Tennessee

Covering a diverse region that runs from the Appalachian Mountains west to the Mississippi River, Tennessee has long been a leisure tourism standout filled with inviting landscapes and culturally rich cities and towns. Y With urban revitalization projects, new and expanded cultural institutions and a growing lineup of convention venues, it has also charmed the meetings and conventions market, as an increasing number of planners look to the Volunteer State as a backdrop for Southern gatherings.

Chattanooga

One of Tennessee's most exciting developments is taking shape in Chattanooga. This spring the city will take a giant leap forward as it unveils the major components of its 21st Century Waterfront Plan. Three years in the making, the projects are being unveiled on multiple weekends this month and in May.

"These will become the icons people will recognize our community by," says Chattanooga Mayor Bob Corker. "What it's going to mean to our community is that the waterfront will be accessible 365 days a year."

The $120 million revitalization plan includes pedestrian piers, public boat slips, parks, restaurants, retail shops, and artwork along the riverfront, in addition to impressive upgrades at cultural institutions such as the Tennessee Aquarium, the Hunter Museum of American Art and the Creative Discovery Museum.

The Tennessee Aquarium's new 650,000-gallon saltwater tank will complete the 13-year-old attraction's story of the Tennessee River's journey from the East Tennessee mountains to the Gulf of Mexico. The exhibit will spotlight rarely seen exotic species and some of the largest sharks in captivity. The aquarium is one of the most successful in the country, attracting more than 12 million visitors since 1992. As the first major step in the city's plan to revitalize the downtown area, the aquarium was followed by other museums, as well as restaurants, hotels and the first phases of the riverfront park.

The 21st Century Waterfront Plan also includes a $20 million expansion of the Hunter Museum of American Art, which will be unveiled with a major exhibition of works by Georgia O'Keeffe. The addition will enable the museum to display much more of its permanent collection. Until now, the 50-year-old museum, located on the bluffs above the Tennessee River, was isolated from downtown by Riverfront Parkway. Now it will be directly linked to downtown and the aquarium area by a pedestrian bridge over the parkway. Incorporating steel, lightweight concrete, structural glass, and stainless steel wire, the bridge at night will appear to be a single, lighted plane suspended in space.

New exhibits at the Creative Discovery Museum are another part of the waterfront plan. The exhibits are designed to reinforce the city's connections with the river.

The expanded waterfront attractions are another great reason for groups to visit Chattanooga, says Mike Shuford, assistant director of sales for the Chattanooga Convention Center.

"Until you get something concrete you can show to planners, it's a hard sell," Shuford says. "Now that it's a reality, we can use it as a selling tool. The Tennessee Aquarium already does a lot of off-site work with us. The new development has much more green space for outside functions, and the addition has more space for indoor activities. The expanded Hunter Museum is another beautiful place for receptions."

Groups attracted by the new developments can conduct business in the 298,000-square-foot Chattanooga Convention Center, which tripled its function space with a $45 million expansion and modernization in 2003. The facility has 100,800 square feet of column-free exhibit space that is illuminated by photovoltaic lighting, which allows natural light to filter through 30-foot ceilings. Located in the center of downtown close to roughly 1,800 hotel rooms, the convention center also includes 19,000 square feet of ballroom space, 21 meeting rooms and 40,000 square feet of breakout space.

The 341-room Chattanooga Marriott, featuring 7,500 square feet of function space, and the 120-unit Staybridge Suites Chattanooga are both directly connected to the center.

Across from the convention center, the 202-room Chattanoogan, managed by Benchmark Hospitality, has a 25,000-square-foot conference center.

Within walking distance of the convention center, the Chattanooga Choo-Choo Holiday Inn's 42,000 square feet of meeting space is popular with association board meetings and motorcoach groups. Built around the 1909 Beaux Arts-style Terminal Station, the complex has 362 conventional hotel rooms and 50 restored passenger cars. The Imperial Ballroom accommodates up to 800 guests.

The historic Sheraton Read House, which recently received a multimillion-dollar makeover, has 244 guest rooms and 100 two-room suites. Its 18,000 square feet of meeting space accommodates groups as large as 500 people. The Starbucks coffee shop, facing busy Market Street, is a big hit with hotel guests and other downtown visitors.

Downtown hotels and the convention center are linked to the aquarium and other riverfront attractions via free electric shuttle buses.

Memphis

Elvis is still alive and well in Memphis, but these days the King has a lot of competition.

The NBA's Memphis Grizzlies are drawing sellout audiences to the new FedExForum. On Beale Street, around the corner from the 18,400-seat forum, B.B. King's, Pat O'Brien's, Rum Boogie, the Hard Rock Cafe, and numerous other music clubs and restaurants are also packing in the crowds. In the midst of all the hot notes, A. Schwab's—for 130 years and counting—is the place for love potions, voodoo candles, paste-on Elvis sideburns, and super-size overalls.

