Big Gaylord owner wants Opry/Ryman unit spun out

If the No. 2 investor at Gaylord Entertainment has his way, the iconic Ryman Auditorium and Opry House will soon be the headline acts in their own company.

Mario Gabelli, whose GAMCO Investors entities own about 13 percent of Gaylord's shares, on Wednesday sent management a letter saying he intends to vote against the planned sale of the company's hotels to Marriott International and its conversion to a real estate investment trust. But he added that — despite selling millions of dollars worth of his team's shares since mid-July — he intends to remain a large investor in Gaylord's successor.