“In the home of the blues, soul, and rock ‘n’ roll, convention and event planners can expect to be met with rich history and culture, authentic cuisine, riverfront views, easy access to live music, and the affordability Memphis and the Renasant Convention Center offer,” says Malvin Gipson, executive vice president of convention sales, sports, and services for Memphis Travel. “These attributes create an unforgettable meeting and event experience.”
Many iconic music halls and landmarks also offer event space, including Elvis Presley’s Graceland, which offers group tours, hosts regularly scheduled concerts and events, and has an array of unique meeting and event venues, including the 20,000-square-foot Graceland Soundstage and the Graceland Exhibition Center. The Guest House at Graceland has 450 guest rooms, a 464-seat theater, and 17,000 square feet of function space.
Renasant Convention Center features a 118,000-square-foot, column-free exhibit hall, the largest in the region, and a secondary space converts to a 67,500-square-foot ballroom. The facility also includes 46 breakout rooms and a 28,000-square-foot ballroom for smaller events. The convention center connects to the 2,051-seat Cannon Center for the Performing Arts and to the 600-room Sheraton Memphis Downtown Hotel, offering an additional 14,675 square feet of meeting space.
In downtown Memphis, home to world-famous Beale Street, visitors will find more than 185 local bars, restaurants, and live music 365 nights a year. Downtown also chronicles civil rights stories at national landmarks, museums, and galleries. Also downtown, Big Cypress Lodge is a one-of-a-kind, 32-story wilderness hotel overlooking Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid. The hotel offers 103 guest rooms and includes indoor event spaces to accommodate 350 guests. In addition, the hotel’s Mississippi Terrace can accommodate 250 guests or be combined with indoor spaces to host 570.
Event attendees who bring their families will enjoy Memphis Zoo in Midtown, with indoor and outdoor spaces to accommodate 400 guests. Museum of Science and History, also known as the “Pink Palace,” features attractions and exhibits for all ages, along with event space for 500 guests.
Currently, there are 4,000 guest rooms in downtown, with another 5,000 in development through 2026, according to Memphis Travel. Additional hotels with event space include The Peabody Memphis, with 80,000 square feet of function space; The Westin Memphis Beale Street, with 17,408 total square feet of event space; 405-room Hilton Memphis, with 31,001 total square feet of event space; 227-room Hyatt Centric Beale Street, with indoor space to host 450 for a reception, plus an event lawn; 280-room DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Downtown Memphis, with 5,919 total square feet of function space; and The Central Station Memphis, Curio Collection by Hilton, with 123 guest rooms and event space to seat 400 theater style and host a 500-person reception.
