Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/4253
sOUtHeRn HOsPItALItY, MUsIC AnD GReAt MeetInG sPOts BY SCOTT BRICE From the Mississippi River to the Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee is a place to discover the best of great musi- cal styles, America's riveting history, exciting outdoor adventure, Southern hospitality and mouthwatering food. Outdoor enthusiasts can take a hike through the deep forests of Big South Fork, kayak through the roaring rapids of the Ocoee River in the Tennessee Overhill, follow pioneers' footsteps through the Cumberland Gap and the Great Smoky Mountains, or catch a glimpse of the nesting American bald eagles in the cypress trees of Reelfoot Lake. Tennessee's lakes offer the largest variety of freshwater fish in America, while for the golfers, the state has more than 150 courses. CHAttAnOOGA Chattanooga's location in the South, at the crossroads of Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama, allows it economic success as a major distribution center. The city is the perfect location for small and large corporate meetings, boasting one of the nation's top 10 green convention centers, a state-of-the-art, one-level, 185,000-sq. ft. facility. The center's 100,800 sq. ft. of exhibit space can accommodate up to 500 10'x10' booths, up to 6,288 banquet seat- ing and up to 8,000 theatre seating. There are 21 additional meeting rooms ranging from 812 sq. ft. 1,800 sq. ft. Of 9,000 hotel rooms in the metro area, 2,000 are located downtown and an additional 6,000 additional are five to 15 minutes away. There are also a number of full-service hotels that can accommo- date smaller meetings. The Chattanooga Marriott Hotel has a maximum theatre seating of 500; while the Chattanooga Choo Choo Holiday Inn can seat 800 the- atre-style; and the DoubleTree Hotel has a maximum theatre seating capacity of 640. Free time in Chattanooga means that meeting attendees and travelers can enjoy a fabulous assortment of museums. Chattanooga's cultures are diverse and multi-generational. Travelers can explore Chattanooga's African-American Museum and hold functions at Bessie Smith Hall, which is connected to the Museum. The Chattanooga African- American Museum has a reservoir of materials on almost any aspect of Black American history and effectively por- trays African-American contributions to growth of Chattanooga and the nation. There is also the 353-acre Booker T. Washington State Park, which is situated on the shores of scenic Chickamauga Lake. The Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport serves the area and the Chattanooga Area Regional Transport- ation Authority (CARTA) also pro- vides regularly scheduled bus trans- portation and an electric shuttle system that operates downtown between the Chattanooga Choo Choo/Holiday Inn at Shuttle Park South and the Tennessee Aquarium at Shuttle Park North. It also takes passengers across the Market Street Bridge to the North Shore district. The shuttle makes more than 25 stops on its route, including the Chattanooga Convention Center and several downtown hotels and attrac- tions. The Tennessee Multicultural Chamber of Commerce strives to sup- ply specific information to meetings and event planners that may be looking to do businesses with minorities and females. Sherrie Gilchrist, president & CEO, invites you to contact her staff for assistance. WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Chattanooga Area CVB – (423) 756-8687 www.chattanoogafun.com Tennessee Multicultural Chamber of Commerce (423) 265-0021 www.chattanoogaaacc.org Black Meetings & Tourism October/November 2009: www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 90 AREA GUIDES tennessee Wow!, is all that can be said by this young kid as he gazes upon a Seahorse, during his visit to the Shuttle Park North Aquarium. Photo Credit: Chattanooga Area CVB