And in 2002, the Belz family—who reopened the grand old Peabody Hotel and put the famous mallards back in the lobby fountain—created Peabody Place, a multi-faceted retail and entertainment complex adjacent to the hotel. Locals and conventioneers pack the place for live music and soul food at Isaac Hayes' Restaurant; Guinness and Irish music at Dan McGuinness' Irish pub; and shopping at the Gap, Tower Records, Victoria's Secret, and other national retailers.

The nearby Peabody Place Museum showcases the Belz family's collections of ancient Chinese art and Jewish religious artifacts. The same building also houses the Center for Southern Folklore, celebrating the region's artists, musicians, cooks, and storytellers.

On the Elvis front, pilgrims to Graceland and Sun Studios can now stay in the apartment where Elvis and his parents lived from 1949 to 1953. Apartment 328, The Elvis Suite in Lauderdale Courts, a 1930s apartment complex listed on the National Register of Historic Places, has been restored and furnished to reflect the lifestyle of Elvis as a teenager.

Riding the Ducks is the city's most exciting new adventure. The Ducks, which are refashioned World War II amphibian cargo handlers—take riders on a land-and-river expedition through Beale Street, Mud Island and other downtown landmarks, then splash into the Mississippi River for a fun-filled cruise.

"With our package of attractions we can compete with any city our size," says John Oros, director of the Memphis CVB. "The Grizzlies are a major attraction; the NBA has a national and international fan base, and the team is having its most successful season since coming here three years ago. Many groups book their meetings to coincide with home games at the FedExForum. Then we've got huge attractions in Graceland and Sun Studios, the National Civil Rights Museum, the Rock 'n' Soul Museum, the Stax Soulsville Museum, the art museums, the pandas at the zoo, and a lot more."

The most important development on the group front is the recent renovation and expansion of the Memphis Cook Convention Center. The complex now includes 190,000 square feet of exhibit space, 31 breakout rooms with 74,000 square feet of meeting space, a performing arts center, and a 28,000-square-foot ballroom with an adjoining kitchen. The 125,000-square-foot main exhibit hall, divisible into three sections, can house 653 booths and seat more than 16,500 people. The 1,900-seat Cannon Center for the Performing Arts, a major feature of the expanded center, is the new home of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra. When the orchestra isn't scheduled, the plush hall is available for seminars, lectures and other functions.

"With the expansion of the convention center, we can accommodate about 85 percent of the meetings in the United States," Oros says.

More than 3,000 first class hotel rooms are located in the nearby downtown area. Memphis Marriott Downtown, which adjoins the center, expanded along with the convention center. With 600 guest rooms and additional function space, the Marriott is now downtown's largest hotel.

Opened in 1925, closed in 1975, and reopened in 1981, the historic Memphis Peabody received a complete makeover in the 1990s. With 468 guest rooms and 15 suites, 80,000 square feet of meeting space and the world-famous ducks, the Peabody is synonymous with Memphis. The executive center, which takes up the entire third floor, offers 12 meeting rooms and a state-of-the-art business center.

Another group favorite is the Hilton Memphis, which recently wrapped up a $12 million renovation and boasts 30,000 square feet of meeting space.

Nashville

The Nashville CVB's mission to promote "Music City USA" as a prime destination for leisure travelers and meetings and conventions is paying off with increased national attention.

Through a focused, strategic marketing effort, the CVB saw a dramatic increase in the number of hits on its website, www.musiccityusa.com, and Nash-ville ranked eighth among 25 American cities in the 2004 Business and Convention Travelers Report, published by the Travel Industry Association of America (TIA) and sponsored by the National Business Travel Association and the Institute of Business Travel Management. Meanwhile, the AAA Midwest Auto Club says the city finished second only to Orlando in the number of "Triptiks" issued in 2004, and Byways magazine, a publication for motorcoach travelers and group tour planners, ranked the city fourth among the top 50 motorcoach destinations, ahead of New Orleans, Orlando and Atlanta.

"We're proud to be in the top spots in the TIA, AAA and Byways ranks, says Butch Spyridon, president of the Nashville CVB. "The recognition is a direct result of our efforts in the convention, AAA and motorcoach markets as we continue to work to raise the bar in servicing those clients.

Spyridon says 2005 is shaping up to be a milestone year for the Nashville CVB.

"We are committed to strengthening our industry and increasing awareness of our status as America's only true Music City," he says.

In January, Nashville hosted more than 103,000 conventioneers and upward of 75,000 every month since then.

The city's largest meeting venues are the Nashville Convention Center, located downtown, and the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center, situated a short drive from downtown.

