2023 Southeast Tourism Society Meeting Guide

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CONTENTS

NEW IN THE SOUTHEAST

New and improved meeting venues await groups around the region.

MOUNTAIN DESTINATION

Discover the scenery and serenity of these favorite Southern spots.

SMALL-TOWN CHARM

These Southern towns pack big appeal for meeting groups.

HISTORIC HOTELS

Host a timeless meeting at one of these Southern properties.

Courtesy Rutherford

Clockwise from top left: A new hotel in Greenville, South Carolina (courtesy AC Hotel by Marriott Greenville); the view from Virginia’s Wintergreen Resort (courtesy Wintergreen Resort); the James Madison Inn in Madison, Georgia (courtesy the James Madison Inn); Rutherford County Courthouse in Murfreesboro, Tennessee (courtesy Rutherford CVB)

The premier event and meeting venue in Kentucky.

Centrally located between Louisville and Lexington, the Shelbyville Conference Center melds versatility, beauty, and modern amenities to provide a welcoming and accommodating venue for events of all types.

Flexible floorplans and state-of-the-art technology allow for all groups of any size — from as intimate as 10 guests to as grand as 400 attendees — to gather together in the premier event and meeting venue in Kentucky.

Call (502) 633-6388 to discuss availability and for all inquiries.

STS CELEBRATES THE SOUTH DURING ANNIVERSARY YEAR

BY MAC LACY

Monica Smith’s extensive background in meetings sales and management is apparent when she cites her principles for selling a destination. With management stops at Visit Jacksonville, Visit Pasadena and Visit Newport Beach, the president and CEO of Southeast Tourism Society (STS) brings solid credentials to her role in promoting Southern states as meeting destinations.

“My mantra for selling destinations was always the four A's,” she said. “Planners need to know about a city’s accessibility, its availability of hotel and meeting space, its affordability and its amenities. Those are questions a planner will ask before placing a meeting or convention with anyone. And now, I have a role in answering those questions for the entire Southeast.”

Smith knows she and her members have one of America’s best regions to sell.

“Meeting delegates are still visitors,” she said. “When they come to our region, they expect Southern hospitality, good weather and great air service. Our culture, arts and entertainment options all come into play. Selling the South and its charm is a major calling card that all our destinations can use.”

As the chief executive of STS, Smith now works both sides of the meetings market, since she and her staff manage numerous events themselves. Over the course of a calendar year, they’ll handle site selection, marketing and management of events like STS Domestic Showcase, STS Marketing College,

the STS Group Sales Symposium, STS Congressional Summit and their new SMPR Forum, which provides two days of educational programming prior to Domestic Showcase.

“At SMPR Forum, we’re training marketing, sales and public relations professionals about the principles of the group, meetings and sports segments of the industry,” she said. Smith and her associates are prioritizing two strategies in planning the meetings they manage currently.

“We’re planning our events further in advance,” she said. “There are so many travel industry events now that we’re trying to avoid conflicts by getting our dates out there earlier. We’re also approaching all our meetings as partnerships with our destinations. We’re emphasizing what our destinations bring to the delegate experience and working hard to showcase our host cities.”

In 2023, all STS events take on an additional luster due to the organization’s 40th anniversary celebration.

“There is a strong legacy to consider when you look at 40 years of service to the industry,” said Smith. “Our members have a sense of pride in hosting their peers in the travel industry in 2023 during this special year. Our anniversary will be front and center at all these gatherings and our members are proud of what the Southeast Tourism Society has meant to them personally and professionally. At the end of the day, everyone looks at this like entertaining your friends in your home and works hard to put their best foot forward.”

Courtesy the Don CeSar

THE AWARD-WINNING MARITANA AT THE DON CESAR IN ST. PETERSBURG BEACH IS ONE OF SEVERAL DINING OPTIONS ON SITE

NEW NOW and

Venues are opening and expanding throughout the South

BY PAULA AVEN GLADYCH

Several meeting venues have opened in the Southeast in the past year, with more scheduled to open soon. These new developments include a Romanesque amphitheater, three full-service hotels, a newly renovated convention center and a newly designed and award-winning fine arts museum.

Check out these new and improved venues for hosting your next event in the region.

By Tim Hursley,

courtesy AMFA

THE ARKANSAS MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS IN LITTLE ROCK WILL UNVEIL ITS $142 MILLION RENOVATION IN APRIL.

THE ORION AMPHITHEATER Huntsville, Alabama

The 8,000-seat Orion Amphitheater in Huntsville, Alabama, was designed to look like an open-air Roman coliseum except with all the latest and greatest audio-visual equipment. The amphitheater, built in in the same vein as famous outdoor musical venues such as Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado or the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, opened to the public in May 2022. Since then, it has hosted about 20 major concerts from the Dave Matthews Band to Widespread Panic and Stevie Nicks.

When the facility isn’t hosting concerts, the backstage areas, including a private dining space upstairs, are available for rent. The dining room can host groups up to 80 for meetings, luncheons or workshops. Groups also can rent out the entire amphitheater for concerts, lectures or other events.

