The three Grand Divisions of Tennessee give planners options for culture, history, and geography. Memphis highlights the West Tennessee Mississippi River Delta region. Middle Tennessee is the home of Nashville, fondly known as Music City. And in the hills and foothills of the Appalachians and Great Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee, the cities of Knoxville and Chattanooga shine, along with the mountain communities of Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, and Sevierville.
East Tennessee
Blount County
SmokyMountainMeetings.org; @SmokyMountainMeetings
Blount County, including the towns of Maryville, Alcoa, Townsend, and Walland, is a quiet entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park that is close to Knoxville as well as McGhee Tyson Airport, which is in Alcoa.
“Whether your idea of the perfect corporate meeting involves business suits or hiking boots or a little of both, we have a place for you,” says Kim Mitchell, tourism director for Blount Partnership. “From the convenience and high-tech options of the Hilton Knoxville Airport Conference Center to beautiful lodges tucked away into the hills of the Smoky Mountains, we have the perfect venue for your corporate meetings, retreats, or any group gatherings. Your employees or guests will leave revitalized, refreshed, and motivated.”
There are approximately 2,000 guest rooms in the area, Mitchell notes, including Little Arrow Resort, which just completed a new onsite restaurant and outdoor meeting space with large, windowed garage doors, and Dancing Bear Lodge, with traditional lodge rooms, 20 cabins, and 5,000 square feet of meeting and event space. The Hilton Knoxville Airport Conference Center, which is connected directly to the airport, recently completed an expansion and now offers 241 guest rooms and 20,000 square feet of event space. RT Lodge, set on the campus of Maryville College, has 57 guest rooms and several meeting and event spaces. Other lodging includes a Tru by Hilton and Fairfield Inn by Marriott, both near the airport.
Bristol
DiscoverBristol.org; @DiscoverBristol
Known as home to the “big bang” of country music, thanks to landmark 1927 recording sessions with 19 performers, including the Carter Family and Jimmie Rodgers, Bristol has a rich history in music, with numerous live music venues and the Smithsonian-affiliated Birthplace of Country Music Museum. The historic downtown, which straddles the state border with Virginia, has an assortment of shopping, craft food, and beverage options, including two rooftop restaurants/bars and Lost State Distilling, named in 2020 by USA Today as Best New Craft Distillery in the United States.
Christopher Perrin, marketing director for Discover Bristol, says additional dining and attractions have recently opened.
“Bristol’s most significant addition last year was the opening of Union 41, a restaurant in our old historic downtown Greyhound Bus station that is operated by Torrece Gregoire, better known as Chef T, who has appeared on numerous Food Network TV shows,” Perrin says. “We also recently welcomed the opening of Bristol Casino, which now features 30,000 square feet of gaming space and in 2024 will become the Hard Rock Bristol Resort & Casino, with world-class entertainment, lodging, and convention space. In downtown, Pins & Friends is a unique, fun venue for all ages, and the only duckpin bowling alley in the region.”
The city is also home to Bristol Motor Speedway, which according to Perrin, is regarded as one of the top NASCAR tracks on the circuit. “Outdoor recreation opportunities abound, including walking, hiking, biking, watersports, and arguably some of the best fly fishing in the country,” Perrin adds.
There are approximately 1,500 guest rooms in the city, with 300 scheduled to come on board in 2024 at the new Hard Rock Resort. Currently, top venues include Delta Hotels Bristol, with 226 guest rooms and 19,038 square feet of event space; 70-room Sessions Hotel, with 11,000 square feet of function space including a lawn and stage; and 65-room Bristol Hotel, with 2,604 square feet of event space. Bristol Motor Speedway has various indoor and outdoor spaces for events including a 400-person capacity skybox suite.
Chattanooga
VisitChattanooga.com; @VisitChatt
With currently more than 11,000 guest rooms in the city, Chattanooga has welcomed several new properties in the past couple of years, with more in the works. Treetop Hideaways at Ruby Falls, Hotel Clemons in West Village, and TownePlace Suites Hixson have recently opened. A new LaQuinta is in development downtown and construction has started on a $54 million Embassy Suites, expected to open in 2025 with 5,000 square feet of event space. Now under development, South Broad District will have a new multi-use stadium for Chattanooga Lookouts baseball, with supporting shops, restaurants, and lodging. On the city’s Southside, The Signal is a new 20,000-square-foot venue adjacent to the historic Chattanooga Choo Choo entertainment complex. Lodging at the complex is currently undergoing a $10 million renovation with the newly branded Hotel Chalet set to open by early 2024.
