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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): January 17, 2003

GAYLORD ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (615) 316-6000

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(c)  Exhibits

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SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

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EXHIBIT INDEX

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                                                                     EXHIBIT 99

[GAYLORD ENTERTAINMENT LOGO]                             INFORMATION FOR RELEASE

                     GAYLORD ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY ANNOUNCES
           NON-CASH CHANGES TO PREVIOUSLY REPORTED FINANCIAL RESULTS;
             CUMULATIVE IMPACT ON PREVIOUSLY REPORTED NET INCOME IS
                    AN INCREASE OF APPROXIMATELY $26 MILLION

                    CHANGES HAVE NO IMPACT ON 2003 FINANCIALS

         NASHVILLE, TENN. (Jan. 17, 2003) - Gaylord Entertainment Company (NYSE:
GET) announced today that it intends to amend its previously issued historical
financial statements to reflect certain changes, which result primarily from a
change to the Company's income tax accrual and a change in the manner in which
the Company accounts for its investment in the Nashville Predators. These
changes will increase retained earnings at Jan. 1, 2000, by approximately $41
million; decrease net income for 2000 by approximately $3 million; increase net
income for 2001 by approximately $1 million; and decrease net income for the
first nine months of 2002 by approximately $13 million.

         The changes to the Company's financial statements are being made in
connection with the re-audit of its 2000 and 2001 year-end financial statements.
The Company's consolidated financial statements for the years ended 2000 and
2001 were audited by Arthur Andersen LLP. The Company engaged Ernst & Young LLP
as the auditor for its 2002 consolidated financial statements. Under applicable
auditing standards, a re-audit is necessary if a company's prior auditors have
ceased operations and the historical financial statements include
reclassifications to reflect separately the impact of discontinued operations.
Because the Company had certain operations which were




classified as discontinued operations in 2002 (such as Acuff-Rose Music
Publishing) the Company engaged Ernst & Young to perform the required re-audits
of the Company's prior financial statements since Arthur Andersen had ceased
operations.

         As part of the re-audit process, Ernst & Young raised certain issues
for the Company's consideration in connection with its historical financial
statements. After consulting with Ernst & Young and the Company's audit
committee, the Company determined that it would be appropriate to make certain
changes to its historical financial statements.

         The changes relate primarily to two areas. First, the Company
maintained a reserve for income tax settlement costs potentially payable as the
result of a corporate reorganization in 1999. However, because the Company had
received an opinion of counsel that the transaction should qualify as a tax-free
reorganization, the Company and Ernst & Young believe that the reserve for
income tax settlement costs in connection with the transaction should not have
been maintained. As a result of these changes, retained earnings at Jan. 1,
2000, will increase by approximately $47 million. In addition, because some
elements of the income tax reserve already had been reversed in 2002 due to the
expiration of the applicable statute of limitations, previously reported net
income for the first nine months of 2002 will decrease by approximately $14
million to reflect the fact that the reserve should not have been recorded in
1999.

         The second principal issue identified in connection with the re-audit
process relates to the Company's accounting for its Nashville Predators limited
partnership interest, which it purchased in 1997. The terms of the Company's
investment provided that it would receive an 8% preferred return and that it has
the right to put its interest


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back to the partnership in three installments. The Company has no right to
receive any distributions in excess of its stated return and it has no
obligation to fund any capital or operating shortfalls in the partnership. The
Company concluded, after receiving advice from its previous independent
auditors, that the Company would not be required to recognize operating income
or losses associated with the Predators investment. During the re-audit, Ernst
& Young and the Company determined that it would be appropriate for the Company
to recognize its pro rata share of the Predators' operating results (which, to
date, have been primarily losses) in the Company's income statement. This change
will decrease the Company's retained earnings at Jan. 1, 2000, by approximately
$4 million, and will decrease net income by approximately $1 million for 2000
and $3 million for 2001. Therefore, the value of the Predators investment on the
Company's balance sheet has been reduced to zero. In the future, when the
Company realizes any proceeds from its right to put its interest back to the
Predators or any other disposition of its interest, the Company will recognize
gains in its financial statements of the amount received over the carrying value
on the balance sheet.

         In addition to the two primary changes described above, other
amendments made to the historical financial statements arising from the re-audit
resulted in a decrease in retained earnings of approximately $2 million at Jan.
1, 2000; a decrease in net income of approximately $2 million in 2000; an
increase in net income of approximately $4 million in 2001; and an increase in
net income of approximately $1 million for the first nine months of 2002.

         David Kloeppel, chief financial officer of Gaylord Entertainment, said,
"The changes we are making to our financial statements are highly technical in
many respects.


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These changes reflect our best view of the appropriate application of accounting
principles after considering the advice that the Company received at the time
its financial statements were initially prepared and the advice it has
subsequently received. We believe that it is important that our financial
statements comply with the letter and spirit of generally accepted accounting
principles and public disclosure requirements. Further, these are non-cash
changes to our results of operations, and we do not believe that these changes
reflect any fundamental change in our business."

         The Company anticipates that it will file reports reflecting the
changes in the next six to eight weeks, and the Company expects to report its
results for 2002 on Feb. 14, 2003.

         Gaylord Entertainment, a leading hospitality and entertainment company
based in Nashville, Tenn., owns and operates Gaylord Hotels branded properties,
including the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center and the Radisson
Opryland Hotel in Nashville, and the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center in
Kissimmee, Fla. The company's entertainment brands include the Grand Ole Opry,
the Ryman Auditorium, the General Jackson Showboat, the Springhouse Golf Club,
the Wildhorse Saloon, and WSM-AM, WSM-FM, and WWTN Radio. Gaylord
Entertainment's stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol
GET. For more information about the company, visit www.gaylordentertainment.com.

         ###

This press release contains statements as to the company's beliefs and
expectations of the outcome of future events that are forward-looking statements
as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These
forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could
cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made. These
include the risks and uncertainties associated with economic conditions
affecting the hospitality business generally, the timing of the opening of new
hotel facilities, costs associated with developing new hotel facilities, costs
associated with changes to the Company's historical financial statements,
business levels at the company's hotels, the ability to complete potential
divestitures successfully and the ability to consummate financing for new
developments. Other


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factors that could cause operating and financial results to differ are described
in the filings made from time to time by Gaylord Entertainment with the
Securities and Exchange Commission.

Gaylord Entertainment does not undertake any obligation to release publicly any
revisions to forward-looking statements made by it to reflect events or
circumstances occurring after the date hereof or the occurrence of unanticipated
events.



INVESTOR RELATIONS CONTACTS:                  MEDIA CONTACTS:
- ----------------------------------            -------------------------------
                                           
David Kloeppel, CFO                           Jim Brown
Gaylord Entertainment                         Gaylord Entertainment
(615) 316-6101                                (615) 316-6302
dkloeppel@gaylordentertainment.com            jbrown@gaylordentertainment.com
~OR~                                          ~OR~
Key Foster, VP Corporate Finance &            Dan O'Connor
Investor Relations                            Sloane & Company
Gaylord Entertainment                         (212) 446-1865
(615) 316-6132                                doconnor@sloanepr.com
kfoster@gaylordentertainment.com
~OR~
Jenny Lee
Sloane & Company
(212) 446-1892
jlee@sloanepr.com




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