“We are striving to do an elevated boutique hotel feeling for back of house,” said Ryan Murphy, managing director of Huntsville Venue Group-The Orion Amphitheater. “We’ve gotten tremendous response from that.” The backstage areas took inspiration from Huntsville’s Rocket City reputation and feature retro furniture from the 1960s and 1970s. There is a vast park space with a large dome that can seat up to several hundred people, and Jeff & Blues, a dive bar modeled after an old Amish barn, which can be rented out for events.

The Orion has a list of preferred caterers for events and features two full kitchens, one front of house and one back. It also provides tables, chairs, linens, audio-visual equipment and smart TVs for streaming purposes.

theorionhuntsville.com

ARKANSAS MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS

Little Rock, Arkansas

In Little Rock, the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts is undergoing a $142 million revamp integrating aspects of the original 1937 building into a new more modern concept. The museum, which is known for its art collection, art school and performing arts experiences, will host its grand opening on April 22.

The 133,000-square-foot building, designed by architecture practice Studio Gang and landscape architecture firm SCAPE, has already garnered design awards. The building preserves some historic elements, such as the original entrance from 1937 combined with glass-enclosed spaces and a pleated roof that covers the entire building from north to south.

The light-filled atrium at the heart of the new museum building can host 300 people seated or 500 for a standing reception. The Cultural Living Room is a second-floor space with soaring floor-to-ceiling glass walls that overlook the courtyard entrance and Crescent Lawn. It can host 350 for a seated dinner.

The Glass Box makes for a more intimate space, while the Performing Arts Theater is perfect for presentations or performances. The facility also has some smaller meeting spaces, including a lecture hall and research center. Larger groups can rent the entire facility if it isn’t being used for fundraisers, proms or ticketed events. AMFA Catering is the exclusive full-service caterer and alcohol provider for events held there.

arkmfa.org

SAVANNAH CONVENTION CENTER

Savannah, Georgia

The 330,000-square-foot Savannah Convention Center, which overlooks the Savannah River in Savannah, Georgia, celebrates its 23rd anniversary in 2023, having served as a primary economic driver for the community by stimulating growth through new hotels, air service, restaurants and more, said Joseph Marinelli, president of Visit Savannah. The center is undergoing a major renovation and expansion, which will be completed by early 2024, doubling the size of its exhibit hall from 100,000 square feet to 200,000 square feet and adding a 45,000-square-foot ballroom and a 900-space parking garage.

The project will bring the number of breakout meeting rooms at the facility to 50, with more than 30 of them customizable for layout and size. A new 58-foot-wide hangar door will allow the center to stage vehicle and airplane exhibitions. The new entrance will feature an all-glass façade.

Beginning next year, the convention center will be able to host much larger groups and events up to 4,000 people. The expansion project is more than 50% complete and “the building has remained fully operational throughout the construction with minimal disruption to existing groups,” Marinelli said.

The convention center will go from being the 152nd largest center in the U.S. to the 74th largest once everything is completed. A new convention hotel is planned for the property. visitsavannah.com

By Josh Weichman, courtesy Orion Amphitheater

Courtesy Savannah Convention Center

By Erica Goldring, courtesy Orion Amphitheater

HUNTSVILLE’S ORION AMPHITHEATER, OPENED IN 2022

AN ARTIST’S RENDERING OF THE EXPANDED SAVANNAH CONVENTION CENTER

BOARDROOM SPACE AT THE ORION AMPHITHEATER

So Close You Can TASTE IT

Escape to a whole new destination right under your nose. With locally owned restaurants, lush parks, walkable shops, and small-town hospitality just outside the big city, Brookhaven is as easy to get to as it is to enjoy.

Welcome to your perfect place to be and belong.

Start your adventure at exploreBrookhaven.com.

GREENVILLE’S NEW HOTELS

Greenville, South Carolina

Greenville, South Carolina, recently opened two brand new full-service hotels: the Grand Bohemian Lodge and the AC Hotel by Marriott Greenville Downtown. The Grand Bohemian, which opened in September 2022, is a luxury hotel overlooking the cascading waterfalls of Falls Park on the Reedy and the famed Liberty Bridge. The hotel, which resembles a national park lodge, was built with weathered wood and natural stone as accents to help it blend seamlessly with its beautiful natural surroundings. It has 187 guest rooms, 30 of which are balcony suites, an art gallery, a 1,000-bottle wine room, a library, a spa, a restaurant and a bourbon bar.

Groups hosting events at the Grand Bohemian have their pick of both indoor and outdoor spaces. The hotel has a 1,900-squarefoot ballroom, two meeting galleries and a private dining room, all of which can be reserved for meeting and events.

The AC Hotel by Marriott Greenville Downtown, which opened in February 2021, is located on the corner of Main and Broad streets in the heart of Greenville. The eight-story hotel has 196 guest rooms and suites, four food and beverage concepts and nearly 9,000 square feet of meeting and event space that can host groups up to 350 in its largest room.

