$68K owed in back taxes on Little Nashville Opry

BROWN COUNTY, Ind. (WISH) - Investigators are still trying to determine what caused the Little Nashville Opry to go up in flames. The fire destroyed the Brown County landmark Saturday night.

Monday afternoon, an insurance adjustor met with the Little Nashville Opry Show manager about the fire. They are surveying the scene.

Meantime, a representative with the Indiana Dept of Homeland Security told 24-Hour News 8's Gene Rodriguez that the insurance company will provide heavy moving equipment to move the debris and investigate the cause of the fire. That is expected to occur Tuesday.

Mark Imhoff with the Brown County Volunteer Fire Department said the Little Nashville Opry, or what's left of it, is unsafe to enter.
Investigators are waiting until they get the equipment to enter and investigate the cause of the fire. Imhoff said the fire appears to have started in the back of the building. For those familiar with the building, it's the area where there is a kitchen for food preparation and the auditorium.

24-Hour News 8 learned that the owners of the Little Nashville Opry owe more than $68,000 in back taxes.

According to the Brown County Treasurer Esther Hamilton the owner of Little Nashville Enterprises hasn’t paid in the last three to five years and now owes more than $43,000 in real estate and building taxes, more than $14,000 in entertainment and personal property taxes and nearly $11,000 in vacant land taxes.

24-Hour News 8 spoke with the Little Nashville Opry owner, Esther Hamilton, on the phone and she claims she doesn't owe more than $68,000 in back taxes. She said she only recently received a bill and she is disputing the amount the bill claims she owes. Hamilton refused an on-camera interview, but said she is "heart-broken" about the fire.

Meanwhile, the Brown County Treasurer said Hamilton received her most recent tax bill in July of this year. The taxes were due in August but have not been paid. The treasurer also said Hamilton has 9 properties under the company name Little Nashville Enterprises and for three of the nine she owes taxes dating back to 2002.

Jim Bowyer, the Little Nashville Opry manager told 24-Hour News 8 there was a show Saturday night that ended at approximately 9:30 p.m. Bowyer said there was no one in the building when the fire started at approximately 10:30 p.m.

He said he did not handle the payment of taxes, but said he was aware that Esther Hamilton was having trouble with Brown County regarding taxes.

24-Hour News 8 asked Bowyer if he thought the fire was intentionally started. He responded, "I would have to think not, I would hope not, I would hope that no one would be that cruel."

State fire investigators are investigating the cause of this fire. So far, no word on what sparked it.

Here is a timeline of events of the fire:

Saturday, September 19

10:22 p.m. - Mark Imhoff, Brown Co. Volunteer Fire Dept. says they received initial call
10:37 p.m. - 911 call reporting flames shooting from the Little Nashville Opry
10:46 p.m. - Crews on scene reporting building "fully engulfed"
11:39 p.m. - Power crews shut power to building off
1:35 a.m. - Fire doused, only a couple of hot spots left