The Chattanooga Convention Center is the largest event space in town, with 100,800 square feet of column-free exhibit space and 31 meeting rooms. Hotels within a few blocks of the center include Chattanooga Marriott Downtown, with 341 guest rooms and 9,863 square feet of event space; The Chattanoogan, with 199 guest rooms and 23,336 square feet of event space; and the historic Read House, with 241 guest rooms and 19,000 square feet of function space. Other downtown hotels on or within a block of the city’s free electric shuttle bus line include the 260-room Westin Chattanooga, which has 15,000 square feet of indoor/outdoor event space; Doubletree by Hilton, with 186 guest rooms and 15,788 square feet of meeting space; and Hotel Indigo, with 117 guest rooms and more than 5,000 square feet of event space.
Gatlinburg
Gatlinburg.com; @TravelGburg; @VisitGatlinburg
Gatlinburg is a small town that provides all a planner needs for a successful event, says Dave Esslinger, vice president of sales and marketing for Gatlinburg CVB.
Three new local hotels are opening in 2023: 187-room Embassy Suites by Hilton Convention & Resort Gatlinburg, 125-room Comfort Inn Suites, and 100-room Mainstay Suites. Also new at Anakeesta, a mountaintop theme park, Trailhead Plaza offers groups a mountain getaway with all the comforts of an indoor event space. It can accommodate 80 people and is equipped with two large screens for audio-visual connectivity and a fireplace.
Major meeting and event facilities in the city include Doubletree Park Vista Hotel, with 300 guest rooms and 25,000 square feet of function space; Glenstone Lodge, with 215 guest rooms and 10,000 square feet of meeting and event space; and Edgewater Hotel & Conference Center, with 205 guest rooms and 7,000 square feet of function space. Also, Margaritaville Resort Gatlinburg has 162 guest rooms and can host 228 people for receptions or 208 for banquets; Black Bear Inn & Suites has 118 guest rooms with space to host 250 event guests; Seasons of Ober Gatlinburg can host 250 people for meetings; and Ole Red, a Blake Shelton-inspired music venue and restaurant, can seat 350. Known for being one of the largest arts and crafts communities in the United States, Gatlinburg is also home to the internationally recognized Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts, established in 1926, that offers group workshops, lectures, and events plus lodging, dining, and event spaces, including a 175-seat auditorium.
Greeneville
DiscoverGreenevilleTN.com; @Discover_Greene
Legends are born and adventures await in Greeneville and Greene County, according to the Greene County Partnership and Chamber of Commerce. The county is home to frontiersman David Crockett and two homes where President Andrew Johnson once lived. The town has long been a tourist destination and is the location of the first college in Tennessee, Tusculum University, which dates from its founding in 1794 as Greeneville College. Today, the university offers planners a 690-seat auditorium and a variety of classroom and event spaces for smaller groups.
Outdoor adventures abound with walking, biking, and hiking trails, including a portion of the Appalachian Trail, and facilities at Nolichucky River Outpost of the Nantahala Outdoor Center, with both paddling and whitewater rafting.
General Morgan Inn and Conference Center in downtown has 51 guest rooms and event spaces to accommodate 300 guests, including a rooftop terrace. Other venues include the 1,135-seat Niswonger Performing Arts Center and the historic 328-seat Capitol Theatre.
Johnson City
VisitJohnsonCityTN.com; @VisitJohnsonCity; @JohnsonCityCVB
Johnson City combines urban amenities, Southern hospitality, and accessibility to world-class outdoor recreation with a vibrant downtown filled with restaurants, breweries, retail, parks, public art, live music, and seasonal events, says Alec Castro, director of sales and public relations for Visit Johnson City. “A few events we feature include Johnson City Farmers Market, Friday After 5, the Blue Plum Festival, and our big annual holiday display, Candy Land Christmas,” Castro says.
Castro notes outdoor adventures are just a short distance away from downtown. “You can hike to panoramic mountain views at Buffalo Mountain Park, walk on the historic Tweetsie Trail, rent a bike and head to Tannery Knobs Mountain Bike Park, or explore five million years of history at Gray Fossil Site, an active archeological dig and hands-on museum.”
The West Walnut Street corridor redevelopment will connect East Tennessee State University to downtown, Castro says. The intent is to create an area focused on bikes and pedestrian-friendly sidewalks. Johnson City’s most notable meeting venue, the AAA Four Diamond Carnegie Hotel, is located less than a mile from this current development project. The hotel has 137 guest rooms and 10,000 square feet of event space to accommodate 250 people. The hotel is connected to the Martin Center for the Arts, a three-venue, 93,000-square-foot performing arts complex.
