After historic flooding shut down the capital of country music, the hum of Grasshopper mowers was greeted with a reverence usually reserved for the sweet sounds produced by music stars.
“As the Cumberland [River] floodwaters were still receding, I was amazed to see our Grasshopper units already on the resort property cleaning up debris,” said Pete Weien, senior vice president and general manager, Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center. “Those units were vital to kicking off our massive cleanup and remodel.”
During the first weekend in May 2010, unprecedented flooding swept through Nashville, including the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center, the largest non-gaming facility in the continental United States. More than 10 feet of water inundated several areas of the hotel, including the signature atria, gardens and 115 guest rooms, which were gutted and entirely rebuilt. The floodwaters caused $215 million in damage.
Hollis Malone, manager of horticulture and pest control for the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center, agreed that Grasshopper mower played a key role in the resort’s flood recovery.
“We have had the toughest summer since I started here in 1982,” said Malone. “The Grasshopper diesel mowers have been the most reliable mowers we have ever used and, due to our opportunities since the May flood, they have given us superb service. The mowing crew raves about the dependability and comfort of mowing. They mow 8 to 10 hours some days, and feel good when they park the mowers at the end of the day.”
Malone oversees the Horticulture and Pest Control Department for the resort and its affiliate location in Nashville, and manages nearly 50 employees year-round to keep the resort’s interior and exterior landscapes immaculate. He and his staff care for 410 acres of beautiful trees, tropical plants, exotic flowers and lush lawn.
The department runs a fleet of Grasshoppers – three MidMount 428D mowers and three FrontMount 928D mowers – all day, every day, throughout their mowing season, which ranges from mid-March to early December. Grasshopper is the official lawn and garden equipment provider of the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center.
Malone will appear at Grasshopper Indoor Booth #9130 at GIE+EXPO, October 28-30, in Louisville, Kentucky, to share his experiences using Grasshopper mowers.