The hotel also features a private collection of art, with more than 100 works by 35 local artists and on-site catering. visitgreenvillesc.com

Courtesy Grand Bohemian Hotel Greenville

Courtesy AC Hotel by Marriott Greenville

Courtesy AC Hotel by Marriott Greenville

THE EXTERIOR OF GREENVILLE’S NEW GRAND BOHEMIAN HOTEL

A PUBLIC SPACE AT GREENVILLE’S NEW AC HOTEL

AC HOTEL BY MARRIOTT GREENVILLE DOWNTOWN

Our Latest Expansion Is a Work of Art

Centrally located in North Carolina, Winston-Salem is a welcoming meeting destination with a history committed to reinvention and innovation. Named one of the South’s Best Cities on the Rise by Southern Living, Winston-Salem boasts the recently expanded 150,000-square-foot Benton Convention Center in the heart of our vibrant, walkable downtown. Elevate your next event in Benton South’s reimagined meeting space featuring the 24,000-square-foot Gallery Ballroom. Winston-Salem will have you looking forward to playing, meeting, and staying in our hip and histortic city.

5,300 HOTEL ROOMS

1, 200 Downtown

100+ DOWNTOWN Restaurants & Shops

UP TO $3,000 IN Meeting Incentives

KIMPTON THE FORUM HOTEL Charlottesville, Virginia

The brand-new Kimpton The Forum Hotel in Charlottesville, Virginia, is situated on the grounds of the University of Virginia Darden School of Business. Slated to open in April, the hotel has 198 guest rooms, 22,388 square feet of indoor function space and 17,969 square feet of outdoor function space. The largest indoor space can host groups of 480 at rounds and 360 in a classroom setting.

The facility’s backyard is a beautiful five-acre arboretum and botanical garden that overflows with lush greenery, walking trails, curated gardens and a tranquil pond that are perfect for hosting outdoor events. The arboretum extends to the Rivanna Trail, which connects UVA’s North Grounds and UVA School of Law to the larger Charlottesville community.

The hotel has an on-site steakhouse that offers regionally sourced cuisine for breakfast and dinner. The Taproom offers classic pub fare and a large selection of beer, spirits and wines. The lobby bar is another spot to have a drink with colleagues.

The Charlottesville area offers meeting attendees plenty of options for how to spend their free time. Three presidential homes nearby offer group tours: Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, James Monroe’s Highland and James Madison’s Montpelier. The Michie Tavern, a colonial-style tavern, serves up Southern fare daily, and the region is home to more than 40 wineries along the Monticello Wine Trail.

forumhotelcharlottesville.com

Photos Courtesy Kimpton The Forum

KIMPTON THE FORUM HOTEL IN CHARLOTTESVILLE

AN INTERIOR VESTIBULE AT THE KIMPTON

PLAN YOUR NEXT InCentralLouisiana

EXAS

Our sales staff can assist you with personalized group itineraries, hotel leads, planning guides, and tours. Being centrally located in the middle of the state, the area offers a wide variety of venues, historical sites, and unique Louisiana experiences in and around the “Heart” of Louisiana.

SOUTHERN ELEVATION

BY PAULA AVEN GLADYCH

From the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Great Smoky Mountains, the southeastern U.S. is full of amazing mountain destinations that offer meeting groups a chance to get out of the city and enjoy all types of outdoor recreation while still having access to full-service meeting venues and lodging. Here are some mountain destinations to consider for your next meeting in the Southeast.

These mountain destinations offer scenery and serenity

Courtesy Wintergreen Resort

WINTERGREEN RESORT SITS ON 11,000 ACRES IN VIRGINIA’S BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS

THE LODGE AT MOUNT MAGAZINE Paris, Arkansas

The Lodge at Mount Magazine sits on the south bluff of Arkansas’s highest peak, Mount Magazine, which rises 2,753 feet. It is in Mount Magazine State Park, a major destination in the state for relaxation and outdoor and extreme adventures, such as horseback riding, backpacking, mountain biking, rock climbing and hang gliding.

The lodge features 60 guest rooms, Skycrest Restaurant, a conference center, a heated indoor swimming pool, a fitness center, and a game room. There are 13 cabins to choose from in one-, twoand three-bedroom configurations with fully equipped kitchens, fireplaces and covered decks with outdoor hot tubs. The mountain also has 18 campsites for the more adventurous.

The banquet hall is 3,840 square feet and can be divided into three separate rooms. The room can seat 200 for a banquet or 304 theater-style. Two smaller meeting rooms can host groups of 50 theater-style or 30 in a classroom setup. The lodge’s 125-seat restaurant can also be used for event space and features a menu of classic Southern cuisine. The dining room is dominated by a two-story tall native stone fireplace and large windows with beautiful views of the Petit Jean River Valley and distant Blue Mountain Lake below.