Other hotels with meeting space are DoubleTree by Hilton, with four meeting rooms in 5,000 square feet of event space, and Holiday Inn Johnson City, with 206 guest rooms and 11,000 square feet of meeting space. Freedom Hall Civic Center is a multi-purpose arena with a 7,000-person capacity.
In nearby Jonesborough, Tennessee’s oldest town, the International Storytelling Center has a 95-seat theater and a library that can seat 100 people. The center offers workshops and live storytelling events.
Kingsport
VisitKingsport.com; @VisitKingsport
With summer high temperatures akin to New England, winter lows like Atlanta, and sunny days like the Carolina coast, Kingsport provides planners with four balanced seasons to enjoy the surrounding hills, parks, trails, and other outdoor attractions, according to Visit Kingsport. The city features a 10-mile walking path that connects shops, restaurants, and historic sites, and is home to Bays Mountain Park & Planetarium. There, planners can take advantage of a museum, planetarium, and indoor and outdoor event spaces that can accommodate 400 people for gatherings.
The largest event venue in Kingsport is the 305-room Marriott MeadowView Conference Resort & Convention Center, a full-service resort that has nearly 82,000 square feet of indoor meeting space, with 31 breakout rooms and additional outdoor space. The resort’s 18-hole golf course, Cattails at MeadowView, is frequently recognized as one of the top golf courses in the state. Golf Amplified, a PGA-member owned-and-operated indoor practice and event facility is adjacent to the course and has space to host receptions for 75 and sit-down dinners for 50 people, along with outdoor spaces.
Offsite venues include The Social, which can accommodate 200 guests; Allandale Mansion, with indoor and outdoor space for 500 guests; and Model City Event Center, which can accommodate 200 people. High Voltage is a multi-use indoor and outdoor event space that can host 400 for concerts, events, and parties.
Knoxville
VisitKnoxville.com; @VisitKnoxville
For the meeting planner seeking a city that will deliver an unforgettable experience, Knoxville is the answer, says Pearl Dorsey, director of sales for Visit Knoxville.
The Knoxville Convention Center, located downtown at World’s Fair Park, has 120,000 square feet of contiguous exhibit space, a 27,000-square-foot ballroom, a 461-seat lecture hall, and 14 meeting rooms. The adjacent World’s Fair Exhibition Hall adds 66,000 square feet of function space. The Marriott Knoxville Downtown, connected to the convention center by a covered walkway, has 302 guest rooms and nearly 18,000 square feet of event space. The Marriott also connects to an 82-room luxury boutique hotel, The Tennessean.
Other downtown hotels with event space include Crowne Plaza, with 197 guest rooms and numerous meeting rooms with a ballroom capacity of 1,200 people; Hilton Knoxville, with 320 guest rooms and more than 13,000 square feet of event space; Hyatt Place Downtown, with 165 guest rooms and 3,848 square feet of meeting space; Cumberland House, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, with 129 guest rooms and 3,471 square feet of function space; and Embassy Suites Downtown, with 176 guest rooms and 4,588 square feet of function space. The Oliver is a boutique hotel with 28 guest rooms and an event capacity of 80 people.
Pigeon Forge
MyPigeonForge.com; @My_PigeonForge
Pigeon Forge is a family-friendly destination for meetings and events that provides planners with a choice of more than 15,000 overnight accommodations and quality event spaces.
The destination is also close to Tennessee’s most visited attractions, Dollywood and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Dollywood, which offers theme park rides and attractions, live music and shows, and seasonal events, debuts the new HeartSong Lodge & Resort this fall, with 302 guest rooms and 26,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting and event space. The new property is adjacent to Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort, which has 307 guest rooms and 6,000 square feet of meeting space.
Also opening this year, The Wayback Hotel is an upscale, retro boutique hotel, part of Marriott’s Tribute Portfolio collection. The Wayback features an outdoor poolside event space and is across the street from The Island in Pigeon Forge, a popular shopping, entertainment, and dining destination. Holiday Inn & Suites, Pigeon Forge Convention Center, with 1,700 square feet of meeting space, is connected to The Island by a pedestrian bridge.
Other major event facilities in the city include the Ramsey Hotel & Convention Center, with 206 guest rooms and 18,000 square feet of function space; Music Road Resort, with 163 guest rooms and 16,000 square feet of convention space; and Courtyard by Marriott, with 137 guest rooms and 3,756 square feet of meeting space. The LeConte Center at Pigeon Forge is the city’s largest event facility with a 12,000-square-foot multipurpose hall, seven additional breakout/multipurpose rooms, and a 100,500-square-foot exhibit hall.
