Nashville picks Ryman Hospitality to run Ascend Amphitheater

State of play: Live Nation is the current operator. With the contract expiring this year, Metro opened up bids last year leading to three music industry giants vying for the work.

• Live Nation's bid to continue operating the venue was under scrutiny due to the ongoing federal antitrust investigation into the company, as well as its massive presence in Nashville's concert industry.
• The firm also operates Brooklyn Bowl and has booking partnerships with the Basement East and Marathon Music Works.

Zoom in: Ryman will now operate three extremely popular venues in Nashville. The company also runs the Ryman Auditorium and the Grand Ole Opry.

• The company also is partnered with country music stars Blake Shelton and Luke Combs for downtown honky-tonks.