Gaylord Entertainment, a leading hospitality and enter tainment company headquartered in Nashville is the recipient of the 2002 Tennessean of the Year Award. This award, chosen by the President of the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame, recognizes outstanding contributions to the cause of sports in Tennessee.

As sports columnist for The Tennessean, Joe Biddle, so aptly stated in his column of January 9th, "If it wasn't for the financial commitment of Gaylord Entertainment Go., it is realistic to believe the Music City Bowl and the Champions Tour tourney (the men's senior PGA tour stop in Nashville) would have vanished.

"They are fortunate that Gaylord CEO Colin Reed values sports and is civic minded, otherwise he would be pouring that money into Gaylord's hotel resort properties."

Gaylord Entertainment owns and operates Gaylord Hotels branded properties, including the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center and the Radisson Opryland Hotel in Nashville, and the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center in Kissimmee, Fla. Its entertainment brands include the Grand Ole Opry, the Ryman Auditorium, the General Jackson Showboat, the Springhouse Golf Club, the Wildhorse Saloon, and WSM-AM, WSM-FM, and WWTN Radio.

We salute the Gaylord Entertainment Co. and its management headed by Colin Reed, President and CEO, and recognize them as "The Tennessean of the Year."