Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/407098
34 w e s t w o r l d | W I N T E R 2 0 1 4 Scher merhor n Sy mphony Center, which opened in 2006 as a cherrywood-panelled example of neoclassical architecture. I took in the Nashville Symphony's season opening gala where I was completely mesmerized by a sampling of this city's high culture and the performance of guest soprano Renée Fleming – and trust me on this, I'm definitely more of a honky-tonkin', holler and swaller kind of guy than a symphony-goer. T he urban renewa l of Nashv i l le that began as early as the 1990s has seen not only the arrival of pro sports teams but also the launch of major projects such as a new down- town convention facility – the $623-million Music City Center – which opened last May. Situated on a 6.6-hectare site adjacent to the Bridgestone Arena, the 2.1-million-square- foot LEED-designated building is fundamen- tal to the way Nashville perceives itself as a bona fide destination city of diverse inter- ests. And during an economic era in which much of the rest of America is still reeling or barely recovering. "We invested when other cities weren't doing that," says Spyridon. Also dovetailing with the CMHF expan- sion is last September's grand opening of the four-star, four-diamond Omni Nash- ville Hotel. e 800-room, 21-storey Omni connects directly to the CMHF at the lux- ur y hotel 's third-f loor level. With a lobby sh aped l i ke a g u it a r, l ive mu sic i n t he honky-tonk style bar, Bob's Steak & Chop House grilling up meat and a 2,000-bottle wine room, the new Omni will be a slam dunk for out-of-towners looking to situate t hemselves st rateg ica l ly in t he beat ing hea r t of Mu sic C it y. ( R oom rates va r y between $169 and $349.) (l-r) From 1943-74, the Ryman Auditorium was the premier stage for the Grand Ole Opry live radio show; backstage at Jesse McReynolds' Grand Ole Opry dressing room in fall 2013; Nashville's new $623-million convention facility, the Music City Center. (far left) istock, john campbell, (opposite) music city center