East Tennessee is a four-season charmer that features bustling, meetings-ready city centers—namely Chattanooga and Knoxville—that are affordable and attraction-packed for groups. As are the postcard-worthy destinations scattered throughout the Smoky Mountains and Tri-Cities regions. Among
them, Pigeon Forge, where delegates will delight in Dollywood, and Bristol, which boasts a music scene that rivals Memphis and Nashville on the other side of the state.
It seems wherever a group convenes in East Tennessee, attendees will be met with gorgeous surroundings, quality conference facilities and activities ranging from year-round festivals to white-water rafting.
Chattanooga
Centrally located on the border of Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama, Chattanooga is within driving distance of 60 percent of the nation’s population, including Atlanta and Nashville, both 90 minutes away. Plus, the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport, with service from cities including Houston, Chicago and Washington, D.C., is 15 minutes from downtown.
Once checked in, delegates will enjoy a convenient, walkable visit. The 185,000-square-foot Chattanooga Convention Center (CCC), which boasts 100,800 square feet of exhibit space, is surrounded by 2,000 rooms at hotels such as the Chattanooga Marriott, which is connected to the CCC, and the newly renovated Chattanoogan. Museums, parks, shopping, and restaurants are also nearby.
According to Steve Genovesi, vice president of marketing and sales at the Chattanooga Area CVB, dine-arounds are popular with groups, as are off-site functions at venues including W. Max Finley Stadium, Tivoli Theatre and the Tennessee Aquarium.
One easy off-session activity: Hop on a free downtown Electric Shuttle, which takes passengers across the Tennessee River to the North Shore to enjoy a strip of retail shops and restaurants. Another, Blue Moon Cruises, offers tours along the Tennessee River Gorge aboard the 70-foot luxury cruiser, the Blue Moon. Onboard, guests will spot bird species including bald eagles and great blue herons.
Knoxville
Home of the University of Tennessee Volunteers, Knoxville is an appealing destination due to its position near the Great Smoky Mountains and the diversity of things to do when meeting here, according to Deborah Redman, director of sales at the Knoxville Tourism and Sports Corp.
Of the city’s many attractions, Redman cites the Knoxville Zoo, productions at UT’s Clarence Brown Theatre and year-round festivals, including Boomsday Festival, a Labor Day fireworks extravaganza, and the Rossini Festival, which celebrates Italian food and music.
“Knoxville’s full-service planning is unique when selling our city,” Redman says. “The line of complimentary services far exceeds those in surrounding areas.”
Meeting facilities are also in abundance in Knoxville, including options such as the Hilton Knoxville and the Cumberland House Hotel, which is located across from the Knoxville Convention Center (KCC). The KCC boasts 500,000 square feet of space, including a 27,000-square-foot ballroom.
Smoky Mountains Region
The common thread of this region’s popular meeting destinations is close proximity to the famed Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP), which delegates adore visiting before, during or after a meeting.
Probably the most popular group activity in Gatlinburg, according to Sharon Sutton, director of sales for the Gatlinburg Convention Center, is visiting GSMNP. She recommends booking Twin Creeks Pavilion in the park for a group cookout.
“Everyone will enjoy the peacefulness and beauty of their surroundings,” she says, adding that Mynatt Park on Gatlinburg’s Historic Nature Trail Road also has a pavilion for group picnics.
Mynatt Park is definitely a great location for team-building activities or just a fun day for everyone,” Sutton says.
The destination is extremely versatile, Sutton adds, and that includes its meeting facilities. Last year, the Gatlinburg Convention Center was expanded to include the W.L. Mills Conference Center.
Among the destination’s popular group hotels are the Lodge at Buckberry Creek, River Terrace Resort and Convention Center, the Edgewater Hotel and Conference Center, and the Glenstone Lodge.
“There’s something for everyone to enjoy during their free time no matter how diverse the group attendees are,” Sutton says, citing Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies, Ober Gatlinburg Ski Resort and Amusement Park, and Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts.
Pigeon Forge also enjoys a picturesque location near GSMNP, according to Leon Downey, executive director at the Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism. Leon says the destination is wonderful for small, specialized meetings, including associations, reunions and social organizations.
“The city is very appealing to groups that want a family experience,” Downey says, citing attractions including Dollywood and WonderWorks–An Amusement Park for the Mind, Pigeon Forge’s newest attraction, with 100 interactive exhibits for visitors of all ages.
Among the area’s meetings-equipped facilities are the Pigeon Forge Convention Center at Grand Resort Hotel, and the Music Road Hotel and Convention Center. Off-site options for group events include Helicopter Whirl’d Adventures, which tells the story of wingless aviation, and more than a dozen entertainment theaters ranging in size from 400 to 1,700 seats.
Sevierville, according to Scott King, director of sales at the Sevierville CVB, is “the front door to America’s most-visited national park [Great Smoky Mountains National Park], and composed of shopping, attractions, amusement parks, museums, and more.”
King says the just-opened Sevierville Events Center at Bridgemont, a 241,000-square-foot facility, is certain to lure more groups to the area.
