Smart Meetings October 2022 Digital Issue - 61

Memphis: A Rockin' Good Time
The other bright spot on the Tennessee musical road trip map is Memphis. Grind City is the
river town that changed the country's tune. It is known widely as the birthplace of Rock and
Roll, but is also home to legendary blues, soul, gospel and country culture.
Back in 1912, William Christopher " WC " Handy earned the nickname " Father of the Blues "
when he released Memphis Blues, a mash-up of Delta, folk, jug band styles and " flattened " guitar
notes that made it a distinctive favorite beyond his Tennessee roots. Arguably the first rockabilly
" crossover " hit song, Carl Perkins' 'Blue Suede Shoes' was captured at Memphis Recording Service
(Sun Studios) in 1955. The song was later famously covered by the most famous Memphis
resident of all time, none other than Elvis Presley. Both the room where The King first recorded,
Sun Studios and the influential (but no longer recording) Stax Records offer group tours to share
the musical inspiration of the likes of Otis Redding, Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis.
Hang Time
Capitalizing on the fun rock vibe is as easy as booking an event at Elvis Presley's Graceland,
where The Tennessee Troubadour's mansion, car collection and favorite foods (fried peanut
butter and banana sandwich) are featured as part of a guided tour. The Guest House at
Graceland is a 450-room resort hotel and Elvis Presley's Memphis Entertainment Complex
boasts an exhibition center and access to private evening tours.
The crescendo for any Memphis event is the freshly renovated, 300,000-square-foot Renasant
Convention Center. After a $200 million modernization added a 118,000-square-foot,
column-free exhibit hall and opened the space up to sweeping river views, getting in and out
is easier than ever. That is because in addition to upgraded LED lighting and broadband infrastructure,
the renovation introduced multilevel access to smooth the way for multiple groups
loading in and out harmoniously.
Steps away through a light-filled hallway is The Cannon Center for the Performing Arts, a
2,072-seat multi-purpose venue that is home to Memphis Symphony Orchestra. Like borrowing
sugar from a neighbor, the grand space sweetens the offering by putting your speaker on a
stage designed for masters.
Sheraton Memphis Downtown Hotel is across the street with 600 guest rooms and more
than 14,000 sq. ft. of its own modern event space.
The Street Where Music Lives
Beale Street is where the faithful go to hear music and dine with soul. At the intersection of this
historic address and the Mississippi waterfront, development is in full swing. Mixed-use One
Beale kicked off with the opening of 227-guest-room Hyatt Centric Beale Street Memphis
last year. The bright, modern escape features 6,827 sq. ft. of meeting space and a rooftop
lounge with river views.
A Caption by Hyatt Beale Street Memphis next door preserves the facade of the historic
machine shop at ground level and adds 136 guest rooms to the mix. Grand Hyatt at One Beale
Street has been approved for the area with 365 guest rooms, an upscale spa and 44,000 sq.
ft. of meeting space.
Beyond the rooftops, Memphis Riverfront is in the midst of a renovation that will create a
greenbelt dotted with places to gather, including an outdoor concert venue on the bluff overlooking
the widest spot on the Mighty Mississippi. You might even see Memphis Tourism President
and CEO Kevin Kane there. As he said when he announced
the results of the comeback performance of the city from
Covid in 2021: " We've all taken joy in watching the hospitality
industry in Memphis and Shelby County come roaring
back-faster than anyone imagined. " From the looks of all
the cranes in the air, they are just getting started.
- JT Long
Graceland, Memphis
War of the Roses:
How a Nashville Hotel
Won Women's Right to Vote
No Johnny-come-lately Nashville hotel can
match this wrinkle to The Hermitage Hotel's
story. The newly redone landmark complemented
its rejuvenation with a new staff wardrobe
designed by Draper James, the lifestyle brand
founded by Nashville native, Reese Witherspoon.
Its signature print named The Hermitage
Hotel Ditsy Floral features yellow accents as a
nod to the Women's Suffrage Movement and
the seminal role the hotel played in it during the
hot summer of 1920.
In that year, Tennessee was the final vote
needed for passage of the 19th Amendment.
The Hermitage's lobby became the ornate
stage for the vote's final struggle, a frenzy of
arm twisting and cajoling known as The War of
the Roses because the suffragists differentiated
themselves by wearing yellow roses while their
opponents wore red.
Sheraton Memphis Downtown Hotel
Crossroads Tavern & Grille
61
@smartmeetings
The Hermitage Hotel photo by Alyssa Rosenheck
1 Hotel Nashville photo by Frawley

Smart Meetings October 2022 Digital Issue

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Smart Meetings October 2022 Digital Issue