Gaylord Entertainment Co., which was recently purchased by Marriott International, provided an update on an explosion that occurred at Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Convention Center in Nashville, Tenn., on June 19 shortly after 8 p.m. Authorities have confirmed that the incident was mechanical in nature, and fire officials reported that the blast was caused by a gas leak in a mechanical room on the first floor of the convention center, away from guest rooms. All of the estimated 5,000 hotel guests and Gaylord employees were safely evacuated, and there have been no reported injuries.

“First and foremost, what is important is that no one was hurt as a result of this incident," said Colin V. Reed, chairman and CEO of Gaylord Entertainment. “I want to commend the efforts of the Nashville Fire Department, Nashville Police Department and our stars for their swift response that ensured that the issue was assessed as quickly as possible and that all guests were safely evacuated. At this stage we can now focus on returning to business as usual and repairing the impacted areas of the property with minimal disruption to our guests.”

Initial assessments of the damage suggest that the impact will not be material and will have little to no effect on upcoming meetings and events. The hotel and restaurants resumed normal operations on June 20 at 7 a.m. The Nashville fire and police departments and structural engineers worked through the night to assess the damages and ensure the integrity of the property before allowing everyone to re-enter shortly after 3 a.m. Initial estimates of the damages are less than $750,000 and repairs are underway. The company carries business interruption and property insurance associated with explosion damage. For now, the affected areas of the Delta Atrium at the property are safely closed off.