Latest news with #NashvilleConventionandVisitorsCorp
Axios
2 days ago
- Business
- Axios
Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp. campaign preaches tourism "respect"
The Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp. launched an ad campaign in recent days promoting "respect and responsibility" among tourists and locals. Why it matters: Tourism is big business for Nashville. But pretty much everyone who lives here knows it can have a downside, from noisy partiers at the short-term rental next door to packed pedal taverns causing traffic jams during the evening commute. Problems have been especially pervasive in the honky-tonk district, which has seen high-profile incidents of tourists being harmed. By the numbers: According to preliminary numbers, 16.9 million visitors generated $11.1 billion in spending last year. Friction point: City leaders have wrestled with ways to balance the obvious economic benefits of tourism with residents' quality-of-life concerns. The Metro Council introduced regulations on short-term rentals in residential neighborhoods. They've also worked to reign in party buses, driving hot tubs and other forms of transportainment. Driving the news: The CVC's campaign is called "destination stewardship." It encourages visitors, but also locals, to "respect yourself, others and our city." The campaign also includes an ad to "keep Nashville beautiful." Pole banners featuring the messaging have been installed along Lower Broadway and on some digital billboards downtown. What she's saying:"This campaign is a reminder that we all have a role to play in protecting the city we love," CVC president and CEO Deana Ivey said in a statement. "By being mindful of our actions and showing care for our surroundings, we help ensure Nashville remains a beautiful, welcoming, and safe place for everyone to enjoy." Flashback: The CVC launched a similar campaign last year called "Push Pause," which reminded people to take proactive measures to protect their safety. That was one of multiple safety efforts that emerged following the death of college student Riley Strain in early 2024, Strain went missing after a night of partying. His body was later found in the Cumberland River.
Axios
02-04-2025
- Axios
Nashville restaurants are now eligible for Michelin stars
Nashville restaurants are eligible for the first time to earn Michelin stars, providing another opportunity of acclaim for the city's culinary scene. Why it matters: A Michelin star is one of the restaurant world's top honors, and having one can launch a chef's career into the culinary stratosphere. Zoom in: Nashville's hospitality leaders embraced news of the Michelin Guide expanding to include southern states. Michelin Guide Inspectors are already scoping out restaurants in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. "While we're known globally for our music, our restaurants and chefs have earned national acclaim and are consistently honored among the best in the country," Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp. president and CEO Deana Ivey said. Zoom out: While Nashville restaurants and chefs are routinely recognized by the James Beard Foundation, the Michelin Guide is viewed by many as the most coveted culinary honor in the world. How it works: Michelin inspectors visit restaurants anonymously and look for five criteria, the company says. Per a press release, they include: quality products the harmony of flavors the mastery of cooking techniques the voice and personality of the chef as reflected in the cuisine consistency between each visit and throughout the menu. Each restaurant is inspected several times a year. The bottom line: Max Goldberg, co-owner of Strategic Hospitality, which boasts a roster of top Nashville eateries like Henrietta Red, the Catbird Seat, and Kisser, celebrated the Michelin news, calling it a "milestone moment for us." Nate's thought bubble: I've eaten at two Michelin-starred restaurants in my life. I had an incredible meal with family members at Osteria Mozza, the Los Angeles mainstay owned by celebrity chef Nancy Silverton. The server humbly told us the orecchiette was the best pasta in the U.S. Last month, I cashed in my Christmas present from my wife: a BBQ road trip to Texas, where we dined at Michelin-starred barbecue joint InterStellar BBQ. The peach tea-braised pork belly has been on my mind every day since.
Axios
10-02-2025
- Business
- Axios
Nashville's top tourism exec "very optimistic" about hosting Super Bowl
Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp. president and CEO Deana Ivey is in New Orleans this week, and it's not for the beignets and gumbo. Why it matters: Ivey's visit to New Orleans is a business trip. Ivey and her team are getting a closer look at how the city puts on a Super Bowl as she spearheads Nashville's efforts to host the big game. State of play: What once fell somewhere between an impossibility and a hail mary is now within reach for Nashville. "I'm very optimistic that we'll have a Super Bowl," Ivey says, mentioning the CVC's "very strong" relationship with the NFL. "We've put in a letter of interest and we've been in discussions with them." The big picture: Nashville's sales pitch has been building over years, Ivey says. It started with the large crowds that gathered downtown for the Predators watch parties during their Stanley Cup run in 2017. Then came the NFL Draft in 2019, which helped the city win a bid to host the FIFA Club World Cup this summer. Flashback: When Tennessee Titans executives and other backers pitched a new indoor stadium, they said it could attract major events like the Super Bowl. Ivey says the domed stadium "gives us an advantage that we didn't have before because of weather related issues." Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell said last week that the new stadium likely "puts Nashville on the map for consideration." Behind the scenes: The NFL's process for selecting a Super Bowl site is famously opaque, so there isn't a clear sense of when the next host city might be announced. Santa Clara will host next year, followed by Los Angeles in 2027 and Atlanta in 2028. New Nissan Stadium is expected to open in time for the 2027-28 NFL season, which seems to make the 2029 Super Bowl the earliest possibility. By the numbers: One requirement that eluded Nashville in the past was its stock of hotel rooms. That's no longer a problem. In 2015, Nashville had 26,516 hotel rooms, according to STR data provided by the Convention and Visitors Corp. That number exploded to 41,215 last year with another 14,000 rooms in the pipeline for the region. The bottom line: Nashville's bid centers around its downtown hotels, the new stadium and a world renowned entertainment district all within close proximity, Ivey says. She recalled the spectacle of the draft, when throngs of fans crowded the stage on Lower Broadway. "You look at it on television, and that shot of the neon on Broadway, it's not something any other destination can really deliver on." The intrigue: It's not just the Super Bowl Nashville is targeting. Ivey says the CVC has been talking to the NCAA about bringing a Final Four to the new stadium as well.