In their free time, meeting attendees can visit numerous wineries at the base of the mountain or spend time at Cove Lake Recreation Area, a 160-acre lake where visitors can swim, fish or rent boats. The visitor center has exhibits that explore the local flora and fauna and is a great place to learn more about the area.

arkansasstateparks.com

FORREST HILLS MOUNTAIN RESORT AND CONFERENCE CENTER

Dahlonega, Georgia

The family-owned Forrest Hills Mountain Resort is about one hour outside of Atlanta in Dahlonega, Georgia. It features 32 private cabins, each with a hot tub and fireplace, 12 luxury bi-level suites with steam sauna and other amenities, and small lodges that come in either four-, eight-, 12- or 16-room units. The Tree Topper Lodge is the largest with 16 bedrooms, each with a bathroom, a kitchenette and an outside deck. It has 48 beds. The Conference Center Ballroom is within easy walking distance and can seat up to 200 theater-style. Some of the other small lodges have their own hospitality or meeting rooms.

The resort has seven meeting rooms and four dining rooms, including the Secret Garden for couples and the Rose Garden, which can be used for formal or casual banquets of up to 200 guests.

For fun, groups can ride horses, take a horse-drawn carriage tour, swim or play tennis. There are three golf courses within a 10to 20-minute drive of the resort, as well as Dahlonega’s old-fashioned town square.

Groups can organize a chuck wagon ride to the Riverhouse for a barbecue cookout with all the trimmings, a bonfire and live entertainment. The resort has two wagons plus one tractor-pulled trolley to transport groups to the event. There are also two regulation-size volleyball courts, gem mining and massage on site. forresthillsresort.com

CHEROKEE CONVENTION CENTER AT HARRAH’S CHEROKEE CASINO RESORT

Cherokee, North Carolina

Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort is a meeting planner’s dream with 1,800 deluxe guest rooms and suites, nine dining options, a casino, live entertainment and a luxurious full-service Mandara Spa, all situated on 56 acres at the gateway to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The property is owned by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, so the history and culture of the tribe permeate the resort. Between the hotel and the Cherokee Convention Center, the resort has 130,000 square feet of conference space.

Photos courtesy AR DPHT

THE LODGE AT MOUNT MAGAZINE IN ARKANSAS

WINE

STARGAZING AT MOUNT MAGAZINE STATE PARK

Courtesy Forrest Hills Mountain Resort

FORREST HILLS MOUNTAIN RESORT IN DAHLONEGA

The convention center, which was added in 2021, has 83,000 square feet of conference space, including a 32,000-square-foot ballroom, 11,100 square feet of pre-function space and 26 meeting rooms. The exhibition hall offers 33,000 square feet of space with 6,000 square feet of pre-function space. Inside the hotel, the Council Fire Ballroom can host groups up to 1,100 people theater-style.

The resort’s culinary team can handle all a group’s food and beverage needs, from coffee service and midday breaks to multicourse meals. To get out of the ballroom, groups can rent out some of the resort’s restaurants for the evening. Dine-arounds allow groups to sample food at different restaurants on property.

For fun, the resort has heated indoor and outdoor pools, a fitness center and an 18-hole championship golf course. Groups wanting to participate in friendly competition can organize bowling or e-sports tournaments at Ultrastar Multi-Tainment Center. The facility also has an arcade, private party rooms, Strikes Lounge (a boutique bowling alley and bar), and an Esports Zone. The 3,000-seat event center hosts entertainment with artists ranging from Miranda Lambert to the Stone Temple Pilots. Several retail shops offer everything from soap and Christmas ornaments to ladies’ apparel and homemade fudge.

caesars.com/harrahs-cherokee

WINTERGREEN RESORT

Wintergreen, Virginia

Wintergreen Resort sits atop a mountain overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains in central Virginia. The all-season resort is spread out over 11,000 acres, both on the mountain and in the valley below, and offers everything from snow sports, such as skiing, snowboarding and tubing, to hiking on 30 miles of trails managed by the Wintergreen Nature Foundation.

Wintergreen offers villa-style lodging ranging from studio suites to multi-bedroom condominiums and private homes up to nine bedrooms. Many groups enjoy reserving the larger homes or condos for both their lodging and their meetings. The resort has about 200 unique lodging units, so it can host a wide variety of groups. With 39,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space, the resort can accommodate large groups. Its largest indoor space, Skyline, can host groups of 400. There also are two ballrooms and a 6,000-square-foot event tent pad with slope-side mountain views.

For fun, groups can take advantage of the resort’s 45 holes of golf, tennis and pickleball at Racquet Sports Center at Devils Knob. The Spa at Wintergreen has two pools, three hot tubs, a sauna and a fitness center. Discovery Ridge Adventure Center offers summer mountain tubing, indoor ninja warrior course, climbing tower, minigolf, gem-mining and disc golf. Lake Monocan has a sand beach, which groups can utilize for swimming, canoeing, kayaking and standup paddleboarding. The resort also will organize team-building events for meeting groups, including cardboard boat regattas and beach Olympics, scavenger hunts and guided hikes.

