100-Acre Book-Inspired Theme Park Headed to Tennessee

Tennessee could soon have a new theme park, with attractions based on books from around the world. Per NASHtoday, Storyville Gardens will cover over 100 acres in Middle Tennessee, and construction is slated to start in mid-2022. Elde and DeLisa Guerrier, owners of the Nashville-based real estate development firm Guerrier Development, announced the project earlier this month. They expect to announce a specific location for the park later this year.

The Guerriers are now in talks with governments and private landowners in the region to find the perfect location for the park, reports WKRN. They hope Storyville Gardens will be a theme park filled with attractions inspired by books and stories. The mission is to inspire children to change how they see reading and to create more family entertainment in Middle Tennessee, which hasn't seen a theme park since Opryland USA closed in 1997.

"Middle Tennessee continues to experience an economic boom, and young families move here every day. However, Nashville and the surrounding counties are missing family-friendly entertainment options for our children," DeLisa Guerrier told WKRN. "Storyville Gardens will provide that option while also helping parents and caregivers instill a love of reading in their children."

The proposed resort area would cover over 220,000 square feet, including retail, dining, and entertainment. It could create over 2,260 jobs during construction and over 1,700 jobs once completed. The park itself will cover 130 acres, with the cost of the investment at $300 million.

"Investors across the country are very aware of Middle Tennessee's growth. They also know the history of Opryland in Nashville and that it closed despite being profitable with stable attendance," Elde Guerrier told WKRN. "There is a great deal of excitement and energy around Storyville Gardens, and we are looking forward to delivering it to the region."

The developers hope to have a location within the Nashville area by the end of 2021, according to NASHToday. Construction could start in mid-2022 with the first of three phases. They project a spring 2025 opening date. Storyland Studios, which has worked for Universal Studios and Disney Parks, designed the Storyville Gardens, which will include a lagoon at the middle. The park will be split into four geographically themed lands, Africa, America, Asia and Europe.

"The potential for Storyville Gardens is limitless, both in terms of its ability to become a global attraction as well as its expected impact on children and families that will embrace reading and stories through world-class, experiential attractions," Storyland Studios founder Mel McGowan said in a statement. "The theme park industry will have never seen a park quite like this one. Tennessee families and tourists to the region are in for an experience they won't be able to get anywhere else."