Tennessee Notes - Winter 2016

An Official Publication of the Tennessee Hospitality & Tourism Association

TnHTA Keeps Watchful Eye on

2016 Legislative Issues Highlights from the 2015 Governor’s Conference on Hospitality and Tourism

Winter 2016

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Contents | Winter 2016 Features

Departments

8

4

rom the TnHTA Chair, F Tom Loventhal

6

TnHTA News

7

elcome, W New TnHTA Members

16

Local Association News

18

Index of Advertisers

12

15

Government

Relations TnHTA Keeps Watchful Eye on 2016 Legislative Issues Recent

Event Highlights from the 2015 Governor’s Conference on Hospitality and Tourism Upcoming

Events Save These Dates!

2 • Tennessee Notes • Winter 2016

An official publication of the Tennessee Hospitality & Tourism Association 475 Craighead Street l Nashville, TN 37204 l T: 615-385-9970 l F: 615-385-9957 l john@tnhta.net l www.tnhta.net

Published by Leading Edge Communications, LLC 206 Bridge Street l Franklin, TN 37064 l T: 615-790-3718 l F: 615-794-4525 l info@leadingedgecommunications.com l www.leadingedgecommunications.com Tennessee Notes Editor: John Whisenant, TnHTA | Managing Editor: Liz Nutter, Leading Edge Communications

2016 TnHTA BOARD OF DIRECTORS * Denotes Executive Committee Member Tom Loventhal (2016 Chair)* Noshville Delicatessen, Nashville Darik Dawes (2016 Vice Chair)* MainStay Suites, Chattanooga Bo Connor (2015 Treasurer)* Connor Concepts, Knoxville Ken Maples (Immediate Past Chair)* Comfort Inn & Suites Dollywood Lane, Pigeon Forge Carol Agee Dollywood Entertainment Park, Pigeon Forge Andrea Anderson Greater Chattanooga Hospitality Association Martha Axford* ABC Design and Consulting, LLC, Knoxville Jim Bambrey Station House Restaurant, Chattanooga Dennis Barber* Residence Inn – Nashville/Vanderbilt Regena Bearden Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau Shannon Bowles* Marriott – Nashville Airport Ben Brock Amerigo Italian Restaurant, Nashville

Bob Cantler General Morgan Inn & Conference Center, Greeneville

Dan Haskell Gullett, Sanford, Robinson, & Martin, PLLC, Nashville

Lori Nunnery Jackson Convention & Visitors Bureau

Danny Sumrall* The Half Shell Restaurant, Memphis

Kimberly Carlson Memphis Restaurant Association

Tom Headla Bluff Mountain Rentals, Pigeon Forge

Ray Ogle* The Inn at Christmas Place, Pigeon Forge

Butch Sypridon Nashville Convention & Visitors Corporation

Johnny Hill Holiday Inn, Pigeon Forge

Radesh Palakurthi The University of Memphis

Steve Holmes Cornerstone Insurance Group, Chattanooga

Heetesh Patel* Neves Investments, Franklin

Wayne Tabor* Holiday Inn Select – Downtown Memphis

Lauren Chesney Sevierville Hospitality Association Christie Connatser Hampton Inn – Gatlinburg Claire Crowell Puckett’s 5th and Church, Nashville Tom Cupo The Chattanoogan Conference Center & Hotel Shawn Danko* Kooky Canuck, Memphis Cornelia Dobbins Hilton Garden Inn, Gatlinburg Bob Dollinger 3H Group Hotels, Chattanooga Christina Drew Hampton Inn & Suites, Sevierville at Stadium Drive Jeff Dunham The Grove Grill, Memphis

Anthony House Chick-fil-A Germantown, Memphis Brad Ivens Eagles Ridge Resort, Pigeon Forge Patrick Jordon The Westin Memphis Beale Street Teresa Karson Representative of Buddy’s Bar-B-Q, Pigeon Forge Anita Lane* Hampton Inn & Suites – Downtown, Knoxville