wintergreenresort.com

Courtesy Wintergreen Resort

Courtesy Wintergreen Resort

Courtesy Harrah’s Cherokee

Courtesy Harrah’s Cherokee Courtesy Wintergreen Resort

GUY FIERI’S CHEROKEE KITCHEN AND BAR AT HARRAH’S CHEROKEE CASINO RESORT

WINTERGREEN RESORT GOLF

WINTER ON THE MOUNTAIN AT WINTERGREEN RESORT

HARRAH’S CHEROKEE CASINO RESORT IN NORTH CAROLINA

VIRGINIA’S WINTERGREEN RESORT

A-CLOSE-OUT-THE-CONFERENCEAND-STICK-AROUND-FOR-ABROADWAY-SHOW-KINDA-TOWN

OVERLOOK EVENTS CENTER Pikeville, Kentucky

Situated in the Appalachian Mountains of Eastern Kentucky, the Overlook Events Center is perched on a reclaimed mining site with breathtaking views of the Pikeville Cut-Through Project, an engineering project that began in 1973 with the sole purpose of relieving the barrage of flooding that the city of Pikeville experienced annually. The Cut-Through Project also gave the city more room for development due to the relocation of the Levisa Fork of the Big Sandy River away from downtown.

The event center features a large outdoor patio with amazing 360-degree views and an open concept indoor meeting space that can accommodate up to 350 guests.

Pikeville is also home to Appalachian Wireless Arena, a premier entertainment and conference venue in the heart of downtown. The 126,000-square-foot facility has an arena floor that can provide concert seating for 7,000. The building was designed as a multi-purpose facility, complete with about 5,000 square feet of ballroom space overlooking the arena floor.

Groups wanting to visit the area have their pick of fun outdoor activities, as well as a healthy dose of history. Pikeville’s claim to fame is the infamous feud between the Hatfields and the McCoys. Visitors flock to the area to learn more about the feud and take a self-guided tour of sites associated with the two families.

overlookeventscenter.com

OUR MOUNTAINS ARE EXCITED TO MEET YOU.

Once your meetings are complete, entertainment galore among the Great Smoky Mountains await. The many meeting facilities in Pigeon Forge provide space for groups of all sizes, from 20 to 12,000. These facilities are conveniently situated mere minutes from hundreds of family-friendly activities, including shows, Dollywood, unique dining experiences, museums and so many more ways to make work fun.

Courtesy Overlook Events Center

KENTUCKY'S OVERLOOK EVENTS CENTER

MEETINGS WITH A VIEW

Looking for a place to host your next meeting, conference or convention? Look no further than Corbin, KY. Conveniently located off of I-75 exit 25 in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Corbin is home to 2 premier meeting and conference centers. The Corbin Arena features a 31,250 square foot floor and a 19,261 square foot concourse, making it perfect for conferences and tradeshows. Directly below the Arena is the Corbin Center, a 20,000 square foot facility complete with an executive board room, five classrooms and an 85 x 63 square foot multipurpose space. After the meeting get out and enjoy the Original KFC, Cumberland Falls State Park, the Laurel Lake and our vibrant and eclectic downtown! We can’t wait to host you…..Corbin LOVES Company!

www.corbinkytourism.com

606-528-8860

SMALL IN is

BY PAULA AVEN GLADYCH

The Southeast is full of quaint small towns that roll out the red carpet for meeting groups. Here are five places with walkable downtowns, unique history and full-service amenities that give groups the convenience of larger destinations.

These Southern towns are big on charm

Courtesy Rutherford CVB

CANNONSBURG VILLAGE IS A HISTORIC TREASURE IN MURFREESBORO, TENNESSEE

ANNISTON, ALABAMA

Anniston, Alabama, started out as a private company town in 1872, founded by the Woodstock Iron Company. It wasn’t until 1883 that the city officially incorporated. The area is known for its walkable communities, the outdoors and mom-and-pop shops. Outdoor enthusiasts will enjoy hiking, biking and horseback riding along trails on the former U.S. Army base Fort McClellan. The Chief Ladiga Trail, a paved pedestrian path through Anniston, will soon connect to the Silver Comet Trail coming from Georgia, creating the longest paved pedestrian pathway in the U.S.

The city also figured prominently in the fight for desegregation in the 1960s after a mob of white residents attacked and then firebombed a Greyhound bus full of African American Freedom Riders trying to call attention to the problem of segregation. Visitors to the city can take a self-guided driving tour of the Anniston Civil Rights Heritage Trail, which includes the Freedom Riders National Monument where the bus burning happened in 1961, as well as a mural of the bus on a wall facing the bus depot alleyway.

Anniston Meeting Center is the largest event center in the city, with the 13,000-square-foot Anniston Hall, three conference spaces that can each seat 100 to 150 people and the Victoria Room for executive meetings. Anniston Museums and Gardens, home to Anniston Museum of Natural History, Berman Museum and Longleaf Botanical Gardens, also offers several meeting spaces for rent, from auditoriums and classrooms to museum exhibit halls and the Longleaf Event Center.

Hotel Finial on the city’s main boulevard has 61 rooms, breathtaking architecture and ample room for meetings or events up to 200 people.

visitcalhouncounty.com

NEW BERN, NORTH CAROLINA

The second-oldest city in North Carolina, New Bern has a beautiful downtown district surrounded by water. Its biggest claim to fame is the Tryon Palace State Historic Site, which was the first capitol of North Carolina. Visitors to New Bern can take advantage of the quaint independently owned shops, restaurants and galleries in town while enjoying the waterfront views. Groups can take trolley tours of the area or enjoy the Croatan National Forest for hiking and biking.

