Nashville council passes $14M water park incentive package

March 8, 2017 at 10:10 a.m. | Updated March 8, 2017 at 10:10 a.m.

by The Tennessean

FILE - In this July 9, 2014 file photo, riders are propelled by jets of water as they go over a hump while riding a water slide called "Verruckt" at Schlitterbahn Waterpark in Kansas City, Kan. A 12-year-old boy died Sunday, Aug. 7, 2016, on the Kansas water slide that is billed as the world's largest, according to officials. Kansas City, Kansas, police spokesman Officer Cameron Morgan said the boy died at the Schlitterbahn Waterpark, which is located about 15 miles west of downtown Kansas City, Missouri. Schlitterbahn spokeswoman Winter Prosapio said the child died on one of the park's main attractions, Verruckt, a 168-foot-tall water slide that has 264 stairs leading to the top. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)

Ryman Hospitality will get an estimated $13.8 million in city incentives as part of the company's plans for a new private water park at its Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center following Metro Council action Tuesday.

The council voted 30-6 with four abstentions to approve on final reading a plan to keep Opryland's property tax payments flat through 2025 after this year's reappraisal. As a result, Metro won't take in about $1.63 million in expected annual property taxes the city would typically collect from the water park.

The deal, which was crafted by Mayor Megan Barry's administration, also gives a six year extension on $1 million in annual hotel-tax rebates, now until 2031. Ryman began receiving from Metro after the city's devastating 2010 flood. In exchange Ryman will donate two parcels, at 2400 and 2410 McGavock Pike, to Metro, providing Nashville's parks department new land for public boat access to the Cumberland River.

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