Troy Edwards Sysco Nashville, LLC, Nashville

Jackie Leatherwood* Greystone Lodge at the Aquarium, Gatlinburg

Anne Marie Famalette Courtyard by Marriott, Collierville

Dee Lundy Lundy & Associates, Knoxville

Will Freeman Hilton – Nashville Downtown

Andy Marshall* Puckett’s Grocery & Restaurant, A.Marshall Family Foods, Inc., Franklin

Doug Browne The Peabody Hotel, Memphis

Michael Gibson* M. Gibson Hotel Group, Knoxville

Fred Bullard Hilton Garden Inn – Knoxville West

Ben Goldberg Strategic Hospitality, Nashville

Brenda McCroskey Sevierville Chamber of Commerce

Kim Bumpas* Visit Knoxville

Gary Hahn Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc., Memphis

Jeff Messinger* Mt. Vernon Restaurant, Chattanooga

Rick Cadena Courtyard by Marriott – Hamilton Place, Chattanooga

Jacob Hall Rutherford County Hospitality Association, Murfreesboro

Claudia Moody Northeast Tennessee Tourism Association, Johnson City

Mary Calorio* Elvis Presley Heartbreak Hotel, Memphis

Theresa Harrington Clarksville/Montgomery County Convention & Visitors Bureau

Hugh Morrow* Lookout Mountain Attractions, Chattanooga

Mitch Patel Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites, Collierville

Bobby Tanner S&D Coffee, Inc., Chattanooga Karl Thomas Inn on the River, Gatlinburg

Scott Pejsa Homewood Suites by Hilton, Knoxville

Jill Thompson Greater Knoxville Hospitality Association

Mary Phillips Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies, Gatlinburg

Pete Weien Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center, Nashville

Chuck Pinkowski Pinkowski & Company, Memphis

Brenda Whitson Johnson City Chamber of Commerce

Michael Riley The Oliver Hotel Restaurant, Knoxville Deanna Ross Metropolitan Memphis Hotel & Lodging Association, Millington John Rothkopt MeadowView Marriott Conference Resort & Convention Center, Kingsport

Melissa Woody Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce, Cleveland Mahasti Vafaie The Tomato Head Knoxville

TnHTA STAFF

John Rucker Key Magazine of Memphis

Greg Adkins President & CEO

Matt Scanlan Gullett, Sanford, Robinson, & Martin, PLLC, Nashville

Lisa Bass Director of Business and Membership Development

Paul Schramkowski JHS Holdings, LLC, Nashville

Jessica Cardwell Director of Finance and Administration

Sarah Scokin Vista Host, Inc., Jackson Dawn Southworth The Omni Nashville Hotel Max Stephenson Puckett’s Chattanooga Jindy Strader InterContinental Hotels Group, Franklin

Sandi Goad Director of Membership Retention & Restaurant Liaison John Whisenant Director of Tourism and Events, and Editor of Tennessee Notes Austin White Director of Education

The Tennessee Hospitality & Tourism Association serves its members in the industry through education, promotion and representation. The statements and opinions expressed herein are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the association, its staff, or its board of directors, Notes, or its editors.

Likewise, the appearance of advertisers, or their identification as Tennessee Hospitality & Tourism Association members, does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services featured in this, past or subsequent issues of this quarterly publication. Copyright ©2016 by the Tennessee Hospitality & Tourism Association. Notes is published quarterly. Subscriptions are complimentary to members of the Tennessee Hospitality & Tourism Association. Third-class postage is paid at Nashville, TN. Printed in the U.S.A. We are not responsible for unsolicited freelance manuscripts and photographs. Contact the editor for contribution information. Advertising: For advertising rates and insertions, please contact Leading Edge Communications, LLC, 206 Bridge Street, Franklin, TN 37064, (615) 790-3718, Fax (615) 794-4524.

Tennessee Hospitality and Tourism Association • 3

Message from the Chairman

New Challenges,

New

Opportunities!

