East Tennessee knows a thing or two about spotlighting its riches—from Chattanooga’s Civil War tours and the historic homes of Knoxville to the amusement parks and zip line adventures of the Smoky Mountains and the musical and storytelling heritage of Johnson City, Jonesborough and Bristol. Planners looking to put together interesting agendas in Tennessee will find that this stretch of the state leaves a lasting impression on attendees.
Chattanooga
Off-site activities are a large part of Chattanooga’s draw, from the team-building possibilities of the new Aerial Adventure at Ruby Falls, featuring zip lines and ropes courses, to downtown dine-arounds, starting with an appetizer reception at the Tennessee Aquarium and moving on to a different eatery for each course. The city also gets attendees up close and personal with history, as the aquarium offers a Civil War tour along the Tennessee River by speedboat, and the Delta Queen riverboat is permanently docked at Chattanooga as a boutique hotel accommodating up to 80 guests.
"We’re seeing a lot of corporate groups because of all the downtime activities available to attendees," says Steve Genovesi, vice president of sales and marketing for the Chattanooga Area CVB. "We have everything from golf to white-water rafting and Civil War history."
The city’s main meetings properties include Doubletree Hotel Chattanooga, the Chattanooga Marriott at the Convention Center and The Chattanoogan Hotel & Conference Center, as well as two popular historic properties: the Sheraton Read House Hotel and the Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel.
Knoxville
Planners who believe their meetings are too large for Knoxville should think again. The city will surprise you, according to Kim Bumpas, senior vice president of sales and marketing for the Knoxville Tourism and Sports Corporation.
"The big misconception is that we can handle only small groups of 2,000 attendees," she says. "But we handle very large groups, since we have more than 100 properties in the area and the 500,000-square-foot Knoxville Convention Center."
In fact, Knoxville recently hosted the American Quilters Society, which drew 20,000 attendees.
While major new development has leveled off, Knoxville continues its downtown revitalization program and just finished making a 100-square-block area along Gay Street more attractive and pedestrian-friendly.
"Everything in Knoxville is clicking on every cylinder," Bumpas says. "We have a great mix of hotels and attractions that complement each other."
One of those attractions is the Knoxville Zoo, which dedicates itself not only to international preservation of species but local culture as well, and can accommodate up to 2,000 people for a single event. Also popular for off-site events are the 1858 Bleak House and the Blount Mansion, which dates to the 1790s. For events on the river, there’s the Star of Knoxville, a paddle wheeler that accommodates up to 325 guests, or the Volunteer Princess, a 100-foot luxury yacht that can handle up to 149 attendees.
Major meetings hotels include the Hilton Knoxville, the Knoxville Marriott, the Crowne Plaza Hotel Knoxville and the Holiday Inn Downtown at the Convention Center, currently undergoing a renovation. Just outside of town is the Hilton Knoxville Airport.
Smoky Mountain Region
Best known for natural beauty and family fun, the Smoky Mountain region boasts two of East Tennessee’s top attractions: Dolly Parton’s well-known park, Dollywood, and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The three main cities, Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville, also offer unique diversions to round out any planner’s agenda.
In Gatlinburg, off-site venues include Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies, which can accommodate up to 1,200 guests, and Ober Gatlinburg, a ski resort and amusement park that offers a variety of spaces perfect for groups.
Meeting facilities include the Gatlinburg Convention Center, with 300,000 square feet of event space; the Park Vista-A Doubletree Hotel; Edgewater Hotel & Conference Center; River Terrace Resort & Convention Center; and the new Hilton Garden Inn Gatlinburg.
In nearby Pigeon Forge, one new attraction has made a big splash: the Titanic Pigeon Forge, a mammoth, ship-shaped museum spotlighting the world’s most famous ocean liner. The museum has several spaces suited for meetings and receptions.
Meanwhile, Dollywood continues to be a top draw in Pigeon Forge.
"Dollywood is the primary venue (for off-site events) and it’s located here in Pigeon Forge," says Leon Downey, executive director of the Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism. "Four million visitors come every year to the park and Splash Mountain."
Downey says many planners arrange meetings with plenty of downtime so attendees can bring their families along for a visit to Dollywood, which features 40 different shows plus shops, rides, an adventure course, and arts and crafts exhibits.
Major meeting facilities include the Smoky Mountain Convention Center and Grand Resort Hotel & Convention Center. Other properties include Music Road Hotel; Holiday Inn Pigeon Forge, which recently added conference space; RiverStone Resort & Spa; and Inn at Christmas Place.
Adventure takes top billing in Sevierville this year, with the summer opening of Adventure Park at Five Oaks, an outdoor attraction that features zip lines and horseback riding. Foxfire Mountain Adventures also opened a zip line course over 150 acres. The new attractions are the next step in development since 2008, when the city expanded its inventory of hotel rooms by more than 1,000.
The city’s main event facility is the Sevierville Events Center, which boasts a 108,000-square-foot exhibit hall and 19,000 square feet of ballroom space.
Tri-Cities Region
Kingsport, Johnson City and Bristol make up the state’s eastern Tri-Cities region, an area rich with history both spoken and sung.
In Johnson City, planners can arrange a special treat by hiring East Tennessee State University students from the only four-year bluegrass and old-time music degree program to play at receptions or give talks on the area’s musical heritage. A street party, complete with live music and storytellers from nearby Jonesborough, home of the National Storytelling Festival, provides a retro thrill attendees won’t soon forget.
Area facilities include Freedom Hall Civic Center, Carnegie Hotel & Spa and the Best Western Hotel & Conference Center.
Heritage sites in Kingsport provide excellent event venues, from the historic 1802 Netherland Inn to the more recent but stately Allandale Mansion. Exchange Place, a living history farm, also welcomes group events.
Meeting facilities include the Civic Auditorium and the MeadowView Marriott Conference Resort & Convention Center, which is expanding and will soon be one of the largest Marriott facilities in the U.S.
During downtime, attendees can get up to speed in nearby Bristol, home of the Bristol Motor Speedway. The town is also officially recognized as the birthplace of country music by the U.S. Congress. Live music, theater and art form the heart of this creative town. Planners can contact the CVB for assistance in finding artists, musicians and speakers to give an event with that special Bristol flavor.
Facilities include the Viking Hall Civic Center, Paramount Center for the Arts and the Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites.
History and speed also reign supreme in Greeneville, home to the Andrew Johnson National Historic Site, Johnson Library, the City Garage Car Museum and the I-81 Motorsports Park.
Meeting properties include the General Morgan Inn & Conference Center, Clyde Austin 4-H Center and the Comfort Inn.
Freelance writer Beth Bartlett is practicing her best Southern tall tales for the next National Storytelling Festival.
