Real estate tycoon DeLisa Guerrier is set to make history in Nashville. Alongside her husband Elde, she’s spearheading the construction of Storyville Gardens. This ambitious project marks Nashville’s first theme park since Opryland USA closed in 1997.
Storyville Gardens: A Literary Adventure Comes to Life
Storyville Gardens promises to be more than just another amusement park. It aims to blend entertainment with education, focusing on international literary experiences and storytelling.
Guerrier explained the park’s mission to Essence:
“Storyville’s mission is to boost literacy while engaging children in an immersive, fun and safe environment.”
The park will feature rollercoaster rides, live entertainment, and interactive exhibits. Moreover, it will offer international food options to complement its global storytelling theme.
From Real Estate to Theme Park Development
Guerrier’s journey to theme park development is as unique as the park itself. She co-owns one of Nashville’s leading real estate firms with her husband. Their company has significantly contributed to Nashville’s housing market in less than a decade.
This achievement is particularly notable in the construction industry. African Americans represent only 6% of the industry’s workforce, despite making up 12% of U.S. workers overall.
A Vision Born from Personal Experience
The idea for Storyville Gardens emerged from the Guerriers’ own family experiences. They noticed a lack of family-friendly entertainment options in Nashville for their three children.
Guerrier shared with StyleBlueprint:
“We were taking our children to the movies every weekend. We love the movies, but we found ourselves driving to Chicago or St. Louis or Atlanta after a while.”
This realization sparked the idea to create a local attraction inspired by California’s Fairyland, a park from Guerrier’s childhood.
From Medicine to Entrepreneurship: Guerrier’s Unique Path
Guerrier’s background is in biology and pre-med from Fisk University. However, her path took an unexpected turn when she met her future husband.
She recalled his pivotal question:
“Why would you go and be a doctor when you could own the hospital?”
This perspective shift led Guerrier to explore entrepreneurship. She helped grow her husband’s automotive business before venturing into real estate during the post-recession market of 2011.
A Multi-Million Dollar Vision for Nashville
Today, Guerrier Development boasts a multi-million dollar portfolio. The company is overseeing the $1.3 billion build-out of Storyville Gardens. The park is slated to open in 2025, promising to be a landmark attraction for Nashville.