New Bern’s 40,000-square-foot Riverfront Convention Center is the top meeting spot in the city. It underwent a full renovation in 2019, so everything is state of the art. There are 170 hotel rooms attached to the convention center, divided between a Doubletree by Hilton and a Tapestry by Hilton, which is set to open in April. The Courtyard by Marriott offers an additional 100 guest rooms about a block from the convention center.

The Doubletree and Tapestry offers an additional 16,000 square feet of meeting space, which is undergoing complete upgrades with digital reader boards, infrastructure, and an updated food and beverage program.

New Bern is the birthplace of Pepsi, and groups can visit the store and pharmacy that started it all. The facility also can be utilized for dessert and cocktail socials. Several art galleries in town can double as event spaces, as well as the New Bern Firemen’s Museum. In their downtime, groups can take guided boat tours or ghost tours in town. visitnewbern.com

CAMDEN, SOUTH CAROLINA

South Carolina’s oldest inland city, Camden is known as the steeplechase capital of the world, with the National Steeplechase Museum and the 60-acre South Carolina Equine Park, which plays host to the Carolina Cup every year. Camden is also the site of the Battle of Camden, a Revolutionary War battle that took place in August 1780, where the British Army under Lt. General Charles Cornwallis defeated the Continental Army.

Meeting planners can tap into that history by organizing events at the Revolutionary War Visitor Center, which can host groups up to 240. The center tells the story of the Southern Campaign of the Revolutionary War and South Carolina’s part in turning the tide when all seemed lost.

Courtesy Visit New Bern

NEW BERN’S TRYON PALACE STATE HISTORIC SITE

NEW BERN'S RIVERFRONT CONVENTION CENTER

Courtesy City of Anniston

ANNISTON’S HOTEL FINIAL

AN OUTDOOR EVENT AT RIVERFRONT CONVENTION CENTER

Meeting Guide

Hampton Inn Camden is the only full-service meeting hotel in the city, with 400 square feet of meeting space and 70 guest rooms. Holiday Inn Express and Suites and Comfort Inn and Suites offer another 131 guest rooms between them. The multi-purpose Camden City Arena can seat 1,600 and has facilities for sporting events, conventions and entertainment. Other venues include the Arts Center of Kershaw County, which can accommodate up to 300, the National Steeplechase Museum or the Historic Camden-Kershaw-Cornwallis House.

Downtown Camden and Uptown Dusty Bend offer plenty of shopping opportunities with boutique shops, antique stores and art galleries to peruse.

classicallycarolina.com

MURFREESBORO, TENNESSEE

Murfreesboro, in the heart of Tennessee’s Rutherford County, is just 35 minutes southeast of Nashville. The county is steeped in history, and visitors will enjoy exploring the Stones River National Battlefield and Cemetery or wandering the halls of two antebellum homes, Oaklands Mansion and Sam Davis Home. Cannonsburgh Village, a reconstructed pioneer settlement that represents 100 years of early Tennessee history from the 1830s to the 1930s, has a gristmill, schoolhouse, doctor’s office and general store to explore. The Rutherford County Historic Courthouse Museum from the pre-Civil War era is worth a visit. It served as a watchtower, ballroom, prison and hospital.

The county has 62 lodging properties with 5,500 guest rooms and more than 250,000 square feet of meeting space in more than 60 venues and a beautiful convention center to welcome events of all sizes.

The Embassy Suites Murfreesboro Hotel and Conference Center is the largest meeting venue, with 283 guest rooms and 63,000 square feet of flexible event space. The largest space is the Grand Ballroom at 28,800 square feet. It has 19 meeting rooms. The Doubletree by Hilton-Murfreesboro has 3,840 square feet of meeting space with three meeting rooms and 169 guest rooms.

Off-site venues include The Grove at Williamson Family Farm, with 10,000 square feet of space in the Main Barn, Loafing Barn and Silage Shed, Oaklands Mansion or the View at Fountains, a modern conference and event venue at Fountains at Gateway. The full-service venue includes 5,800 square feet of indoor event space and 1,900 square feet of outdoor, covered patio space.

visitrutherfordtn.com

Courtesy Rutherford CVB Courtesy Visit Camden

CAMDEN’S REVOLUTIONARY WAR VISITOR CENTER

THE GROVE AT WILLIAMSON FAMILY FARM

STAUNTON, VIRGINIA

Located in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, Staunton is known for its beautiful architecture. The city was lucky enough to survive the Civil War relatively unscathed and features many wonderfully preserved 18th and 19th century homes and buildings.

Downtown Staunton has six historic districts to explore and features independent retailers, art and antique galleries, restaurants, bakeries, coffee shops and craft breweries. From April through October, the city closes four blocks of Beverley Street to vehicle traffic so businesses and musicians can spill out into the street. Staunton boasts a vibrant arts and music scene, and the American Shakespeare Center presents the works of Shakespeare and his contemporaries at Blackfriars Playhouse, a re-creation of Shakespeare’s indoor theatre.