The Nashville Convention Center's 119,000 square feet of function space is connected to the 673-room Renaissance Nashville Hotel. Within walking distance are the historic 123-room Hermitage Hotel; the 330-suite Hilton Suites Nashville; and the 473-room Sheraton Nashville Downtown.

The Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center is an all-in-one destination. With more than 600,000 square feet of function space, the all-enclosed, Pentagon-size complex can accommodate most of the nation's largest conventions and exhibitions.

Guests staying in the property's 2,881 rooms and suites can take advantage of scores of restaurants, music clubs, retail shopping galleries, indoor gardens, and other attractions. Trams carry visitors to performances at the Grand Ole Opry House and shopping excursions at the Opry Mills mall. Additionally, the General Jackson, a four-deck paddle wheel steamboat departing Opryland's Cumberland River dock, offers day and evening cruises with stage productions and buffet meals.

During leisure time in Nashville, meeting-goers can visit the Country Music Hall of Fame; Ryman Auditorium, the original home of the Grand Ole Opry; the Frist Center for the Visual Arts; the Tennessee State Capitol; and the Gaylord Entertainment Center, home of the NHL's Nashville Predators and top-name musical performers.

The Hard Rock Cafe, the Wild Horse Saloon and other clubs and restaurants line Second Avenue, and the "honky-tonks" on Lower Broadway dish out plenty of live music and libations.

Meanwhile, the Nashville Coliseum, across the Cumberland River from downtown, is home to the NFL's Tennessee Titans.

Another alternative meetings destination in the Nashville area is Williamson County, featuring attractions such as Victorian and antebellum architecture, Civil War sites, museums, and golf courses, in addition to more than 3,500 hotel rooms. One of the county's most popular properties is the Franklin Marriott Cool Springs, which is connected to the new Cool Springs Conference Center. The Embassy Suites Nashville South is another option.

Knoxville

Music is also a predominant theme in Knoxville.

"We're reviving Americana music in downtown Knoxville as a continuation of 'We've Set the Stage for You,' the musical theme throughout the state," says Mary Miltenberger, director of client services for the Knoxville Tourism and Sports Corporation. "We've done a multimillion-dollar revitalization of the historic Tennessee Theater as a forum for the kind of Americana music unique to the Smokies and Appalachian Mountains.

"That gives groups meeting here a new entertainment option," Miltenberger adds. "Giving them things to do when meetings aren't in session is just as important as having a large, modern conference center."

Opened in 2002, the 500,000-square-foot Knoxville Convention Center has a 120,000-square-foot exhibit hall, a 27,300-square-foot ballroom, a 461-seat lecture hall and 14 individual meeting rooms.

In May, a partnership with the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in nearby Oak Ridge, Tenn., will bring 1,200 international scientists to the Particle Accelerator Conference. Other major functions scheduled at the convention center this year include 3,000 members of the U.S. Track & Field Association, a feeder event for the Olympics; the United States Specialty Sports Association's annual athletics festival, which is expected to draw 5,000 young athletes and their families; and Destination ImagiNation, which is one of the world's largest creativity and problem-solving programs for youth of all ages. It is expected to draw more than 15,000 participants.

Meanwhile, Market Square is another important aspect of Knoxville's downtown revitalization. Along with new shops and restaurants, vintage buildings in the historic area now house hundreds of residents in trendy condo lofts.

Smoky Mountains Region

With the Great Smoky Mountains National Park as its 520,000-acre centerpiece, east Tennessee's Smoky Mountain Region features three cities—Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville—with first-class meeting facilities and plenty of diversions when the business day is done.

With a $15 million redevelopment and expansion of the Gatlinburg Convention Center slated for completion in March 2006, the Smoky Mountains city of Gatlinburg is aiming to capture a larger share of the group market.

When the convention center was built in 1989, meeting planners considered it an adequate place for trade shows and meetings. But the facility lacked a ballroom for large banquets and receptions. The expansion, incorporating the 1955 Mills Auditorium, will give the convention center a total of 272,000 square feet of meeting space, including an 18,000-square-foot ballroom, a 9,400-square-foot auditorium, an executive boardroom, and about 18,000 square feet of prefunction space.

David Perella, executive director of the Gatlinburg Department of Tourism and Convention Center, says considerable thought went into the redevelopment of the neighboring Mills Auditorium as part of the expanded and modernized convention center.

"A design team toured numerous facilities to see how the Mills could be restored to blend in with the new construction," Perella says. "As a result of our research, the new construction will feature an upscale mountain lodge exterior with a rustic interior, complete with an indoor waterfall, natural light, native plants and ferns, massive stone fireplaces, and earth tones that will complement the natural beauty of the area and our proximity to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Special attention will also be given to the Appalachian heritage of this region with historical artifacts and crafts on display in the new space."

