NASHVILLE, TN (April 17, 2012) – Opry Mills’ Grand Re-Opening celebration will culminate on Saturday, May 5 with a much anticipated free outdoor concert featuring country superstar Josh Turner and introducing 19-year-old Shaylin McGuire. As the winner of Opry Mills Next Big Star®, McGuire will take center stage as the opening act for Josh Turner during this Tennessee-inspired finale event and also receive a $500 American Express® Simon Giftcard®. The evening’s festivities, which will feature a spectacular fireworks display, will begin at 6 p.m. with Josh Turner to perform at 8:30 p.m.
A normal teenager from the small town of Glasgow, KY, just outside of Bowling Green, McGuire discovered her passion for entertainment by singing karaoke at the local barbeque restaurant where she worked waiting tables. With the support of her loving family, and a strong sense of self, McGuire is pursing singing as a gift she was born with, and believes that this is the life she was meant to lead. McGuire’s ambition, drive and undeniable talent made her a clear choice for Opry Mills Next Big Star®.
“In keeping with the tradition of Nashville, we are excited to expose our many shoppers to an amazing cast of rising stars, including Shaylin McGuire,” said Tarasina Schneller, director of marketing and business development at Opry Mills. “We are glad to be back, and look forward to culminating our Grand Re-Opening celebration in true Music City fashion.”
Prior to its re-opening, Opry Mills launched a talent search to find the area’s best up and coming musical acts. While Shalylin McGuire won the title of Opry Mills Next Big Star®, a host of other talented artists will perform on the Entertainment Stage, near the Aquarium Restaurant, during the Grand Re-Opening Finale Weekend, from Friday May 4 through Sunday, May 6. Scheduled performers include The Hinckley Brothers, David Myers, Cassidy Graves, Patrick Thomas, Anna Kaelin and The Real Hooks.*
This unprecedented roster of fresh talent will only be surpassed by our headliner Josh Turner, who burst onto the country music scene in 2003 with the powerful “Long Black Train” and has since established himself as a country superstar with four #1 hits. Turner is one of the youngest artists to be inducted into the prestigious Grand Ole Opry and his new single, “Time is Love” from his upcoming album, Punching Bag, was recently released to radio and is one of his fastest rising singles to date.
Concert attendees are encouraged to donate canned goods to Second Harvest Food Bank, one of the largest and most comprehensive of over 200 food banks and food distribution centers nationwide. Second Harvest reports a 25 percent increase in requests for emergency food assistance, meanwhile contributions are down nearly 10 percent. Second Harvest Food Bank’s most needed items include peanut butter, canned chicken/tuna, canned soups and stews, cereal, pasta and canned fruit and vegetables.
Opry Mills officially re-opened to the public on Thursday, March 29. Since then, shoppers have enjoyed a series of family, fashion and entertainment events which will culminate with our Grand Re-Opening Finale Weekend May 4 -6, featuring country superstar, Josh Turner, on May 5.
For more information about Opry Mills grand re-opening events and a complete list of retailers call (615) 514-1000, visit us online at www.oprymills.com or find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/OpryMills.
Shaylin McGuire
Shaylin McGuire awarded the title Opry Mills Next Big Star®
About Opry Mills
Opry Mills, the largest outlet and value retail shopping destination in Tennessee, celebrated its Grand Re-Opening on March 29 with a great collection of fashion forward stores such as Coach Factory Store, Cole Haan, Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5TH, Forever 21, Nike Factory Store, Gap Outlet, New York & Company Outlet, Bose Factory Store, Lucky Brand Outlet and Ann Taylor Factory Store. Shoppers can also enjoy quality dining and entertainment options including Rainforest Café, Aquarium Restaurant, Dave & Buster’s and Regal Cinemas Opry Mills Stadium 20 & IMAX. Opry Mills’ famous Entertainment Stage and Tennessee Treasures play area further enhance the family shopping experience.
Opry Mills is located seven miles from downtown Nashville, between Interstates 40 and 65, and is within walking distance of the Grand Ole Opry and the 2,800-room Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center. Regular hours are 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. on Sunday. For more information on Opry Mills, please call (615) 514-1000 or visit www.oprymills.com. Opry Mills also may be found on Facebook (www.facebook.com/OpryMills) and on Twitter @shOpryMills.
About The Mills, A Simon Company
The Mills®, one of Simon Property Group’s five real estate platforms, offer a unique brand of shopping with a mix of popular name brand outlets, value retailers and full-price stores, plus family-oriented dining and entertainment concepts. The Mills are well-located in major metropolitan markets and many are recognized as leading tourism destinations. Notable properties include Arundel Mills (Baltimore), Gurnee Mills (Chicago), Grapevine Mills (Dallas), Ontario Mills (Los Angeles), Opry Mills (Nashville), Potomac Mills (Washington, DC) and Sawgrass Mills (Ft. Lauderdale/Miami).
Simon Property Group, Inc. (NYSE:SPG) is an S&P 100 company and the largest real estate company in the world. The Company currently owns or has an interest in 337 retail real estate properties in North America and Asia comprising 245 million square feet. We are headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana and employ approximately 5,500 people in the U.S. For more information, visit the Simon Property Group website at www.simon.com.
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