Sevierville
VisitSevierville.com; @VisitSevierville
Located in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains, Sevierville is a popular destination that welcomes millions of guests every year and offers a wide variety of accommodations, facilities, and activities that meeting and event planners find appealing, says Tony Funderburg, director of sales and marketing, Sevierville Chamber of Commerce.
Several unique experiences are new to the town, Funderburg says.
“XPERIA: Ocean Journey is set to open this fall and combines stunning visual effects with cutting-edge technology to transport guests to the bottom of the ocean. SkyLand Ranch can provide opportunities for fun teambuilding activities, like learning trick roping skills or competitive shooting at a BB gun range, and can host groups of 2,500 people,” he says. “The Pines is a new downtown entertainment venue with duckpin bowling, games, trivia, food, and drinks. It is in the building where Dolly Parton played her first paying gig at age 10.”
There are approximately 3,600 guest rooms in the city with additional cabin and condo lodging units.
The Sevierville Convention Center has nearly 240,000 square feet of usable space with an exhibit hall, ballroom, meeting rooms, and outdoor event space. Connected to the center, Wilderness at the Smokies Hotel & Waterpark Resort has 234 guest rooms, 472 multi-room suites, and 20-plus villas, plus meeting and event space for 135 guests along with a huge indoor water park. The Sevierville Civic Center is a 7,500-square-foot multipurpose space seating 160 people.
Middle Tennessee
Franklin and Williamson County
VisitFranklin.com; @FranklinTN
Just 24 miles south of Nashville International Airport, downtown Franklin offers 16 historic blocks filled with local shops and restaurants, live music venues, and art galleries.
The historic Factory at Franklin site is undergoing an extensive reimagination that will result in 240,000 square feet of office, retail, and dining space, plus 30,000 square feet of new event and theater space to seat 329 people. In addition, outdoor upgrades will include a hand-carved carousel plus additional park and green spaces.
Recently opened, the 325-acre Southall Farm & Inn features 62 guest rooms and 16 cottages, a spa, a signature restaurant, and 13,250 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space, including the 3,000-square-foot Orchard Event Center.
There are more than 6,300 guest rooms in the Franklin area. The largest event hotel is the 300-room Franklin Marriott Cool Springs Conference Center, with 23 meeting rooms in 31,073 square feet of function space and space to seat 1,000 for banquets. Downtown’s Harpeth Hotel has 119 guest rooms and indoor and outdoor event spaces, including Riverside Ballroom that can seat 252 for theater-style presentations. Embassy Suites Cool Springs has 250 guest rooms and 24,499 square feet of function space.
Murfreesboro and Rutherford County
VisitRutherfordTN.com; @VisitRutherfordTN
About a half-hour drive south of Nashville, and at the geographic center of the state, Rutherford County is a fast-growing area with four distinct communities, says Donna Klempnow, director of sales for Visit Rutherford.
New for 2023, The Grove at Williamson Family Farm, a 25-acre event space, has reopened with numerous new amenities including Mitsue’s Kitchen, Klempnow says. Adjacent to Mitsue’s Kitchen is The Porch, an open-air entertainment pavilion with gorgeous views, which is perfect for cocktail parties or small- to medium-sized events. The Grove features a four-and-a-half-acre private events campus and adjacent space with three large indoor barn spaces, plus areas for outdoor
and tented activities to host large events of 2,500 guests.
Event spaces in the county include Embassy Suites Hotel & Conference Center, with 283 guest rooms and eight meeting rooms in 63,000 square feet of event space; DoubleTree by Hilton, with 169 guest rooms and 5,500 square feet of function space; and Holiday Inn Murfreesboro, with 110 guest rooms and 2,250 square feet of meeting space. Meanwhile, Hilton Garden Inn Smyrna features 112 guest rooms and 1,800 square feet of event space, and Hyatt Place Murfreesboro has 116 guest rooms and a 1,400-square-foot meeting room. The Middle Tennessee State University campus has
an 855-seat theater, a ballroom with a banquet capacity of 850, and a variety
of classroom spaces.
Nashville
VisitMusicCity.com; @VisitMusicCity
Nashville and Davidson County currently have more than 39,400 guest rooms, and the region’s lodging choices are continuously expanding. Luxury hotels that have recently opened include 1 Hotel Nashville, which is the city’s first sustainable luxury hotel, with 215 guest rooms and multiple event spaces, including a rooftop venue for 300 guests; Conrad Nashville, with 234 guest rooms and 17,122 square feet of meeting space; Four Seasons Hotel Nashville, a social hot spot in the SoBro neighborhood, with 235 guest rooms and 25,330 square feet of event space; and The Joseph, a Luxury Collection Hotel, with 297 guest rooms and 22,389 total square feet of event space.
