“They took Opryland from me, so I’m going to bring it back,” the comedian previously said about the now-developing project
Nashville residents and visitors’ days of traveling three hours outside of the city to visit an amusement park, Dollywood over in Pigeon Forge, are nearly over. Comedian Nate Bargatze has partnered with Storyland Studios to open a family-friendly theme park that will span more than 100 acres in the Tennessee capital.
“This project has been a long time coming, and we’re thrilled to officially announce that we have embarked on this journey with Nate, Felix and the entire Nateland team,” Mel McGowan, founder and chief creative officer of Storyland Studios, said.
Nashville hasn’t had its own premiere amusement park location since Opryland shuttered in 1997. After nearly 30 years, Bargatze could fill that gap. Earlier this year, he told WSMV4, “My goal is to shoot movies here and then also work on a theme park. And we can have our own Universal Studio. I mean, it’s gonna be called ‘Nateland’. They took Opryland from me, so I’m going to bring it back. We’re going to have the Screaming Delta Demon. We’re gonna bring it back.”
Still, it’s going to take a while. The Nateland Experiences branch of his entertainment company is still working with officials at the state and local level to determine a feasible location for the large-scale project. Nateland and Storyland can begin pitching the amusement park to investors following the completion of a feasibility study early next year.
“Our goal is to create a truly premium themed entertainment experience right in Music City that reflects the unique humor and heart of Nateland, while also delivering a world-class destination for families,” McGowan shared.
“I’ve been with Nate long enough that when he starts talking about a theme park, I know he isn’t joking. I’m like, ‘Yes, let’s do a theme park,’ ” comic Julian McCullough told The Hollywood Reporter earlier this year. “I also know that not everybody’s going to hear it that way, and they haven’t.” In February, Bargatze will set sail with another venture, the Nateland at Sea comedy cruise.
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