Nate Bargatze explores a 100-acre Nashville theme park as Dollywood remains Tennessee’s established draw

A new theme-park concept is being studied for the Nashville area

Comedian and Nashville native Nate Bargatze has begun formal development work on a proposed theme park concept in the greater Nashville area, a project framed around family-oriented entertainment. The effort is being advanced through Nateland, Bargatze’s entertainment company, which has created an “Experiences” division to evaluate what a major park could look like and whether it can be built and operated sustainably in Middle Tennessee.

On Nov. 18, 2025, Nateland announced a partnership with Storyland Studios, a themed-entertainment design and architecture firm, to explore the concept and feasibility of the project. The plan under review describes a park of more than 100 acres, with potential supporting components such as retail, dining and a hotel.

Feasibility study timeline and what remains undecided

Project backers have set a near-term milestone: a feasibility study targeted for completion in the first quarter of 2026. That study is expected to inform whether the concept can progress to site selection, permitting and financing. Key details—such as a final location, an opening date, capital cost and the scale of rides and attractions—have not been finalized publicly and would typically depend on land acquisition and investor commitments.

Theme parks are long-lead developments. Even after a feasibility phase, comparable projects often require multiple years of design, approvals, infrastructure planning and construction, particularly when hotels and mixed-use components are part of the plan.

Nashville’s modern context: demand for major attractions and Opryland’s legacy

The proposal enters a market that has not had a large traditional theme park since Opryland USA closed on Dec. 31, 1997. Opryland’s property was later redeveloped into the Opry Mills retail complex, which opened on May 12, 2000. The closure remains a reference point in local discussions about large-scale, family-focused attractions and what they mean for regional tourism.

How the project compares with Dollywood’s established footprint

Any Nashville-area theme park would be measured against Dollywood, Tennessee’s best-known theme-park destination. Dollywood operates in Pigeon Forge through a long-running partnership between Dolly Parton and Herschend. The park has spent decades building a year-to-year events calendar, adding major attractions, and expanding an adjacent resort footprint—elements that typically support repeat visitation and multi-day stays.

While Bargatze’s concept is still in an early evaluation phase, it signals interest in positioning Middle Tennessee for a large, purpose-built family attraction rather than relying primarily on music venues, sports and downtown entertainment to drive leisure travel.

• Project under study: 100+ acre theme park concept in the greater Nashville area

• Development step: feasibility study targeted for Q1 2026

• Open questions: site, financing, construction schedule, and final scope of attractions

The project’s next public inflection point is expected to be the feasibility-study outcome, which typically determines whether investor outreach and site negotiations can move from exploratory discussions to formal commitments.