The Frontier Culture Museum is a living history museum that sheds light on life in early America. Staunton also is home to the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum. The entrances to Shenandoah National Park, Blue Ridge Parkway and Blue Ridge Tunnel are all located within a short drive of Staunton.

The city has several full-service meeting locations, including Hotel 24 South and Conference Center, which can host groups up to 400, and the Blackburn Inn and Conference Center, with 10,000 square feet of flexible meeting space and 49 guest rooms. It can host groups of 20 to 200. The city has 25 hotels with 1,659 hotel rooms. visitstaunton.com

Courtesy Grand Bohemian Hotel Greenville

Photos courtesy Visit Staunton

DOWNTOWN STAUNTON AN EVENT VENUE AT HOTEL 24

OUTDOOR MUSIC AT THE BLACKBURN INN

PA T PERFE T

These historic hotels enhance meetings throughout the South

BY PAULA AVEN GLADYCH

Ahistoric hotel can add an air of sophistication or timeless interest to any meeting. In states throughout the Southeast, historic properties offer opportunities for diverse and memorable meeting experiences.

From rustic and Jeffersonian to pink and elegant, these five historic hotels across the South make picture perfect spots to host meetings and events.

Courtesy the Don CeSar

GUESTS ENJOY A DRINK AT THE POOL BAR AT THE HISTORIC DON CESAR IN ST. PETERSBURG BEACH.

1886 CRESCENT HOTEL AND SPA Eureka Springs, Arkansas

Perched above the Victorian village of Eureka Springs, Arkansas, the 1886 Crescent Hotel and Spa is small compared with other grand hotels of the time, with just 72 guest rooms and a few cottages. The full-service resort was first built in 1886. During the Great Depression, since nobody could afford to travel, the resort was turned into an all-girls college. In 1937 it was bought by a snake oil salesman who turned the hotel into a cancer hospital. He bilked people for two years before being run off, and the property returned to a resort soon after.

The current owner bought it in 1997, along with the Basin Park Hotel, and spent millions renovating it and bringing it back to its 1886 grandeur with heavy curtains and stenciled walls. It is a full-service resort, and meeting groups don’t have to leave the property to have a good time. The hotel offers crafts, painting classes and hatchet throwing. It also has a spa and salon.

The resort’s Crystal Ballroom can accommodate a reception of 350 people. The Conservatory is a smaller room with three glass sides overlooking the surrounding forest. It can hold 125. The resort has two garden spaces that can host groups up to 350. Tents can be erected in the Crescent Gardens on the side of the hotel, or the East Lawn, which is on the back side of the hotel.

The Frisco Sporting Club sits on 15 acres that can host events, and there are several small cottages built in the 1990s that can be used for meeting spaces for smaller groups. The hotel has an onsite catering team, and a former employee of the hotel leads nightly ghost tours, as the facility is famous for its paranormal activity.

crescent-hotel.com

THE DON CESAR St. Petersburg Beach, Florida

Known as the Pink Palace, The Don CeSar sits on its own private section of St. Petersburg Beach, Florida. The grand 95-yearold Great Gatsby-era hotel features private beaches, outdoor terraces and plenty of outdoor recreational opportunities, including kayaking and paddleboarding. Like many historic hotels before it, the building has gone through many incarnations over the years, including serving as a hospital for veterans returning from World War II. The facility reopened as a hotel in 1973 and has since been added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Since 2018, the hotel has undergone a full renovation of its guest rooms, meeting rooms and common areas; added a new pool bar with a rooftop deck; and opened a new breakfast, lunch, and dinner restaurant, Society Table. The full-service spa has a steam room, whirlpool, sauna and outdoor terrace, and there are three boutique shops and six dining establishments.

For meetings, the hotel has everything from a small boardroom to a huge ballroom that can host up to 250 people for groups wanting to tap into a legendary part of Florida’s past. There are meeting spaces on the fifth floor, ground floor and lobby level. Outdoor spaces include a beach pavilion, a courtyard, North Beach and an outdoor deck that is part of Rowe Bar, the hotel’s beachfront bar.

All the resort’s meeting spaces feature floor-to-ceiling windows, letting in plenty of natural light with views of the private beachfront or the bay. Team-building options include sandcastle competitions, beach games, Build-a-Boat (where teams work together to build a working watercraft), or Build-a-Bar competition, where they must build a bar and come up with a signature cocktail for the group.

doncesar.com

THE JAMES MADISON INN

Madison, Georgia

The James Madison Inn is one of the oldest hotels in downtown Madison, Georgia, situated in a gorgeous historic district that has many elegant 19th century homes that were saved from destruction during the Civil War. More than 45 have been lovingly restored and are on the National Register of Historic Places. The James Madison Inn is a 17-room boutique hotel full of antiques and Southern charm that combines modern technology and amenities with the feel of an old-fashioned bed and breakfast.

