Nashville, Tenn � For those that get excited at the thought of perfect julienne carrots and meringue that peaks perfectly, Gaylord Opryland� Resort & Convention Center might just have the opportunity of your dreams. Each year, a handful of applicants are selected and admitted into the Culinary Apprentice Program at Gaylord Opryland.

In 2003, Gaylord Opryland partnered with Nashville State Community College to create a unique opportunity for students to study the culinary arts while immediately applying what they learn at an extraordinary luxury resort. There is no other program like this in Nashville - or the Southeast - and the search for the next crop of top chefs is now underway.

This year, 12 applicants will be accepted into this elite program. Gaylord Opryland Resort is one of the few hotels that still offers cooks an opportunity to learn scratch baking, pastries, classic sauces and such classes as Nutrition and Menu Planning. Winner of the prestigious DiRoNA award, the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence and the Gold Platter Elite in 2004, Gaylord Opryland is an ideal learning environment for those in the culinary field.

�At Gaylord Opryland, we offer a holistic, hands-on approach by providing the knowledge and skills these students will need to be successful in their culinary arts careers. In a joint endeavor like this, we expect to �grow some of our own� as graduates will have the opportunity to work at a Gaylord Hotels property.� said Chef Peter D�Andrea, Director of Food and Beverage at Gaylord Opryland.

The students� schedule is a rigorous one. One day per week is spent in the classroom learning principles of food production, sanitation, nutrition, foodservice management plus other related core college courses. The rest of the week is spent on the job, learning first hand the daily trials of being a chef. Students spend an average of forty hours per week on the job in order to meet the required 6,000 hours of hands-on training necessary to earn the American Culinary Federation�s Certificate of Apprenticeship. Upon completion of the training program, students must successfully complete oral, written and practical examinations before becoming �Certified Culinarians.� The entire program is developed, administered and facilitated by Gaylord Opryland and is fully registered and recognized by the ACF and the United States Department of Labor.

Applications for the 2005 class are now being accepted and the final deadline for application is April 30, 2005. Suitable applicants will go through interviews in May and candidate selections will be made by early June. Apprentices will begin the program in early August. Interested individuals can contact Dina Starks for more information at 615-458-2776 or by e-mail at dstarks@gaylordhotels.com or log on to www.gaylordopryland.com/culinary for an application.

About Gaylord Opryland Nashville Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center � the largest non-gaming in-hotel facility in the world � is known for providing superior products and services to the meetings and convention industry. Winner of numerous prestigious awards including the coveted Gold Key Elite Award in 2003 & 2004, Gaylord Opryland Nashville is the flagship property of the Gaylord Hotels brand owned by Gaylord Entertainment (NYSE: GET), a leading hospitality and entertainment company based in Nashville, Tenn. For more information, visit www.gaylordentertainment.com or www.gaylordopryland.com. Media Relations Contacts: Allison Lanquist Ph: +1 615 458-2877 alanquist@gaylordhotels.com

Jeffrey Zimmer PH: +1 615 458-2873 jzimmer@gaylordhotels.com