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Memphis, Tennessee

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Why Host a Meeting in Memphis?

Memphis Skyline

Named one of the "Top 10 Hottest Meeting Destinations of the New Millennium," Memphis beckons meeting planners with its outstanding collection of modern meeting facilities and iconic assortment of unique venues. With approximately 230 days of sunshine every year, a number higher than beach mecca Miami, Memphis offers the perfect climate to take advantage of it all.

Easily accessible by train, plane or automobile, Memphis welcomes visitors with Southern hospitality served with an edge of rock and blues. Memphis offers over 20,000 hotel rooms, including the 468 rooms at the historic Peabody Hotel, which dates back to 1925 and is a proud member of the National Register of Historical Places. The majority of Memphis' accommodations are located only a few blocks away from the city's most enticing attractions including Beale StreetBeale Street
Beale Street, the Memphis Rock 'n Soul Museum and the famous Graceland.

FedExForum

While this southern city does not lack accommodations, it also does not lack meeting space. With over 190,000 square feet of meeting space, the Memphis Cook Convention Center is the largest meeting venue in the city. The center boasts the 2,100-seat Cannon Performing Arts Center and the 125,000-square-foot Exhibit Hall, which overlooks the river. Planners can also elect to host an event at the $250 million music-themed FedExForum, the home court of NBA's Memphis Grizzlies. FedEXForum houses numerous event spaces including the 130-seat casual Lexus Lounge restaurant and a 12,500-square-foot Grand Lobby. Agricenter International, a technology and environmental center for agriculture, is also available for private events. The center offers an idyllic pastoral setting, with spaces such as the 80,000-square-foot Expo Center and the multipurpose Show Place Arena.

Immortalized in music and movies, the city of Memphis brings to mind several attractions that serve as the perfect locales for an authentic, unforgettable meeting experience. Synonymous with the city, Graceland is a truly one-of-a-kind meeting space. Host a dinner at the 1950s Rockabilly's Dinner, capable of accommodating 65 people, or invite up to 300 guests to a cocktail reception at the Ticket Pavilion. Private nighttime tours of Graceland for groups are also sure to impress. Experience Memphis' charm at the Cadre Building located in a former bank in the heart of the city. Now a historic landmark, Cadre can accommodate events of 50 to 1,000 guests in spaces such as its Grand Ballroom, complete with gold leaf molding and champagne-colored drapery.

Live performances of blues, jazz and gospel are Memphis' lifeblood, and coupled with world-famous barbecue, the city's dining options are ideal for dinners and receptions. Host a rockin' reception at B.B. King's Blues Club, which combines live jazz and mouth-watering cuisine, or opt for a more low-key experience with an elegant dinner at the famed Peabody Hotel's Capriccio Grill, which can host up to 150 guests.

Memphis' location on the Mississippi River and at the meeting point of two major interstate highways has made the city a major hub for the transportation and shipping industry. In addition to having the world's busiest cargo airport, Memphis is the home base for FedEx shipping as well as 150 other businesses that include AutoZone and International Paper. The city is also home to the University of Memphis, Rhodes College and the University of Tennessee's Health Science Center.

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Additional Memphis Information / History

Memphis Downtown

Located on the banks of the scenic Mississippi River in the Southwestern part of Tennessee, Memphis is a city full of fascinating history that today resounds in its modern arts and culture scene comprised of museums, performances and galleries. Founded in 1820, the city entered the world stage as both the largest cotton market and largest hardwood lumber market in the 20th century. Though this sector of the economy has experienced a decline, present-day Memphis remains a thriving city that is, thanks to its location on the Mississippi River and along two interstate highways, a hub for transportation and commerce.

With a city population of nearly 671,000 and a metro population of over 1.2 million, Memphis invites visitors to explore its history and transformations that have made it an embodiment of the American South. Start with a stop at the Cotton Museum to explore the cotton trading industry that launched the city's economy. Step onto the site where famed Civil Rights proponent Martin Luther King, Jr., was assassinated, now housed in the Civil Rights MuseumNational Civil Rights Museum
National Civil Rights Museum. The city's history continues to unfold at the Memphis Rock 'n Soul Museum, where visitors can catch a glimpse into Memphis' prime role in nurturing the music genres of blues and rock, among others. And of course no trip to Memphis is complete without exploring the private airplanes, motorcycles, costumes and more of rock 'n roll legend Elvis Presley at Graceland.

Along with its growth in the early 20th century, the city itself grew with the construction of many of its beautiful parks and grand architectural elements during the national beautification campaign called the City Beautiful Movement. Classical and neo-classical-themed buildings went up, built out of the belief that these formal, white buildings would create a sense of order and control in the cities and improve the quality of life for their residents. Today they add a sophisticated Southern charm to this vibrant city. Stroll the Victorian Village in Eastern downtown Memphis to see a concentrated collection of these Victorian mansions.

Continue the walk into the evening on Beale Street, one of the most visited tourist attractions in the state and site of where B.B. King used to play. Bursting to life when the sun goes down, Beale Street is home to an array of bars, restaurants and clubs, many of which feature live entertainment and Memphis barbecue fare. From dinner at the Superior Bar to dancing and drinks at Rum Boogie Café, Beale Street guarantees a perfect end to the day.