State Spotlight:
Tennessee

When selecting Tennessee as a sports destination, it’s always a slam dunk. The Volunteer State offers all of the attractions needed to entertain the entire group before or after the event, not to mention top-notch venues that will make the event a sure success. “Whether it’s youth, amateur, college, or professional sports, Tennessee offers cutting-edge facilities, unparalleled hospitality, and entertainment for all ages,” says Chad Ledbetter, Tennessee Department of Tourist development director of outreach and engagement. “Visitors can explore one of our many vibrant cities or charming small towns; take in our world-class attractions and museums; or uncover outdoor adventure and breathtaking scenery at one of our 56 Tennessee State Parks or 12 National Parks, including America’s most-visited park, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.”

State Spotlight:
Tennessee

Thousands experience Memphis' rich history, great food and tons of Southern Hospitality while participating in a race benefiting the life-saving work of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital every December.

When selecting Tennessee as a sports destination, it’s always a slam dunk. The Volunteer State offers all of the attractions needed to entertain the entire group before or after the event, not to mention top-notch venues that will make the event a sure success. “Whether it’s youth, amateur, college, or professional sports, Tennessee offers cutting-edge facilities, unparalleled hospitality, and entertainment for all ages,” says Chad Ledbetter, Tennessee Department of Tourist development director of outreach and engagement. “Visitors can explore one of our many vibrant cities or charming small towns; take in our world-class attractions and museums; or uncover outdoor adventure and breathtaking scenery at one of our 56 Tennessee State Parks or 12 National Parks, including America’s most-visited park, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.”

Chattanooga

Chattanooga is a dynamic mid-sized city with all the amenities of a major metropolitan area. Nestled along the beautiful Tennessee River, the city is full of the great outdoors, local restaurants, world-class attractions, shopping, and unique accommodations, making it a premier sports destination.

Hotel Rooms: 11,000
Hotel tax rate: 17.25 percent
Major Facilities:
  • Frost Stadium/Warner Park has five baseball/softball fields and one softball stadium
  • Summit of Softball includes eight softball/baseball fields
  • Camp Jordan Arena and Sports Park includes 14 soccer fields, four baseball fields, eight softball fields, and a multipurpose arena
  • Finley Stadium hosts football, soccer, and lacrosse
Convention Center:

The Chattanooga Convention Center offers 100,000-square-foot exhibit halls and can hold 20 volleyball courts, 12 basketball courts, or 30-plus pickleball courts.

Contact:

Chattanooga Tourism Co., chattanoogatourism.com

Clarksville

With Fort Campbell Army Base and Austin Peay State University, Clarksville has a very diverse population. The different backgrounds, foods, and traditions create a unique visitor experience.

Hotel Rooms: 3,100
Major Facilities:
  • Heritage Park has eight soccer fields, four softball fields, and four baseball fields
  • Rich Ellen Park includes eight baseball/softball fields
  • Civitan Park houses four baseball fields, seven baseball/softball fields, and one lacrosse field
  • Fortera Stadium has a seating capacity of 10,700
  • F&M Bank Arena is a 250,000-square-foot venue that hosts basketball and ice sports
Contact:

Clarksville/Montgomery CVB, visitclarksvilletn.com.

Cleveland

Cleveland has a vibrant sporting community and is home to one of only a handful of BMX tracks certified by USA BMX Racing.

Hotel Rooms: 1,800
Hotel tax rate: 16.75 percent
Major Facilities:
  • The city offers 21 gyms for basketball, four stadiums/fields for football, five soccer complexes, 23 baseball fields, 12 softball fields, 10 pickleball courts, 24 tennis courts, 18 volleyball courts, three golf courses, and a BMC track.
Contact:

Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce, clevelandchamber.com.

Columbia

Columbia is situated 50 miles south of Nashville and just 80 miles north of Huntsville, Ala.

Hotel Rooms: 900
Hotel tax rate: 10 percent
Major Facilities:
  • Ridley Sports Complex features 10 softball fields, nine rectangular fields for soccer and more, and two regulation-size football fields
Contact:

Visit Columbia, VisitCOlumbiaTN.com.

Cookeville

Cookeville is between Nashville and Knoxville and north of Chattanooga. The city also offers 1,200 miles of nearby lake shoreline.