“Sevierville’s shows are a cultural attraction in and of themselves,” King adds, citing two theaters in Sevierville, Great China Circus and Smoky Mountain Palace Theater, that offer groups a unique Chinese experience.
Tri-Cities Region
Situated at the foothills of the Appalachian and Smoky mountains in Tennessee’s northeastern corner, the Tri-Cities region is also overflowing with natural beauty, as well as an abundance of attractions and historic sites.
Kingsport, according to Lara Moore, director of convention sales at the Kingsport CVB, is as simple as ABC: affordable, beautiful and convenient.
“Work can truly feel like a vacation here,” she says. “Once your meetings are over you can travel less than five miles and enjoy the best in antique shopping, soak up the rich history of this land and fish in some of the finest streams.”
The Marriott MeadowView Conference Resort and Convention Center, which recently underwent renovations, is nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and features a 35,000-square-foot convention center and 195 guest rooms.
“We also have a number of unique locations perfect for group outings,” Moore says, citing Exchange Place, a living history farm that recaptures life in the early 1800s, and Bays Mountain Park, where group team-building possibilities include white-water rafting, disc golf and geocaching.
Fast becoming one of the area’s most sought-after attractions is the new Gray Fossil Site at the East Tennessee State University and General Shale Brick Natural History Museum, located in nearby Johnson City. The interactive museum, which has meeting space and on-site catering, offers tours that let guests experience what the Southern Appalachians looked like millions of years ago.
“The addition of the Gray Fossil Site brings unlimited possibilities for meeting delegates,” says Brenda Whitson, executive director of the Johnson City CVB. “So many of our off-site venues take delegates back to the days of discovering our pioneer spirit, and the beauty of the mountains and the hospitality of our people are an added bonus to the overall experience.”
That experience could also include an afternoon at Fun Expedition, an indoor/outdoor family recreation center that houses go-karts, bumper cars, laser tag, and mini bowling; golf at one of several area courses; a visit to Farmhouse Gallery and Gardens; or white-water rafting with Cherokee Adventures.
Among Johnson City’s meetings-friendly facilities are Centre at Millennium Park, with 25,000 square feet of function space, and the 141-room Carnegie Hotel and Spa, with 13,000 square feet of meeting and banquet space.
“From the highest mountains in East Tennessee to the cobblestone streets of Jonesborough, we are a destination rich in history and surrounded by beautiful scenery,” Whitson says.
Jonesborough, like Johnson City, is in Washington County. Known as Tennessee’s oldest town, historic Jonesborough is home to the International Storytelling Center, and since 1973 has annually hosted the National Storytelling Festival in October “for a weekend of tall tales in a storybook setting,” according to Whitson.
It’s worth noting that every Friday evening from May through September, Jonesborough’s Music on the Square features live performances by local and regional bands, storytellers, poets, and performance artists.
Among the town’s hotels are the Historic Eureka Inn and AmericInn Lodge and Suites.
The atmosphere in nearby Bristol is revved up, as groups convening here enjoy visiting the Bristol Motor Speedway for tours, racing events and rides around the NASCAR dragway.
A “twin city” that’s situated on both sides of the Tennessee-Virginia state line, Bristol is also considered the “birthplace of country music” and boasts a variety of music performances at the Paramount Center for the Performing Arts, a restored 1930s movie house. Additionally, groups may “dig” touring walkways below the Earth’s surface at Bristol Caverns.
Bristol’s meeting venues include Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites Bristol Conference Center; Hampton Inn and Courtyard by Marriott properties; and the 20,000-square-foot Viking Hall Civic Center.
Like Jonesborough, Greeneville is a historic hot spot—the 17th U.S. president and Greeneville native, Andrew Johnson, is recognized at the Andrew Johnson National Historic Site. Plus, it’s one of four Tennessee destinations listed in the latest edition of “America’s Most Charming Towns and Villages.”
Groups that meet in Greeneville often book facilities such as the Clyde Austin 4-H Center, with more than 100 acres for sports and games, a three-acre lake for fishing and canoeing, and rifle and archery ranges; the circa-1884 General Morgan Inn and Conference Center, located downtown; and the River Trace Golf Course, which has a practice range, outdoor pavilion and meeting space.
For More Info
Bristol Tennessee/Virginia COC 423.989.4850
www.bristolchamber.org
Chattanooga Area CVB 423.756.8687
www.chattanoogafun.com
Gatlinburg Department of Tourism 865.436.2392
www.gatlinburg-tennessee.com
Greene County Partnership 423.638.4111
www.greenecountypartnership.com
Johnson City CVB 423.461.8000
www.johnsoncitychamber.com
Kingsport CVB 423.392.8800
www.kcvb.org
Knoxville Tourism and Sports Corp. 865.523.7263
www.knoxville.org
Pigeon Forge Dept. of Tourism 865.453.8574
www.pigeonforgemeeting.com
Sevierville CVB 865.453.6411
www.visitsevierville.com
Smoky Mountain CVB 856.448.6134
www.smokymountains.org
