ENTERTAINMENT

Gaylord Entertainment Says It’s Not for Sale: USA Today reported that the entertainment company--which owns the Nashville Network, Country Music Television, the “Grand Ole Opry” and other properties--is on the block and could fetch as much as $3 billion. But Gaylord Entertainment Co. said Tuesday that it is not for sale, despite reports that Walt Disney, Turner Broadcasting, Tele-Communications Inc. and Tribune Co. had expressed interest in buying it. “The company has from time to time in the past engaged in preliminary discussions about potential transactions involving the company as a whole, but the company is not for sale and is not engaged in any discussions with any party regarding its sale,” Gaylord said. Dennis McAlpine, an analyst who follows media companies for Josephthal Lyon & Ross Inc. in New York, said Gaylord has had discussions with other companies but has not entered into serious negotiations. “There’s a big bridge to cross to get from a discussion to a negotiation. A discussion agrees you’re for sale, then a negotiation says, ‘How much?’ ” McAlpine said.