Hotel Rooms: 1,500
Major Facilities:
  • Tennessee Tech University offers the 16,500-seat Tucker Stadium for football, the multipurpose Hooper Eblen Center, and the 2,096-seat Hyder-Burks Pavilion
  • Cane Creek Park & Sportsplex features four lighted baseball/softball fields, an 18-hole disc golf course, and a 56-acre lake
  • Putnam County Sports Complex has six lighted fields
Contact:

Cookeville-Putnam County Visitors Bureau, visitcookevilletn.com.

Franklin

Franklin is located just 30 minutes south of Nashville International Airport and sits along Interstate 65, so access via air or ground transportation is smooth and easy. The city offers many incredible indoor and outdoor facilities for various sports, and each venue is five to 10 minutes from more than 150 restaurants and entertainment options.

Hotel Rooms: 6,000
Hotel tax rate: 17.25 percent
Major Facilities:
  • TOA Sports Performance Center is a 171,000-square-foot sportsplex with six basketball courts or 12 volleyball courts, as well as a 27,000-square-foot multi-sport turf facility and gymnastics arena
  • Alliance Training Center includes six indoor basketball courts or 12 indoor volleyball courts
  • Williamson County Soccer Complex is a 25-field soccer complex with 14 full-size soccer fields
  • Jim Warren Park has 12 youth baseball fields and four youth football fields
  • Williamson County Ag Expo Park houses 230,000 square feet
Contact:

Visit Franklin, visitfranklin.com.

Greene County

Greene County is located on the eastern border of Tennessee. The area is comprised of numerous charming cities and towns that are home to a number of top-notch venues.

Hotel Rooms: 600
Hotel tax rate: 20.75 percent
Major Facilities:
  • Tusculum University’s Pioneer Park is a 2,400-seat ballpark
Contact:

Greene County Partnership Tourism Department, VisitGreenevilleTN.com.

Jackson

Jackson is about 70 miles east of Memphis in west Tennessee. The city offers a vibrant downtown and top-notch venues.

Hotel Rooms: Twenty-five properties
Major Facilities:
  • Carl Perkins Civic Center is a multipurpose venue
  • The Ballpark at Jackson is a 6,000-seat minor league ballpark
  • Oman Arena is a 5,600-seat multipurpose venue
  • West Tennessee Healthcare Sportsplex houses 17 lighted baseball fields
Contact:

Jackson CVB, jacksontn.com.

Johnson City

Nestled in the northeast corner of Tennessee, Johnson City is where you will find big-city amenities, small-town Southern charm, world-class outdoor recreation, and unmatched hospitality.

Hotel Rooms: 1,900
Hotel tax rate: 16.5 percent
Major Facilities:
  • ETSU Ballad Health Athletic Center is a 4.5-acre multipurpose complex
  • Winged Deer Park has nine convertible softball fields, nine soccer/lacrosse fields, a 131-mile shoreline lake, and an 18-hole disc golf course
  • Freedom Hall Civic Center has a seating capacity of more than 7,000
  • Civitan Park includes five soccer fields
  • TVA Credit Union Ballpark is a 3,800-seat venue
Contact:

Johnson City CVB, visitjohnsoncitytn.com.

Kingsport

Kingsport is nestled in the northeast corner of Tennessee in the Blue Ridge of the Appalachian Mountains. The city is affordable, easily accessible, and offers first-class facilities.

Hotel Rooms: 1,100
Major Facilities:
  • Domtar Park offers eight baseball/softball fields
  • Brickyard Park includes four baseball/softball fields and a Miracle Field complex
  • Kingsport Aquatic Center is a 46,000-square-foot facility with three pools, including the region’s only indoor Olympic-size pool
  • Buck Van Huss Dome is a 5,500-seat gym
  • Fred Johnson Stadium is an 8,000-seat turf football/baseball stadium
Convention Center:

MeadowView Conference Resort & Convention Center hosts sports like basketball and volleyball.

Contact:

Visit Kingsport, visitkingsport.com.

Knoxville

Knoxville lies at the intersection of I-40 and I-75, just minutes from I-81 and McGhee Tyson Airport. The city offers a number of venues and is home to the University of Tennessee.

Hotel Rooms: 9,500
Hotel tax rate: 17.25 percent
Major Facilities:
  • Allan Jones Aquatic Center boasts a 50-meter competition pool and professional diving well
  • World’s Fair Exhibition Hall offers nearly 70,000 square feet of flexible space
  • Knoxville Civic Auditorium & Coliseum is a multi-use facility
  • Thompson Boling Arena is a 21,000-seat arena
Convention Center:

Knoxville Convention Center is a 500,000-square-foot facility that can host sports ranging from gymnastics and volleyball to basketball and fishing expos.

