PHOTOS COURTESY OF NASHVILLE CONVENTION & VISITORS CORPORATION.”
NASHVILLE
MU S IC CIT Y ’S G ROW T H IS IN ST R U M E N TA L T O I T S M EET I N G S B U SI N ES S
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hile the railroad may no longer frequent Nashville’s historic Gulch District (“the Gulch”), which once saw over 100 trains arriving and departing daily, growth in the city continues full steam ahead. Cranes are present throughout Nashville, and the blocks surrounding Bridgestone Arena and Music City Center (MCC) perennially see hundreds of hotel rooms coming online. Hilton Hotels President and CEO Christopher J. Nassetta alluded to this growth in addressing audiences at PCMA’s Convening Leaders educational conference, held this past January at the MCC. In jest, Nassetta said that upon arriving, he had mixed feelings: While happy for Nashville’s growth, he was upset that he was greeted by the construction of a new competitor-branded hotel. Described by the Nashville daily newspaper The Tennessean as once being a “ramshackle collection of unremarkable squat buildings,” the Gulch is where Mackenzie Colt embarked upon a new business of manufacturing confectionaries — chocolates, pies and other sweets — after concluding a successful career as a country music entertainer. At Convening Leaders, Colt relayed her personal recollections of the area’s transformation to us, explaining that the Gulch started becoming more residential with increased foot traffic during the day, with locals inquiring at the factory door if they could buy Colt’s products. This eventually led to her opening a storefront shop, which in turn drove even more traffic to the neighborhood. Since then, multiple restaurants and clubs have paved the way for hotels and businesses to breathe new life into the area. During 38
PCMA, we noted that the Gulch was a favorite area for hosting private events for planners and potential customers.
MUSIC CITY CENTER
At the heart of Nashville’s downtown resurgence is the 2.1 million-sq.-ft. MCC. The artfully crafted facility is a far cry from the steel and concrete structures of the past, and has been instrumental in attracting major conventions to the city. Architecturally, the building is a work to behold, as well as a model facility for other developers to check out before constructing or refurbishing their own buildings. Indeed, while attending the inaugural ceremonies celebrating Louisville’s reopening of the Kentucky International Convention Center (KICC), we spoke with Charles Starks, President & CEO of MCC, and asked what his connection was to this potential competitor. Starks noted that he and his architectural team were consulted by KICC, and he was happy to offer helpful information. The MCC definitely set the bar high for convention center design. A glass façade looks out at the city’s skyline, providing natural lighting on multiple levels to the exhibition space and its wide hallways that double as prefunction areas. Outdoor spaces include function areas with fire elements for evening events and terraces that extend indoor event space. Sustainability was also incorporated: Rainwater runoff from the guitar-shaped roof is utilized within the plumbing systems, and rooftop gardens and beehives provide F&B manager Centerplate fresh produce, herbs and honey. Butch Spyridon, President and CEO of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corporation (Visit Music City), notes that within a half mile of the MCC (which includes FACILITIES & DESTINATIONS 2018 FALL
