NASHVILLE (AP) - The financially strapped Nashville Symphony has laid off its catering and dining staff.

The Tennessean (http://tnne.ws/19fDRBy) reported symphony CEO Alan Valentine and Board Chairman Ed Goodrich announced late Monday what they called a "difficult decision." They said affected workers were told Monday that their jobs would end Aug. 4. The number of people being laid off wasn't disclosed.

Valentine and Goodrich said the orchestra would continue to rent its hall for events, using outside caterers.

"We are in negotiation with those caterers now and expect to publish the list shortly. We look forward to continuing to work with our many rental clients and want to assure them the Schermerhorn remains one of Nashville's first-class destinations for special events. We will also, of course, continue to provide concessions and bar service for all concerts and events," they said in the state ment.

The symphony officials said the employees being laid off performed admirably.

"Our food and beverage employees have done an incredible job under the structure they were given, and this decision in no way reflects on them or their work," the statement read.

A June 28 deadline is approaching that could result in foreclosure on the orchestra's Schermerhorn Symphony Center.

A group of lenders is owed $82.3 million from a 2004 bond issue used to construct the concert hall.