The

start of a new year is always an exciting time full of both new challenges and new opportunities. As we turn our focus to 2016, I want to take a moment to reflect on the accomplishments of 2015.

Led by 2015 TnHTA board chairman Ken Maples and the board of directors, 2015 was a great year. It was a year that saw our association achieve many new heights, including: • Creating a new TnHTA 2016–2018 Strategic Plan • Winning a national ISHAE award for our PR strategy for the TnHTA social-media programs • Surpassing our membership goals each quarter with very strong restaurant and tourism partner growth (49 new net restaurant and 30 new net tourism partners) • Successfully advocating for Short-Term Rentals and COD and defeating all the minimum/living wage bills • Successfully unifying with the Tennessee Association of Convention & Visitors Bureaus • Launching the first-ever Education Foundation Gala • Creating and launching the first Education Foundation/ProStart Raffle • Creating the TnHTA Advocacy Fund • Experiencing significant growth in our strategic-partner businesses and adding many new successful benefit programs for TnHTA members • Creating and launching the Tennessee Notes publication • Offering over $1 million in scholarships to students through the Education Foundation/Pro Start Wow! What a year! And what a great foundation for us to build on as we go forward. I believe we are genuinely poised to reach even greater heights in the year ahead. The 2016 board of directors is made up of industry leaders from across the state and from all of our constituency groups: lodging, restaurants, CVBs/DMOs, attractions and vendors who serve our industry. I am excited about the prospect of working with this outstanding group and with our excellent staff in the coming year.

And I look forward to working with each of you. Our association is all about our mem- bers and providing the services and programs that benefit you. I encourage each of you to be active in the work of the association and to always feel free to communicate with board members, our staff and me about any needs, concerns or issues you may have.

Thank you for the honor of serving as your chair in the coming year. It’s going to be a great ride: busy, active, involved and productive. I look forward to working with each of you in the days ahead.

Tom Loventhal 2016 TnHTA Chair

4 • Tennessee Notes • Winter 2016

After an Accident 1. Assess the damage. If possible, move the vehicle to a safe place.

See if anyone is injured, and assess the extent of damage to the vehicle.

Knowing what to do if you are involved in an accident can save lives, reduce injuries and make the claims process simpler and easier.

Be Prepared • Keep registration and auto insurance papers, and any relevant medical information, in the car.

• Make sure you have the right amount of auto coverage to fit your needs.

Middle Tennessee: Reno Benson, Anderson Benson Insurance – 615-630-7805, reno@andersonbenson.com All Other Tennessee Areas: Corey Lane, State Auto Insurance – 615-851-1426, corey.lane@stateauto.com

2. Call the police or highway patrol. Let law enforcement know if anyone is hurt and the extent of injuries. Get officers’ names and badge numbers, and ask where you can get a copy of their report.

3. Collect as much information as possible. Get names and contact information of everyone involved, including witnesses. Ask for the license number of any other driver involved, car registration and insurance ID card. Make note of the make and model of the cars involved, the location, time of day and weather conditions. Do not discuss who was at fault, or how much insurance you have, with others.

4. Don’t leave the scene of the accident.

5. Get the claims process started. Notify your insurance professional immediately. Fill out claims forms as soon, and as accurately, as possible. If you have questions, don’t be afraid to ask your claims adjuster.

6. Keep a file of all of your notes and any claim forms.

Courtesy of the State Auto Insurance Group (www.StateAuto.com).

Tennessee Hospitality and Tourism Association • 5

TnHTA News

News from

Your Association TnHTA

president and CEO Greg Adkins has been elected to leadership positions at two important industry associations.

The International Society of Hotel Association Executives (ISHAE) has named Adkins as chair of the ISHAE board of directors for 2016. “Greg brings a lot of expertise to the table,” said ISHAE executive director Christina Pappas. “We’re

6 • Tennessee Notes • Winter 2016

looking forward to 2016 and to working with Greg as our chair.”

