Nashville’s Top 5 Unique Event Venues

Mention Nashville and the first thing that comes to mind for many people is country music and a slower Southern pace of life. And, indeed, not long ago Nashville fit that bill perfectly.

However, over the last several years, Nashville, Tenn., has transformed itself from a relaxed Southern state capital into a fast-paced, New South destination where you’ll find two major pro sports teams, vibrant entertainment districts and more fine dining than you could enjoy in a year.

In light of these impressive changes, Event Solutions traveled to Tennessee’s state capital to scout out some of the more interesting meeting and event venues in this increasingly popular destination. Our top five picks are a group of meeting space options that run the gamut from eclectic to refined — much like the city itself.

1. Frist Center for the Visual Arts

So what does a city do when it has a beautiful Art Deco post office that no longer meets the needs of the United States Postal Service?

In Nashville, city officials viewed this as an opportunity to preserve a truly unique building and convinced private investors to transform the building into a modern arts center. The resulting venue serves as a key cultural resource for the community while doubling as a unique event venue.

Featuring a state-of-the-art staging and A/V system, the downtown location of the Frist Center for the Visual Arts (www.fristcenter.org) makes it a convenient option for event attendees, as several large hotels and entertainment options are within easy walking distance of the site.

That’s not to say that attendees would need to leave the Frist Center to find entertainment — after all, it’s considered one of the South’s leading visual arts venues, with an array of permanent and rotating galleries that regularly draw regional interest.

“Our experience at the Frist Center for our Physicians Gala exceeded all our expectations,” says Anne Long, a physician services recruiter with the local Summit Medical Center. “The service was impeccable, the venue was stunning and the food was a work of art. The Frist Center is a treasure to the Nashville community.”

With meeting capacity upwards of 200 people and reception capacity for over 1,500, this venue might not be the largest Music City facility, but with its great location and eye-catching architecture, the Frist Center certainly earns its reputation as one of Nashville’s most unique meeting venues.

2. Ryman Auditorium

Even as it evolves into a leading New South business and cultural center, Nashville will always be known as the home of country music. Indeed, from the Broadway Avenue honky-tonks to the current Grand Ole Opry in north Nashville, the city serves as the home for many famous musical venues, the greatest of which is probably the historic Ryman Auditorium (www.ryman.com) in downtown Nashville.

First opened in 1892, the Ryman hosted numerous events until 1974, when the Grand Ole Opry’s departure left it vacant. In 1994, it received a complete overhaul and is now one of the most sought-after venues in Nashville.

And, frankly, that’s not surprising. Besides being chock full of history (and historical architecture), the Ryman is also conveniently located near the main convention center, central business district and Second Avenue entertainment corridor.

The Ryman can accommodate groups ranging from small holiday and client parties to large events of over 2,500 guests. More than half of its events are private meetings and functions, with dinners, receptions and public presentations being some of the more popular ones, said a Ryman spokesperson.

The Ryman was also named National Theatre of the Year by Pollstar magazine in 2003 and 2004, and you can quickly see why this historic auditorium generates contemporary interest as one of the more popular event venues in Music City, U.S.A.

3. Schermerhorn Symphony Center

For years, Nashville languished with a performance center that possessed little, if any, visual appeal. Fortunately, that’s now changed with the opening of the Schermerhorn Symphony Center (www.nashvillesymphony.org/ssc) in August of this year.

Named after longtime Nashville Symphony maestro Kenneth Schermerhorn, the new center serves as the symphony’s permanent home. Since it only plays 100 or so dates each year, the Schermerhorn is also available for events and meetings.

Located in the increasingly popular SoBro downtown district, the center is well-situated for visitors, with hotels, hot restaurants and the new Country Music Hall of Fame nearby.

The Schermerhorn is also stocked with the latest in technology and architectural details. The venue’s centerpiece is the 30,000-square-foot Laura Turner Concert Hall, whose design includes 30 sound-proof windows that bring a wide swath of natural light to the hall. And, with seating available for over 1,700, the hall also incorporates state-of-the-art acoustic features such as a ceiling that can be raised or lowered.

At a total size of nearly 200,000 square feet and a total cost of $120 million, the recently opened center is already becoming a new hot spot for events and meetings.

4. Cheekwood Botanical Gardens and Museum of Art

For many, one of the most enduring images of the South involves the numerous mansions and plantations that dot the landscape. For event planners, these places often serve as dramatic backdrops for special events and meetings.

In Nashville, several of these historical treasures have been refurbished and now provide unique options for a range of event types.

A leading examples is the Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art (www.cheekwood.org), which focuses both on the beauty of art and the beauty of nature.

This 55-acre estate features the original 30,000-square-foot Georgian mansion built by the family who founded Maxwell House coffee. These days, Cheekwood offers a nationally renowned museum, numerous educational programs focusing on the arts and, of course, a variety of interesting meeting spaces. These spaces range from indoor venues such as the Massey Display Hall (capacity 400), which can be configured for receptions and seated meals, to outdoor venues that include a reflection pool, “Sculpture Trail” and a series of themed gardens. Cheekwood also offers catering services and free parking and museum admission for attendees.

For planners wanting a little more of the relaxed Southern lifestyle of yore, this is the spot.

5. The Belcourt Theatre

Like other large cities, Nashville certainly has its share of conventional meeting space, ranging from its 118,000-square-foot downtown convention center to the Gaylord Entertainment Center — home of the NHL’s Nashville Predators — which seats nearly 20,000. Yet, while the traditional options possess the latest technology and highly trained staff, Nashville also offers an array of unique options that are outside the norm, but still well-prepared to meet your event needs.

Coming in at number five on our list is the historic Belcourt Theatre (www.belcourt.org), located in the heart of the increasingly hip Hillsboro Village area near Vanderbilt University.

Opened in 1925 as a theater for silent movies, the Belcourt has a notable history that includes serving as an early home for the now famous Grand Ole Opry.

The historical building also offers many of the contemporary touches that successful meeting venues require. For example, the theater provides an array of modern audio-visual services as well as the capability for food and beverage service.

Indeed, according to one recent client, Rick Whetsel, president of Great Big Shows, the Belcourt oozes uniqueness. “There are two reasons why I really enjoy doing events at The Belcourt Theatre: intimacy and history,” he says. “It’s a wonderful old venue, a beautiful room from an attendee’s viewpoint, and it’s fantastic acoustically. There’s really not a bad seat in the house.”