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Description of the Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2024
Description of the Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies  
Business Segments

Business Segments

Hospitality

The Hospitality segment includes the Gaylord Hotels properties, JW Marriott Hill Country (effective June 30, 2023), the Inn at Opryland and the AC Hotel, each of which is managed by Marriott pursuant to a management agreement for each hotel.

Entertainment

The Entertainment segment includes the OEG business, specifically the Grand Ole Opry, the Ryman Auditorium, WSM-AM, Ole Red, Category 10, Block 21, and OEG’s previous investment in the Circle joint venture, among various others. Marriott manages the day-to-day operations of the General Jackson and the W Austin, which is part of the Block 21 complex, pursuant to management agreements.

Corporate and Other

The Corporate and Other segment includes operating and general and administrative expenses related to the overall management of the Company which are not allocated to the other reportable segments, including certain costs for the Company’s retirement plans, equity-based compensation plans, information technology, human resources, accounting, and other administrative expenses.
Principles of Consolidation

Principles of Consolidation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries. The Company’s investments in non-controlled entities in which it has the ability to exercise significant influence over operating and financial policies are accounted for by the equity method. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

The Company analyzes its variable interests, including loans, guarantees, management agreements, leasing arrangements and equity investments, to determine if an entity in which it has a variable interest is a variable interest entity (“VIE”). This analysis primarily includes a qualitative review, which is based on a review of the design of the entity, its organizational structure, including decision-making ability, and relevant financial agreements. This analysis is also used to determine if the Company must consolidate the VIE as the primary beneficiary.

In September 2023, the Company and its joint venture partner agreed to wind down the Circle joint venture, with operations ceasing December 31, 2023. As a result, the Company incurred a loss related to Circle of approximately $10.5 million, which is included in loss from unconsolidated joint ventures in the accompanying consolidated statement of operations for 2023.
Property and Equipment

Property and Equipment

Property and equipment are stated at cost or initially at estimated fair value if recorded in connection with purchase accounting. Improvements and significant renovations that extend the lives of existing assets are capitalized. Interest on funds borrowed to finance the construction of major capital additions is included in the cost of the applicable capital addition. Maintenance and repairs are charged to expense as incurred. Property and equipment are generally depreciated using the straight-line method over the following estimated useful lives:

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Buildings

    

40 years

Land improvements

 

20 years

Furniture, fixtures and equipment

 

5-8 years

Leasehold improvements

 

The shorter of the lease term or useful life
Cash and Cash Equivalents - Unrestricted

Cash and Cash Equivalents — Unrestricted

The Company considers all highly liquid investments purchased with an original maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents. The Company maintains cash and cash equivalents balances in excess of insured limits with various financial institutions.
Cash and Cash Equivalents - Restricted

Cash and Cash Equivalents — Restricted

Restricted cash and cash equivalents primarily represent funds held by our property manager for furniture, fixtures and equipment reserves. In addition, based on its loan agreement, Block 21 must maintain a restricted cash balance related to debt service, property tax, insurance and other payments.

Effective September 30, 2024, Block 21 was in a Trigger Period (as defined in Note 4, “Debt”). Such cash amounts held as a result of the Trigger Period are also included in restricted cash for 2024.

Accounts Receivable

Accounts Receivable

The Company’s accounts receivable are primarily generated by meetings and convention attendees’ room nights and food and beverage. Receivables arising from these sales are not collateralized. Credit risk associated with the accounts receivable is minimized due to the large and diverse nature of the customer base.
Credit Loss Reserves on Receivables

Credit Loss Reserves on Receivables

The Company provides for credit loss reserves based upon a percentage of accounts receivable that considers historical write-offs, current economic conditions, and management’s expectations about future economic conditions, as well as periodic evaluations of the aging of accounts receivable.