Groups can rent out the entire inn, as well as individual indoor or outdoor venues. The hotel has several meeting rooms, including the Media Room, which is set up conference-style and can host executive meetings up to 12 people. Located just steps from the inn is Variety Works, a barn-style venue with wooden walls, beautiful chandeliers and concrete floors that was built in the 1870s as a manufacturing facility. The two-story building now hosts events up to 175 people. It also has a backyard for outdoor events called the Round Bowl Springs Gazebo and Event Lawn.

The area is surrounded by woods, a small pond and peaceful walking trails.

jamesmadisoninn.com

Courtesy 1886 Crescent Hotel and Spa

Courtesy James Madison Inn Courtesy the Don CeSar

1886 CRESCENT HOTEL AND SPA IN EUREKA SPRINGS

THE JAMES MADISON INN THE DON CESAR

What’s yours?

GENERAL MORGAN INN AND CONFERENCE CENTER Greeneville, Tennessee

The General Morgan Inn was built on the site of a former tavern that served the community of Greeneville, Tennessee, during the Civil War. After the railroad built a depot in Greeneville in 1886, a local entrepreneur saw the need for a nice hotel to accommodate travelers. The Grand Central was a beautiful four-story brick building with marble trim that looked very much like the General Morgan looks today. The only difference is that over the years, the hotel acquired the Mason Hotel and Union Hotel and connected them to form the current establishment.

The General Morgan was renovated in 1996 as part of a major redevelopment project in the area. The inn has 51 guest rooms and Brumley’s Restaurant, serving steak and seafood along with sandwiches and salads. Groups up to 300 can rent out the 2,950-square-foot Grand Ballroom, or the room can be divided into three separate spaces. The Rooftop Terrace is perfect for outdoor functions of 300 people, with 3,200 square feet of it covered by a tent. There is a boardroom available that seats up to 12, and Brumley’s Restaurant, which is named in honor of the Brumley family, which owned and operated the Hotel Brumley from 1920 to 1980, can accommodate up to 100. The restaurant has three distinct dining rooms: the Club Room, the Greene Room and the library, which can all be used for smaller group events.

generalmorganinn.com

THE GENERAL MORGAN INN LOBBY

GENERAL MORGAN INN AND CONFERENCE CENTER

Photos courtesy General Morgan Inn

When the meetings end at Oaklawn, the fun begins. Start with a glass of white at The First Turn. Then, more good times at the blackjack table. This is my Oaklawn.

Describing Gatlinburg, Tennessee is easy

Nestled in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountain Park, Gatlinburg is a quaint town is filled with everything a meeting planner needs for a successful event: a beautiful, state of the art convention center, 16,000+ sleeping rooms, comprised of full-service and limited-service hotels, and motels, cabins, and condominiums. Gatlinburg also offers hundreds of shops and restaurants as well as entertainment attractions for every age and interest.

MAKE THE MOST OUT OF YOUR MEETING EXPERIENCE IN TUSCALOOSA

Located in the heart of West Alabama, Tuscaloosa offers a legendary experience your guests won’t forget.

Home to The University of Alabama, you’ll find a welcoming community with a fun college town vibe. You can choose from more than 40 lodging facilities, local restaurants featuring eclectic cuisine, a walkable and vibrant downtown, outdoor spaces, historical attractions, and a destination that’s easily accessible.

Let’s create that legendary meeting experience today.

THE GREENBRIER White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia

The earliest guests of The Greenbrier came to White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, to “take the waters” to restore their health in 1778, but it wasn’t until the 1830s that prominent individuals such as presidents, judges, diplomats, and merchants began to flock to the mountain resort. Before the Civil War, five sitting U.S. presidents stayed at the property, cementing it as one of the most prominent resorts in the country.

The Greebrier has 710 guest rooms and more than 200,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, including 40 breakout rooms and a 16,500-square-foot exhibit hall. The facility is equipped with state-of-the-art technology and amenities, such as enclosed projection rooms with online computer hookups, sophisticated multimedia equipment and Dolby Surround Sound.

Groups meeting at the resort have their pick of 55 indoor and outdoor activities to fill their downtime, including an aerial adventure course, bowling, bunker tours, escape rooms, horseback riding, kayaking and sport shooting. Golfers will want to set up tee times at the Old White, an 18-hole golf course that opened in 1914, or the Meadows, an 18-hole course that opened in 1911. Two nine-hole courses are also available. The resort also has The Greenbrier Casino Club, a full-service spa, retail shops, and 19 food and beverage establishments.

greenbrier.com

Photos courtesy the Greenbrier

THE ICONIC FRONT ENTRANCE AT THE GREENBRIER

A SCULPTURE AT A GREENBRIER GOLF COURSE

FISHING ON GREENBRIER PROPERTY

MEET OFF THE Beaten Path

Discover waterside charm, world-class amenities and easy access on Florida’s Southwest Gulf Coast. Superb hotel and venue offerings will soon include the new Sunseeker Resort Charlotte Harbor, opening in Fall 2023. Learn more at PureFloridaMeetings.com.