The 2.1 million-square-foot Music City Center complex is downtown, adjacent to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum and Bridgestone Arena. The LEED Gold-certified center has 350,000 square feet of exhibit space, two ballrooms, 60 meeting rooms, and a variety of pre-function and reception areas to accommodate more than 8,000 event attendees. A few miles northeast of downtown and near Nashville International Airport, Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center has 2,888 guest rooms and 750,000 square feet of convention space under one roof with more than 100 conference and breakout rooms.
Other major event hotels include the 506-room Embassy Suites Nashville Downtown, with more than 32,000 square feet of event space; the 591-room Grand Hyatt, with 84,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor function space; W Nashville, with 346 guest rooms and 29,758 square feet of indoor and outdoor function space to accommodate 750 guests.
Major offsite event venues include the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, which can accommodate 3,000 guests, with a 10,000-square-foot event hall, two theaters, a rooftop terrace, and additional spaces; and Schermerhorn Symphony Center, with 1,850-seat concert hall, 5,700-square-foot ballroom space, courtyard, and board rooms. Additionally, the 4,000-seat Grand Ole Opry House offers several unique options, while The Bell Tower, a renovated historic church in downtown, can seat 400 for dinners.
West Tennessee
Jackson
JacksonTN.com; @VisitJacksonTN
Located halfway between Nashville and Memphis on the Tennessee Music Highway, Jackson is a city full of culture and history, connecting visitors to everything in West Tennessee, says Beth Bolton, group sales director for Visit Jackson.
“From Civil War battlefields to the roots of rockabilly music, to the Legend of Casey Jones, Jackson is a vibrant, growing city,” Bolton adds.
According to Bolton, unique venues and attractions include Casey Jones Village, home to the Old Country Store and the Casey Jones Home & Railroad Museum, with indoor and outdoor event space; the Legends of Tennessee Music Museum, which features a 70-seat theater and a large collection of Americana music memorabilia; and Rusty’s TV and Movie Car Museum with more than 50 iconic cars, trucks, motorcycles, and props used in popular movies and TV.
Jackson recently has welcomed a few new and expanded facilities, according to Bolton. Madison Downs is an event venue with 5,000 square feet of function space indoors and a 3,000-square-foot covered pavilion; Hub City Brewery has space to host 650 people for events; and Jackson’s Kitchen has space for evening events for 80 people.
Jackson has approximately 2,900 guest rooms. Larger hotels and venues with event space include Clarion Hotel Jackson Northwest, with 135 guest rooms and 6,500 square feet of function space; DoubleTree Jackson, with 167 guest rooms and four meeting rooms with banquet space for 300 people; and New Southern Hotel, a performance and event venue for 300 guests. The Carl Perkins Civic Center has auditorium seating for 2,200 people and The Ned has a 420-seat theater and gallery event space.
Memphis
MemphisTravel.com; @MemphisTravel
Best known as the home of the blues, soul, and rock ‘n’ roll, Memphis was recently named to Conde Nast Traveler’s list of 23 Best Places to Go in 2023. Malvin Gipson, Memphis Travel’s executive vice president, convention sales, sports & services, notes in addition to state-of-the-art event spaces, Memphis allows visitors to immerse themselves in the musical spirit of the city.
The city’s recently transformed Renasant Convention Center features a 118,000-square-foot, column-free exhibit hall with flexible space, natural light, and spectacular views of the Mississippi River. The center is connected to the Sheraton Memphis Downtown Hotel, with 600 guest rooms and more than 16,000 square feet of meeting space, as well as the 2,051-seat Cannon Center for the Performing Arts.
Also new is Memphis Sports & Events Center, located in the heart of the city’s sports hub, Liberty Park, just outside Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium. The 227,000-square-foot space features indoor basketball and volleyball hard courts and is adaptable for other sports as well as guest speaker events.
Memphis has had an explosion of hotels in the past few years and now has more than 26,000 guest rooms, with more than 4,000 downtown. In addition to the Sheraton Memphis Downtown, other major meeting hotels include Guest House at Graceland, with a 464-seat theater and more than 22,000 square feet of meeting and event space; Crowne Plaza Downtown, with 8,686 square feet of event space; and 123-room Central Station Hotel, a Curio Collection by Hilton, with more than 8,000 square feet of event space including the Grand Hall. Meanwhile, Hilton Memphis features 405 guest rooms and 22 meeting rooms in 32,600 total square feet of function space, and the 227-room Hyatt Centric Beale Street has six event venues in 9,000 square feet of function space.
