Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1541144
60 B M & T ••• November/December 2025 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com AREA GUIDES already have professional sound and light- ing. Production houses in Nashville work stadium tours and major broadcasts, so technical talent is deep, response times are quick, and crews are fluent in sponsor branding requirements. Load in moves smoothly thanks to modern docks and clear routes. City teams are practiced with large delegate flows, which helps with curb management, rideshare zones, and security placement during peak hours. The restaurant scene supports scale. Groups can buy out entire floors for hun- dreds, run chef stations in private rooms for sponsor hosting, or keep things casual with honky tonks and live bands. Black owned concepts and long running family businesses add range for dine arounds and VIP tables. Compact blocks allow attendees to walk between hotel, hall, and evening venue in minutes, and the riverfront gives planners a fresh setting for welcome nights or leadership receptions. WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Nashville CVC - (800) 657-6910 www.visitmusiccity.com CHATTANOOGA Chattanooga gives meetings a river city setting with compact logis- tics. The airport sits close to down- town, travel times are predictable, and the core is easy to navigate on foot. The convention center is sized for mid scale conferences and trade shows, with divisible rooms that snap to workshops, board meetings, and sponsor labs. Several headquar- ter hotels sit within a short walk, and the city has made curb management and coach staging simple for peak hours. Groups lean into outdoor and tech assets. The riverfront and Walnut Street Bridge frame receptions, while the aquarium and nearby museums handle evening buyouts that photo- graph well for sponsor recaps. For team building, outfitters run guided rides on the trail system, and the incline railway can be scheduled as an off site. The innovation district adds co working and studio spaces that suit hackathons, creator labs, or investor breakouts, and local vendors understand short turns and builds. Food service is efficient across the core. Downtown restaurants manage large tables without long waits, and private rooms are common for board meals. With a manageable footprint, reliable partners, and scenery that comes at no extra cost, Chattanooga delivers clean program flow and quick pivots when schedules shift. WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Visit Chattanooga – (800) 322-3344 www.visitchattanooga.com KNOXVILLE Knoxville offers a college setting where meetings run close to the water and the hills. McGhee Tyson Airport sits south of downtown with quick highway access, and drive times are steady. The conven- tion center anchors a campus linked to a park and museums, which lets planners stage morning wellness, daytime sessions, and evening culture without long trans- fers. Hotel blocks near the center and along Gay Street keep attendees together and make it easy to route sponsors to pri- vate dining rooms or receptions. The compact core helps with budgets. Attendees can walk between ballrooms, breakouts, and off sites in minutes, and operators know how to stage coaches for load and go. For leadership retreats or board programs, nearby resorts and lodges add quiet spaces, golf, and lake access within a workable radius. Caterers handle plated dinners at scale, and local roasters and bakeries provide reliable breakfast service. The Knoxville Convention Center is the cornerstone of Knoxville's meeting facili- ties. This beautiful, 500,000-square-foot space is located just minutes from Market Square, the heart of Knoxville's vibrant and walkable downtown. This popular area is home to eclectic shopping, fine dining, outdoor concerts and more. A number of Knoxville's finest hotels are also within walking distance. Off hours are easy to fill. Trips to the national park, the art museum, or market square give teams a change of scene, and partner programs have to do on foot. With short transfers, partners, and set- tings that show well in photos, Knoxville brings meetings the size of city and pace for the agenda. WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Visit Knoxville – (800) 727-8045 www.visitknoxville.com Music City Center photo credit: Nashville CVC