The Company provides credit loss reserves for the Gaylord National bonds by comparing the amortized cost basis to their present value. If the amortized cost basis exceeds the present value, an expected credit loss exists and the allowance for credit losses is measured as the difference between the bonds’ amortized cost basis and present value, which is estimated using discounted cash flow analyses that utilize comprehensive cash flow projections over the contractual life of the bonds, as well as observable market data to the extent available. The Company considers each of these estimates as Level 3 fair value measurements.
Inventory Inventories consist primarily of food and beverage inventory for resale and retail inventory sold in the Entertainment segment. Inventory is carried at the lower of cost or net realizable value. Cost is computed on an average cost basis.
Intangible Assets

Intangible Assets

In connection with the Company’s purchase price allocation of the Gaylord Rockies joint venture, the Company acquired certain definite-lived intangibles, which are shown on the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. Included in these intangibles are the original estimated fair value of advanced bookings of $125.5 million and the original estimated fair value related to the Gaylord Hotels trade name, which Marriott owns, of $115.3 million. The advanced bookings asset was amortized on a straight-line basis over a period of 3.5 years, which corresponded with the period in which the advanced bookings related, and the value in the trade name is being amortized on a straight-line basis over 30 years, which is the period of the Marriott management agreement.

Income Taxes

Income Taxes

The Company establishes deferred tax assets and liabilities based on the difference between the financial statement and income tax carrying amounts of assets and liabilities using existing tax laws and tax rates. The Company reports a liability for unrecognized tax benefits resulting from uncertain tax positions taken or expected to be taken in a tax return, if any. The Company recognizes interest and penalties, if any, related to unrecognized tax benefits in income tax expense. See Note 10, “Income Taxes,” for more detail on the Company’s income taxes.

The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in the tax rate is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date of the rate change. The Company records a valuation allowance to reduce its deferred tax assets to the amount that is more likely than not to be realized. The Company has considered all available positive and negative evidence in assessing the need for a valuation allowance.
Deferred Management Rights Proceeds

Deferred Management Rights Proceeds

The Company has deferred and amortizes the proceeds received from Marriott that were allocated to the sale of the management rights, as discussed further in Note 5, “Deferred Management Rights Proceeds,” on a straight-line basis over the term of the hotel management agreements, including extensions, as a reduction in management fee expense in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations.
Deferred Financing Costs

Deferred Financing Costs

Deferred financing costs (“DFCs”) consist of loan fees and other costs of financing that are amortized over the term of the related financing agreements, using the effective interest method, and are generally presented as a reduction of the related debt liability. DFCs on the Company’s revolving credit facility and the OEG revolving credit facility are included

in prepaid expenses and other assets when the related revolving credit facility has no outstanding balance. During 2024, 2023 and 2022, DFCs of $10.7 million, $10.7 million and $9.8 million, respectively, were amortized to interest expense in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations.
Noncontrolling Interests

Noncontrolling Interests

OEG

The noncontrolling interest in consolidated joint venture for 2024 and 2023 represents the minority investor’s proportionate share of the assets and liabilities of OEG, adjusted for changes in the redemption value of the related put rights. The noncontrolling interest is classified in the mezzanine section of the consolidated balance sheets as the related redemption options do not meet the requirements for permanent equity classification because these redemption options may be redeemed by the holder as described above in “OEG Transaction.”

The initial value of the noncontrolling interest in OEG, which included certain put rights, was estimated based on the purchase price received from the OEG Investor. In general, the carrying value will be based on the greater of the accumulated historical cost or the put right redemption value, and at December 31, 2024, approximates the fair value of the noncontrolling interest. An adjustment is also made for the OEG Investor’s proportionate share of income or loss in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations.

OP Units

Certain former owners of interests in the previous Gaylord Rockies joint venture received units of the Operating Partnership (“OP Units”) in exchange for their interests. Such OP Units have economic terms that are substantially similar to shares of the Company’s common stock and are redeemable at the option of the holders thereof.

