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B M & T ••• November/December 2018 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 40 AREA GUIDES T E N N E S S E E TENNESSEE PROVIDES PLANNERS WITH A MEMORABLE AND HOSPITABLE EXPERIENCE ATTENDEES WON'T FORGET B Y B U C K S A M U E L S Visitors to Knoxville, the largest city in the eastern region of the Volunteer State, can explore the history of women in round ball at the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame. Knoxville's Black heritage is high- lighted at the Beck Cultural Exchange Center and Morningside Park, which fea- tures a 13-ft. bronze statue of Roots author Alex Haley. Memphis, Tennessee's largest city, lies at its eastern edge. Its famed historic Beale Street entertainment district is a must-see attraction, while two other top sites are the National Civil Rights Museum and the Stax Museum of American Soul. In the state's central region, the capital city of Nashville is home to such historic landmarks as Jubilee Hall, on the campus of Fisk University, Music Row, the heart of the country music recording industry, and the African American Museum of Music. • • MEMPHIS • • Memphis has all the energy and excite- ment of a big city, full of fun and unique things to do, see, taste and experience. But its rich heritage will move your soul like few places can. Memphis is known for it's legendary music and historic land- marks, but there are tons of new spots to explore and experiences to be had. So even if you've been to Memphis before, come back and check out what's new. Located in Downtown Memphis, the Memphis Cook Convention Center boasts a column free Main Exhibit Hall with more than 125,000 sq. ft., 31 meet- ing rooms and an impressive 2,100-seat Cannon Center for the Performing Arts (additional 28,000-sq. ft. ballroom). Plus, the Memphis Cook Convention Center offers a 36,000-sq. ft. special exhibit hall, parking for 750 cars and is connected to the 600-room Sheraton Memphis Downtown Hotel with an additional 12,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. Other Memphis conference hotels include the 405-room Hilton Memphis (30,000 sq. ft. of meeting space), and the 464-room Peabody Memphis (famous for its fountain and marching ducks). Downtown Memphis is only 10 miles or 15 minutes away from Memphis International Airport (MEM) WHO YOU GONNA CALL? MEMPHIS TOURISM 901-543-5300 www.memphistravel.com • • NASHVILLE • • Music City has been a hit with meeting planners and delegates for decades, but expanded offerings and worldwide atten- tion over the last few years have pro- pelled Nashville to superstar status. In musical terms, the city has gone double- platinum. At the heart of Nashville's pop- ularity is the city's willingness to march to its own tune. It's a place where haute cui- sine and down-home cooking are equally landed, where urban offerings meet Southern charm, and where the craft of Memphis, Tennessee, downtown skyline with famous Beal street in forground Photo Credit: Sean Pavone Skyline of downtown Nashville Photo Credit: Sean Pavone