The first group to experience the new convention center will be the Southeast Biologists Association, which is scheduled to convene at the facility March 27-28, 2006.  The center is approximately 40 percent booked for the first 12 months after its opening date.

Although it is often thought of primarily as a leisure destination, many of Gatlinburg's hotels offer meeting facilities. The new Lodge at Buckberry Creek is an Adirondack-style resort on Mt. LeConte overlooking Gatlinburg. The property features an executive-style conference room, 46 luxury suites, high-speed Internet access, hiking trails, a trout-fishing stream, and other high-end amenities. The Holiday Inn SunSpree Resort has 7,800 square feet of function space and 400 guest rooms. The Glenstone Lodge, situated a block from the convention center, has 217 guest rooms and a 12,000-square-foot conference center with a 700-seat theater. The Clarion Inn's 3,500 square feet of meeting space features the city's only rooftop ballrooms.

"One of our biggest selling points is that nearly 6,500 hotel rooms in our compact downtown area are within walking distance of the convention center, restaurants and attractions," says Vickie Blake, sales director for the Gatlinburg Department of Tourism. "Our trolley service connects downtown with the Smoky Mountain arts and crafts community on the outskirts of town."

Groups can also meet at Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies, with a 150-seat theater and an exhibit space that accommodates 100 trade show booths and several hundred people for receptions and meals.

The Smoky Mountain Music Festival, which takes place this month and in May, will set the tone for Gatlinburg's spring and summer season.

In neighboring Pigeon Forge, more than 2,500 guest rooms and hundreds of mountain cabins and chalets are easily accessible to the 20,000-square-foot Smoky Mountains Convention Center, and the 50,000-square-foot Sevierville Civic Center is located in Dolly Parton's hometown.

Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville are popular drive-to destinations. Interstates 40, 75 and 81 connect the area with the rest of the nation. Knoxville's McGhee Tyson Airport is a short drive from the three cities.

Tri-Cities

The Tri-Cities region is set in a scenic corner of northeastern Tennessee's Appalachian Mountains. The principal cities—Johnson City, Bristol and Kingsport—have excellent meeting facilities, hotels and visitor attractions.

Tri-Cities Regional Airport offers regularly scheduled commuter airline service.

The Meadowview Marriott Conference Resort and Convention Center near Kingsport is the Tri-Cities' largest and most comprehensive meetings destination.

Backdropped by the Blue Ridge Mountain foothills, the award-winning resort's 65,000 square feet of function space includes a 96-seat amphitheater, a state-of-the-art business center, a full-service restaurant, a fitness center, a pool, and an 18-hole golf course with some of the Southeast's most scenic holes. Guest accommodations include 195 deluxe rooms and five spacious suites.

Other hotels with executive meeting rooms include the 188-room LaQuinta Inn, the 108-room Westside Inn and the 193-room Ramada Inn.

Also in Kingsport, the Civic Auditorium has 7,600 square feet of exhibit space and 12 flexible meeting rooms.

Bristol, a "twin city" straddling both sides of the Tennessee-Virginia border, has two claims to fame.

In 1988, the U.S. Congress named the city the "Official Birthplace of Country Music," and in the 1920s, the Carter Family, Jimmie Rodgers, Roy Acuff, and other pioneers made the first commercial country music recordings in Bristol's studios. Groups can enjoy the old-time music at the splendidly restored Paramount Theater, a 1930s "picture palace" that comfortably seats 756.

NASCAR is Bristol's other claim to fame. Groups can experience thrilling high-speed races at the Bristol Motor Speedway and the Bristol Dragway.

The Centre at Millennium Park in Johnson City, located adjacent to East Tennessee State University, offers a high-tech conference center with some of the most comprehensive learning and training facilities in northeast Tennessee. Its 25,000 square feet of function space, including 16 meeting rooms, can accommodate groups of up to 800 people.

Adjoining the center, the 144-room Carnegie Hotel has 7,600 square feet of space for meetings, a full-service restaurant, a pool, a fitness center, and a spa.

For More Info

Bristol Tennessee/Virginia COC     423.989.4850     www.bristolchamber.org

Chattanooga Area CVB     423.756.8687     www.chattanoogameetings.com

Gatlinburg Department of Tourism and Convention Center     865.436.2392     www.gatlinburg-tennessee.com

Johnson City CVB     423.461.8000     www.johnsoncitytnchamber.com

Kingsport CVB     423.392.8800     www.kingsportchamber.org

Knoxville Tourism and Sports Corp.     865.523.7263     www.knoxville.org

Memphis CVB     901.543.5300     www.memphistravel.com

Nashville CVB     615.259.4700     www.nashvillecvb.com

Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism     865.453.8574     www.mypigeonforge.com

Smoky Mountains CVB     865.448.6134     www.smokymountains.org

Williamson County CVB     615.794.1225     www.williamsoncvb.com