The noncontrolling interest in the Operating Partnership represents the limited partners’ proportionate share of the equity of the Operating Partnership. The noncontrolling interest is classified in the equity section of the consolidated balance sheets, separately from stockholders’ equity, as the related redemption options are redeemable for cash, or if the Company so elects, in unregistered shares of the Company’s common stock on a one-for-one basis, subject to certain adjustments. An adjustment is made for the limited partners’ proportionate share of income or loss in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations. At December 31, 2024, 0.4 million outstanding OP Units, or 0.7% of the outstanding OP Units, were held by the noncontrolling limited partners and are included as a component of equity in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. The Company owns, directly or indirectly, the remaining 99.3% of the outstanding OP Units.
Revenue Recognition

Revenue Recognition

Revenues from occupied hotel rooms are recognized over time as the daily hotel stay is provided to hotel groups and guests. Revenues from concessions, food and beverage sales and group meeting services are recognized over the period or at the point in time those goods or services are delivered to the hotel group or guest. Revenues from ancillary services at the Company’s hotels, such as spa, parking, and transportation services, are generally recognized at the time the goods or services are provided. Cancellation fees and attrition fees, which are charged to groups when they do not fulfill the minimum number of room nights or minimum food and beverage spending requirements originally contracted for, are generally recognized as revenue in the period the Company determines it is probable that a significant reversal in the amount of revenue recognized will not occur, which is typically the period these fees are collected. The Company generally recognizes revenues from the Entertainment segment at the point in time that services are provided or goods are delivered or shipped to the customer, as applicable. Cash received from advanced ticket sales is deferred and recognized as revenue at the time of the event. Entertainment segment revenues from licenses of content are recognized at the point in time the content is delivered to the licensee and the licensee can use and benefit from the content. The Company is required to collect certain taxes from customers on behalf of government agencies and remit these to the applicable governmental entity on a periodic basis. These taxes are collected from customers at the time of purchase but are not included in revenue. The Company records a liability upon collection from the customer and relieves the liability when payments are remitted to the applicable governmental agency.
Deferred Revenue

The Company records deferred revenues when cash payments are received in advance of its performance obligations, primarily related to advanced deposits on hotel rooms in its Hospitality segment and advanced ticketing in its OEG venues. At December 31, 2024 and 2023, the Company had $173.0 million and $159.8 million, respectively, in deferred revenues, which are included in accounts payable and accrued liabilities in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. Of the amount outstanding at December 31, 2023, approximately $117.5 million was recognized in revenues during 2024.
Management Fees The Company pays Marriott a base management fee based on the gross revenues from the applicable property for each fiscal year or portion thereof. The applicable percentage for the Gaylord Hotels properties, excluding Gaylord Rockies, is approximately 2% of gross revenues, Gaylord Rockies is approximately 3% of revenues, and JW Marriott Hill Country is approximately 3.5% of gross revenues. Additionally, the Company pays Marriott an incentive management fee based on the profitability of the properties. Management fees are presented in the consolidated statements of operations net of the amortization of the deferred management rights proceeds discussed further in Note 5, “Deferred Management Rights Proceeds.”
Advertising Costs

Advertising Costs

Advertising costs are expensed as incurred and were $71.4 million, $65.0 million, and $55.1 million for 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
Stock-Based Compensation

Stock-Based Compensation

The Company has stock-based employee compensation plans, which are described more fully in Note 7, “Stock Plans.” The Company accounts for its stock-based compensation plan under the provisions of Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 718, “Compensation – Stock Compensation.”
Preopening Costs

Preopening Costs

The Company expenses the costs associated with start-up activities and organization costs associated with its development or reopening of hotels and significant attractions as incurred. The Company’s preopening costs during 2024 include costs associated with Category 10, which opened in November 2024 and Ole Red Las Vegas, which opened in January 2024. The Company’s preopening costs during 2023 include costs associated with Ole Red Las Vegas. The Company’s preopening costs during 2022 include costs associated with Ole Red Nashville International Airport, which opened in May 2022.
Derivative Financial Instruments

Derivative Financial Instruments

The Company has entered into and may in the future enter into additional interest rate swap agreements to hedge against interest rate fluctuations. The Company does not use derivatives for trading or speculative purposes and currently does not hold any derivatives that are not designated as hedges.