Contact:

Visit Knoxville, visitknoxville.com.

Memphis

Memphis is a city filled with rich history; legendary moments; and the blues, soul, and rock ‘n’ roll. Memphis has invested more than $20 billion into the city over the past several years, including a fully transformed convention center, recently unveiled upgrades at Memphis International Airport, booming hotel inventory, and the growth of indoor sports facilities.

Hotel Rooms: 26,000
Hotel tax rate: 18.25 percent plus $2 Memphis Tourism Improvement District Assessment
Major Facilities:
  • Memphis Sports and Events Center at Liberty Park is a 227,000-square-foot indoor multipurpose facility
  • P7 Sports Academy is a 45,000-square-foot space boasting five basketball courts that can be converted into 12 volleyball courts
  • Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium is a 58,325-seat multipurpose venue
  • Mike Rose Soccer Complex has 16 FIFA-size fields
Convention Center:

Renasant Convention Center in downtown Memphis recently underwent a $200 million renovation and features a 118,000-square-foot column-free exhibit hall.

Contact:

Memphis Tourism, memphistravel.com.

Nashville

Nashville’s year-round world-class entertainment, walkable downtown, and booming dining scene make the area a great location for sporting events.

Hotel Rooms: 38,976
Hotel tax rate: 15.25 percent
Major Facilities:
  • Nissan Stadium is a 67,700-seat football stadium
  • Bridgestone Arena is an 850,000-square-foot multipurpose venue
  • GEODIS Park is a 30,109-seat soccer-specific stadium
  • First Horizon Park is a 10,000-seat ballpark
Convention Center:

Music City Center is a 2.1 million-square-foot venue with more than 375,000 square feet of event space.

Contact:

Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp., visitmusiccity.com.

Pigeon Forge

With a variety of attractions, restaurants, and shopping, Pigeon Forge can easily fill the downtime surrounding a sporting event. The city is six miles from the entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most visited national park in the country.

Hotel Rooms: 15,500
Hotel tax rate: 12.75 percent
Major Facilities:
  • LeConte Center at Pigeon Forge offers 232,000 square feet of event space, including 100,500 square feet of clear-span floor space
  • Ripken Experience Pigeon Forge has six synthetic turf baseball fields plus access to four additional fields at Wear Farm Park
  • Wear Farm Park hosts baseball, softball, and football
Contact:

Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism, mypigeonforge.com.

Rutherford County

Rutherford County is just 30 miles south of Nashville in the exact center of the state. The area hosts many state, regional, and national sporting events and tournaments.

Hotel Rooms: 5,500
Hotel tax rate: ranges from 17.25 to 19.75 percent depending on the community
Major Facilities:
  • Richard Siegel Soccer Complex offers 20 fields and one championship-regulation indoor soccer field
  • Adams Tennis Complex includes 24 outdoor courts and eight indoor courts
  • McKnight Park & Star Plex houses a four-field baseball/softball complex and a five-field complex for football, lacrosse, youth soccer, and adult soccer
  • David Price Miracle Field offers a baseball field designed for adults and children with special needs
  • Barfield Crescent Park has eight baseball/softball fields and an 18-hole disc golf course
  • Cedar Stone Park has four synthetic turf baseball fields
Contact:

Rutherford County CVB, visitrutherfordtn.com.

Sevierville

Sevierville Golf Club Youth

Tucked into the foothills of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Sevierville is beautiful and filled with fun for the whole family. Visitors can spend the day playing at one of the city’s sports facilities and then spend the evening shopping for deals at high-end outlet stores or learning a thing or two at the local unique museums.

Hotel Rooms: 3,600
Hotel tax rate: 13 percent
Major Facilities:
  • The Sevierville Golf Club is home to two beautifully-designed courses
  • Smokies Stadium is a 6,200-seat minor league ballpark
  • Sevierville City Park features five baseball/softball fields, four tennis courts, 12 pickleball courts, and two basketball courts
  • Sevierville Community Center offers a gym with a full-size basketball court and two volleyball courts, as well as a 25-meter indoor pool
Convention Center:

The Sevierville Convention Center features a 107,562-square-foot exhibit hall with a 32-foot ceiling clearance, which can be divided into two halls. It’s connected to the Wilderness at the Smokes Water Park Resort, which also hosts many sports events throughout the year.

Contact:

Sevierville Chamber of Commerce, VisitSevierville.com.