At Opening, Officials See Bright Day For County

Predictions Hopeful For Gaylord Resort

As elected officials partied Friday to celebrate the grand opening of the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, many noted the historic nature of the event and predicted that the project would be a boon for the county.

"My father, grandfather or great-grandfather could never imagine this in Prince George's County," Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Calvert) said. "This is fabulous. I'm so proud of it."

Miller, dressed in a tuxedo with black bow tie, danced in the aisle and waved a finger in the air as country singer Martina McBride moved along the stage during an after-dinner concert.

Colin Reed, Gaylord's chief executive, acknowledged some "twists and turns," referring to problems that grabbed media attention in the resort's opening days. In early April, some hotel guests contracted norovirus and others found mice in their rooms, and last Thursday, a fire at a condominium under construction at National Harbor caused about $5,000 in damage.

But, he said, anyone who attended Friday's festivities -- even the company's critics -- would have to agree that Gaylord National is certain to "become the most successful hotel and convention center on the Eastern Seaboard."

McBride even offered her congratulations. "It is absolutely gorgeous," the entertainer said.

Hers was the main act in Gaylord's plan to bring a little bit of Nashville to Prince George's for the grand opening, a swanky affair in the hotel's Chesapeake Ballroom. Country legend Charley Pride also entertained the crowd of 700 guests, largely politicians, religious leaders and out-of-town investors.

The guests came decked out in their finest attire. Leslie Johnson, wife of County Executive Jack B. Johnson (D) wore an elegant pink gown with a layer of ruffles flowing from the knees. Sen. Ulysses Currie (D-Prince George's) was dressed in a black tuxedo with a black bow tie, and Del. Melony G. Griffith (D-Prince George's) wore a stylish, black beaded full-length gown, with a matching sheer wrap.

They dined on delicate rockfish, beef tenderloin and moist crab cakes, and many sipped chardonnay.

Earlier in the day, local and state officials attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony under the hotel's barrel-vaulted glass dome. The chorus, band and ROTC members from Oxon Hill High School performed. Developer Milton V. Peterson has forged a relationship with the local school as part of an effort to reach out to the community.

Johnson, Reed and Lt. Gov. Anthony G. Brown (D), standing in for Gov. Martin O'Malley (D), made speeches.

Reed said that many of Gaylord's board members had suggested that Prince George's was not the right expansion site for the resort, which has hotels in Orlando, Nashville and Fort Worth. They raised questions about getting a fair shake from politicians, dealing with labor unions and attracting guests, he said.

But 10 months before opening, Gaylord announced that it had sold more than 1 million room nights to meeting and convention groups through 2018.

Labor union representatives also attended last week's festivities.

Reed said that even though some "misunderstandings" had occurred with elected officials, things have been ironed out. Among the issues, some elected officials wondered about diversity in the workplace, Reed said.

"I know there were some skeptics, and I believe there still are," that the hotel would not hire minorities in upper-level positions, he said. He added, however, that Gaylord has a number of minorities in management-level positions.

Reed also used his speech to present the County Council and Peterson with special gifts: sculptures of eagles.

As fireworks exploded inside the atrium and along the riverbank, and red-white-and-blue confetti fell, Reed capped off the day: "The future of this incredible building begins today."