“I’m pleased to be able to serve as chair of this trade association of my peers,” said Adkins. “ISHAE will be celebrating its seventieth year in 2016, and I look forward to helping make the organization stronger as we move forward.”

Adkins has also been appointed to the 2016 board of directors of the American

Above, Greg Atkins (left) receiving TnHTA’s 2015 ISHAE Award for Excellence in Public Relations.

Hotel and Lodging Association. “Our board reflects the depth and breadth of our entire industry, uniting us all around a com- mon goal to advance our industry’s mission, and I look forward to engaging them on the issues so crucial to our future success,” said 2016 AH&LA chair Jim Abrahamson, CHA, CEO, of Interstate Hotels & Resorts.

“Both new and returning members are an outstanding asset and highly valued within our industry. I look forward to building on the momentum we have made in the past year and working with the officers and the AH&LA team to elevate the characteristics unique to the hospitality industry.”

TnHTA was awarded the 2015 ISHAE Award for Excellence in Public Relations for its 2015 social-media marketing cam- paign, which has over 8,000 Facebook likes.

That number is more than any other state hospitality association in the U.S. and more than AH&LA. “The ISHAE awards are extremely com- petitive,” said TnHTA president and CEO Greg Adkins. “It’s an honor to be recog- nized as one of the best in the nation for our social-media program that has grown exponentially over the last year. It’s a new communication medium that is very impor- tant to our ever-changing marketing and communication world for associations.”

The award was announced at the 29th annual ISHAE Winter Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana. ISHAE presents the annual Awards of Excellence for the best lodging association programs and services that are widely recognized as the “best of the best” within the hotel and lodging association industry. J

Welcome, New TnHTA Members!

Associate H. W. Creek Properties RAZurburg & Associates

Lodging Commodore Hotel and Café Days Inn – North Nashville Holiday Inn – Chattanooga / Hamilton Place Holiday Inn – University of Memphis Home 2 Suites, Knoxville Homewood Suites by Hilton, Nashville/Franklin Margaritaville Island Hotel Sleep Inn & Suites – Smyrna

Restaurants Blackhorse Pub & Brewery Clarksville Blackhorse Pub & Brewery Knoxville Flying Squirrel Restaurant & Bar Harvest at Homestead Manor Restaurant Long John Silvers – Bristol Long John Silvers – Clinton Long John Silvers – Columbia Long John Silvers – Cookeville Long John Silvers – Crossville Long John Silvers – Fayetteville Long John Silvers – Greeneville Long John Silvers – Harriman Long John Silvers – Kingsport / East Stone Drive Long John Silvers – Kingsport / Ft. Henry Drive Long John Silvers – Knoxville / Magnolia Ave. Long John Silvers – Knoxville / North Broadway Long John Silvers – Knoxville / Western Ave. Long John Silvers – Lawrenceburg

(September 1 – December 31, 2015)

Long John Silvers – Morristown / Andrew Johnson Hwy. Long John Silvers – Morristown / East Morris Blvd.

Long John Silvers – Oak Ridge Long John Silvers – Pulaski Long John Silvers – Seymor Long John Silvers – Winchester Long John Silvers / A&W – Dickson Long John Silvers / A&W – Lafollette Long John Silvers / A&W – Madison Long John Silvers / A&W – Murfreesboro Long John Silvers / A&W – Newport Long John Silvers / A&W – Smyrna McAlister’s Deli Scoreboard Bar & Grill Taco Bell – Dayton Taco Bell – Erwin Taco Bell – Knoxville / Kingston Pike Taco Bell – Knoxville / Millertown Pike Taco Bell – Tazewell Taco Bell / Long John Silver – Dandridge Taco Bell / Pizza Hut – Dunlap Tom + Chee Wildhorse Saloon

Tourism Amqui Station Visitor Center Anderson County Tourism Council Birthplace of Country Music Bristol Convention & Visitors Bureau Buford Pusser Home and Museum Discovery Park of America Fayetteville-Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce Giles County Chamber of Tourism & Commerce Greater Nashville Regional Council Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce Leipers Fork Distillery Loudon County Visitors Bureau

