Floodwaters force evacuation of Nashville’s Gaylord Opryland Hotel

It was a late night for guests of the Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Convention Center, as the hotel was evacuated because of rising floodwaters.

The torrential rains have stopped in Nashville, Tenn., but the Cumberland River continued to rise overnight.

Around midnight CDT, Nashville emergency officials decided to remove the estimated 1,500 guests from the hotel. Instead of spending the night in their rooms, folks wound up sleeping on cots at nearby McGavock High School.

The hotel sits on the banks of the Cumberland River, which was cresting this morning. So far, Gaylord officials say the Nashville landmark has suffered only minor flood damage.

A note posted on the hotel’s Web site advises that Gaylord has temporarily suspended reservations for the Music City property.

Fifteen people have been killed in the weekend floods. The three interstates that intersect in Nashville – I-24, I-65 and I-40, were all closed over the weekend. Officials say I-40 may be closed for an extended period of time because of flood damage.