For derivatives designated as and that qualify as cash flow hedges of interest rate risk, the gain or loss on the derivative resulting from recording each instrument at estimated fair value is recorded in accumulated other comprehensive loss and subsequently reclassified to interest expense in the same period during which the hedged transaction affects earnings. These amounts reported in accumulated other comprehensive loss will be reclassified to interest expense as interest payments are made on the related variable-rate debt. The Company estimates that $0.4 million will be reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss to interest expense in the next twelve months.
Impairment of Long-Lived and Other Assets

Impairment of Long-Lived and Other Assets

In accounting for the Company’s long-lived and other assets (including its property and equipment and intangible assets), the Company assesses its long-lived assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of the assets or asset group may not be recoverable.

Recoverability of property and equipment and definite-lived intangible assets that will continue to be used is measured by comparing the carrying amount of the asset or asset group to the related total future undiscounted net cash flows. If an asset or asset group’s carrying value is not recoverable through those cash flows, the asset group is considered to be impaired. The impairment is measured by the excess of the assets’ carrying amount over their fair value, which is estimated using discounted cash flow analyses that utilize comprehensive cash flow projections, as well as observable market data to the extent available.

The Company recorded no impairment losses during 2024, 2023 or 2022.
Income Per Share

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Income Per Share

Income per share is measured as basic earnings per share and diluted earnings per share. Basic earnings per share is computed by dividing net income by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the year. Diluted earnings per share is computed by dividing net income by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding after considering the effect of conversion of dilutive instruments, calculated using the treasury stock method or if-converted method, as applicable. Net income per share amounts are calculated as follows for the years ended December 31 (income and share amounts in thousands):
Accounting Estimates

Accounting Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reported periods. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Newly Issued Accounting Standards

Newly Issued Accounting Standards

In November 2023, the FASB issued ASU No. 2023-07, “Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures,” requiring public entities to provide disclosures of significant segment expenses and other segment items, as well as to provide in interim periods all disclosures about a reportable segment’s profit or loss and assets that are currently required annually. The Company retrospectively adopted this guidance for fiscal year 2024 and will retrospectively adopt this guidance for

interim periods beginning in fiscal year 2025. This adoption did not have a material impact on the Company’s financial statements.

In December 2023, the FASB issued ASU No. 2023-09, “Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures,” requiring public entities to provide additional information in the rate reconciliation, to disclose annually income taxes paid disaggregated by federal, state and foreign taxes and to disaggregate the information by jurisdiction based on a quantitative threshold. The guidance is applied prospectively, but with the option to apply retrospectively, and will be effective for the Company for fiscal year 2025. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this ASU but does not anticipate this adoption to have a material impact on the Company’s financial statements.

In November 2024, the FASB issued ASU No. 2024-03, “Expense Disaggregation Disclosures,” requiring public companies to disclose, on an annual and interim basis, disaggregated information about certain income statement line items, including employee compensation, purchases of inventory, depreciation, intangible asset amortization and depletion for each income statement line item that includes those expenses. The guidance is applied prospectively, but with the option to apply retrospectively, and will be effective for the Company for fiscal year 2027. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this ASU but does not anticipate this adoption to have a material impact on the Company’s financial statements.

Fair Value Measurements

The Company uses a three-tier fair value hierarchy, which prioritizes the inputs used in measuring fair value. These tiers include: Level 1, defined as observable inputs such as quoted prices in active markets; Level 2, defined as inputs other than quoted prices in active markets that are either directly or indirectly observable; and Level 3, defined as unobservable inputs in which little or no market data exists, therefore requiring an entity to develop its own assumptions.

The investments held by the Company in connection with its deferred compensation plan consist of money market and mutual funds traded in an active market. The Company determined the fair value of these assets based on the net asset value per unit of the funds or the portfolio, which is based upon quoted market prices in an active market. Therefore, the Company has categorized these investments as Level 1.

The Company’s interest rate swaps consist of over-the-counter swap contracts, which are not traded on a public exchange. The Company determines the fair value of these swap contracts based on a widely accepted valuation methodology of netting the discounted future fixed cash flows and the discounted expected variable cash flows, using interest rates derived from observable market interest rate curves and volatilities, with appropriate adjustments for any significant impact of non-performance risk of the parties to the swap contracts. Therefore, these swap contracts have been classified as Level 2.

The Company has consistently applied these valuation techniques in all periods presented and believes it has obtained the most accurate information available for the types of instruments it holds.