On July 1, something happened at the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp (NCVC) that hadn’t in more than three decades: Butch Spyridon was not at the head of the organization. The longtime executive officially retired from his post on June 30.
For 32 years, Spyridon led the destination management organization, helping oversee the Tennessee capital’s transformation from a regional draw to an international destination. In the past decade, the city’s hotel portfolio jumped 46 percent from 187 properties to 273, hotel revenue rose 153 percent from $730 million to $1.9 billion, and hospitality employment grew from 91,900 to 128,500.
Back in 2003, with the goal of putting Nashville on the global map, Spyridon convened a group of community and business leaders to create a hospitality industry strategic plan. The endeavor culminated in Nashville branding itself as “Music City,” an identity now synonymous with the Cumberland River town.
During his tenure, Spyridon was instrumental in creating and attracting signature events, as well as professional sports teams. The city’s two main music festivals, Let Freedom Sing: Music City July 4th and New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash, came about under Spyridon’s watch and draw 200,000 visitors annually. He also was heavily involved with efforts to bring the NFL Tennessee Titans, NHL Nashville Predators, and MLS Nashville SC to the city. Committed to the Music City persona, Spyridon also created the Music City Walk of Fame, honoring inductees such as Garth Brooks, Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, and Dolly Parton.
A prime example of Spyridon’s leadership came in spring of 2020 when the city was hit by a devastating tornado and the pandemic. Spyridon led efforts to raise $1.4 million for hospitality workers who were victims of the natural disaster. To keep the convention business going in the face of COVID-19, he helped the city host nine virtual events, reaching approximately 1,000 groups.
A graduate of Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Spyridon will continue with NCVC as a strategic consultant under a two-year contract. His successor is Deana Ivey, who served as his second-in-command for 25 years.
Given Spyridon’s significant impact and his breadth of industry knowledge and experience, ConventionSouth reached out to ask him about his 32 years at the helm of NCVC and to share some of his expertise and wisdom.
After 32 years of tourism leadership in the city, how would you define Nashville as a destination, and what makes it stand out?
Without mountains, beaches, gaming, or a theme park, we built our destination around the “Music City” brand, and it worked. Nashville
has now been named a top global destination by major travel outlets for the past 12 years. Visitors come for the world-class music scene and enjoy diverse genres of music, such as country, pop, rock, bluegrass, jazz, soul, and our Grammy-nominated Nashville Symphony. And
while our downtown and its iconic honky tonks are must-dos when you visit Nashville, we know visitors love the restaurants and shops found in creative, authentic neighborhoods in all corners of our city. What I’m most proud of, though, is our reputation for Southern hospitality. Of all the accolades, being named a “Friendliest City” by Travel + Leisure means the most to us.
What are the most significant changes you’ve seen in the industry during the past three decades?
Our role as CEOs and DMOs has changed dramatically. We are no longer only destination salespeople. We are now politicians, developers, community organizers, and neighborhood advocates.
What was your greatest personal achievement during your time with the NCVC?
Nashville has a lot to be proud of—from becoming an NFL city in 1997 to building the Music City Center to becoming a global events city and hosting the NFL Draft in 2019. But branding the city as ‘Music City’ would have to top that list. And personally, building the hardworking, dedicated team at the NCVC is one of my proudest accomplishments.
What advice can you offer someone beginning a career in tourism leadership?
I think the key for anybody leading a destination is to remember results matter, the city deserves the credit, and have the willingness to have a vision and take some risks. To me, those are the keys to long-term success in our business.
