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B M & T ••• May/June 2022 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 34 COLUMBIA Whether you're traveling to the Columbia region for business or leisure there is plenty to choose from to satisfy your needs, for this city is known to accommodate a diverse array of groups. Here in the heart of South Carolina, visi- tors experience the excitement of a thriving metropolis with a proud past rich in history and tradition. With over 537,449 sq. ft. of meeting space available in the region (including a 142,500-sq. ft. Convention Center), there are several con- ventional & unconventional facilities to choose from for your next event. Centrally located in South Carolina's historic state capi- tal, Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center is in the middle of an exciting urban scene that includes open-air cafes, deluxe accommodations, live music, exciting sports venues and concert tours. With the temperate seasons, Columbia offers your guests a perfect year-round business and social climate with a wide variety of world-class cultur- al and natural attractions. This venue is a dazzling 142,500-sq. ft. facility that was designed with you in mind! From abundant pre-function space to beautifully equipped breakout rooms; a 24,700-sq. ft., column free exhibit hall to an exquisite 17,135-sq. ft. ballroom – your next meeting or event is sure to be an overwhelming success! Columbia Cityscape T Between Memphis' famous Graceland mansion in western Tennessee and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on the eastern side are a wide range of visitor attractions in the Volunteer State. In Chattanooga, you can view Lookout Mountain and Ruby Falls from the world's steepest passenger railway, as well as tour the Chattanooga African-American Museum. Visitors to Knoxville can browse Black history exhibits at the Beck Cultural Exchange Center and view a 13-ft. bronze statue of Roots author Alex Haley in Morningside Park. CHARELSTON Charleston is a world-class destination, with an easily acces- sible airport, beautiful beaches, historic surroundings, highly acclaimed restaurants and shopping galore. Anchoring the area's meeting industry is the much-touted Charleston Area Convention Center Campus. Conveniently located in North Charleston, the Campus features more than 150,000 sq. ft. of flexible meeting and exhibit space and an adjoining Performing Arts Center. Steps away are the North Charleston Coliseum and the Embassy Suites Hotel. Combined, the cam- pus is the largest of its kind in the Southeast, and meeting pro- fessionals are delighted to now have a home for their larger conventions. Accommodations range from properties like 434-room Belmond Charleston Place (40,000 sq. ft. of meeting space), the 255-room Kiawah Island Resort (47,000 sq. ft.), the 525- room Wild Dunes Resort (50,000 sq. ft.) and the 255-room Embassy Suites by Hilton Charleston Area Convention Center (144,000 sq. ft.), to the 235-room Francis Marion Hotel (20,000 sq. ft.), the 113-room Hyatt House Charleston – Historic House (8,700 sq. ft.), the 127-room TownePlace Suites Charleston Airport/-Convention Center (500 sq. ft.) and everything in between. History buffs will be fascinated by the Gullah culture that's so much a part of the African-Ammeriican legacy in South Carolina. Gullah, the language spoken by the Lowcountry's first Black inhabitants, as well as the Gullah culture, still thrive today in and around the Myrtle Beach, at the northern end of the Atlantic Coast, is the center of a 60-mile stretch known as the Grand Strand. Visitors can hit the links at one of many area golf courses, enjoy a walk along the Oceanfront Boardwalk and Promenade or head to Broadway at the Beach for shopping, dining and entertainment. A horse-drawn carriage tour is a charming way to see the sights of historic downtown Charleston. You can buy sweet grass baskets from Gullah artisans at Charleston's City Market and enter the sanctuary where the slave rebel Denmark Vesey preached at Emanuel AME Church. Aerial View, the city of Charleston Charleston/Beaufort, South Carolina region. Gullah Tours explores the places, history, and stories that are relevant to the rich and varied contributions made by Black Charlestonians.