Country music legend Dolly Parton has decided
to withdraw her partnership in a new Nashville theme park.
"Gaylord
makes decisions that they feel are good for their company and their
stockholders and I have to make decisions based on what is best for me and the
Dollywood Company," Parton said in a statement issued Friday.
The
once 50/50 joint venture between Gaylord Entertainment Co. and Dollywood was to
develop a 114-acre site for a family entertainment zone across from the Gaylord
Opryland Resort and Convention Center.
The
$50 million project was expected to be a water and snow park, with the park's
slated opening date for summer of 2014.
In a statement,
Gaylord's CEO and Chairman Colin Reed stated, "we are deeply disappointed
in today's news that Dollywood will no longer partner with us to build a family
attraction. We have enormous admiration for Dolly Parton and her company, and
respect their decision ... We will endeavor to find another quality partner so
that this important tourism project can become a reality."
Earlier
this year, Parton told CNN's Brooke Baldwin that "we are going to be
bringing more family entertainment into Nashville."
The
Dollywood Company originally planned to serve as the project's operating
partner and was going to employ 450 employees.
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