Ryman Auditorium's restoration (1994)
The Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, home of the Grand Ole Opry for three decades, fell into disrepair after the Opry left in 1974. A new owner invested in restoring the historic hall and reopened it in 1994 as a full-time concert venue.
The restored Ryman drew national touring acts and sold-out crowds.
The Ryman operates year-round today, a model for how historic music halls can sustain themselves with investment.
Like the Longhorn Ballroom, the Ryman is a decades-old music hall whose continued operation depends on an owner willing to invest in an aging building.
