were members of the Grand Ole Opry. His close friendship with Sarah Cannon (portrayer of Minnie Pearl) heavily influenced the decision to purchase the Opry and its associated properties. Also included in Gaylord's acquisition of the Opryland assets was WSM's fledgling cable television network, The Nashville Network (TNN), and its production arm, Opryland Productions. TNN was dedicated entirely at first to country music. For years, its offices and production facilities were located at Opryland, and a nightly variety show (originally Nashville Now, later Music City Tonight and Prime Time Country) was broadcast live from the Gaslight Theatre inside the park. The theme park was often featured on the network as a concert venue for country music stars. 1980s and 1990s In 1981, Opryland expanded its footprint for the second and final time. The new area, entitled "Grizzly Country", was built on the extreme north end of the park to house the Grizzly River Rampage, a river rafting ride. The ride was promoted by a band called the Grizzly River Boys, later known as the Tennessee River Boys. The band was originally intended to promote the park via a one-time television special, but became popular enough that they became an ongoing attraction at the park for several years. The band's membership originally included Ty Herndon, and after several personnel changes, grew to become the band Diamond Rio. In 1984, Opryland added a third roller coaster, The Screamin' Delta Demon (an Intamin bobsled roller coaster), in the New Orleans area of the park. This project also added a second park gate adjacent to the parking lot, primarily used as a group entrance/exit. In the mid-1980s, "Trickets" (three-day admission tickets for one price) were introduced and large numbers of season passes were sold to residents of the Nashville area. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, two new competitors to Opryland would emerge: Kentucky Kingdom in Louisville, Kentucky, and Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee (which had recently been converted and expanded from its previous incarnation as Silver Dollar City). These two parks grew into regional destinations, contributing in part to a decline in Opryland attendance. Partially in response to the competition, and to entice out-of-town guests, package deals including hotel rooms, Opryland tickets, and admission to the Grand Ole Opry were developed and marketed throughout the region. Annual changes were made to the park to continue to attract local Nashvillians as well as