Paris-Henry County Chamber of Commerce Polk County Chamber of Commerce Soar Adventure Tower Southeast Festivals & Events Association Sumner County Convention & Visitors Bureau Tennessee Overhill Heritage Association Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame

Preferred Vendors Above the Rest Balloon & Event AC Furniture Company Atech, Inc., Nashville Apex Works, Restoration Service Exports Aseptic Health Atlas Management Corporation Blink Marketing Blue Ridge Country Magazine Good Point, Inc. Hackney Contract Furniture Inspired Homes iResponze Kelsan, Inc., Knoxville Laurie Rowe Communications Travel Media Leading Edge Communications, LLC Lifeway Christian Resources Micktel, LLC Old Forge Distillery Pay Half Club Pinnacle Hospitality Partners, LLC PivoTek Populace Premier Travel Media Renaissance Bookkeeping ServPro of Williamson County Smithfield Farmland VMC Facilities WellBeing Hygiene

Tennessee Hospitality and Tourism Association • 7

Government Relations

TnHTA Keeps Watchful Eye on 2016

Legislative Issues

By Greg Adkins, TnHTA President & CEO Contributing writers from the TnHTA Lobbying Team: Dan Haskell, Matt Scanlan and Dustin Goforth

The

Tennessee hospitality and tourism industry is the second-largest industry in the state, bringing in more than $17.8 billion in direct annual revenue, supporting more than 10% of the state’s jobs and generating more than $3.4 bil- lion in payroll and paying more than $2.8 billion in federal, state and local taxes.

As a result, the Tennessee Hospitality & Tourism Association (TnHTA) has many issues that will be coming before the

8 • Tennessee Notes • Winter 2016

legislature for consideration during the 2016 session.

Representing lodging properties, restau- rants, attractions and tourism partners and associated businesses, TnHTA is the primary advocacy voice for the industry. TnHTA’s ultimate legislative platform is to create and defend an environment that encourages the hospitality and tourism industry to thrive in Tennessee. The Association will aggressively oppose legislation or executive action that negatively impacts the business interests

of hotels, restaurants, attractions and tourism partners.

The TnHTA board of directors approved the legislative agenda for 2016 that includes many important issues for the hospitality and tourism industry.

Short-Term Rentals In the past decade, the internet has trans- formed the way we buy and sell goods and services, resulting in an explosion of new

businesses. It is now extremely easy for an individual to advertise and rent a property such as a condo, cabin, house or even a room for short periods of time. Since these short-term rentals are fundamentally no different than regular lodging properties, it is only fair that those who make a profit from on-line or advertised rentals by owner should pay all applicable local and state lodging and occupancy taxes and comply with all local regulatory requirements.

The Tennessee Hospitality & Tourism Association (TnHTA) has many issues that will be coming before the legislature for consideration during the 2016 session.

Lodging/Occupancy Tax Reform For the last several years, many local city councils and county commissions (Newport, East Ridge, Farragut, Wilson County and Memphis) have tried to raise the lodging/ occupancy tax for only general fund pur- poses, despite the objection of the local lodging associations/alliances. TnHTA opposes using lodging/occupancy taxes, which create real room night revenue, that are not dedicated solely to hospitality/ tourism-related purposes. The association will work with the legislature to educate elected officials about the high combined sales and lodging tax rate and encourage local governments to use lodging taxes for hospitality/tourism initiatives.

Liquor Last year, TnHTA was successful in fixing the Liquor COD issue for our members, as well as in passing legislation that created temporary licenses for ownership changes and allowed premises to be designated in larger areas within licensed restaurants and hotels. TnHTA has filed a bill to address some more liquor issues that could lead to less regulation and that could enhance cus- tomer experience at both restaurants and lodging properties. Some of those issues include easier processes for obtaining a liquor license, revision or elimination of the requirement to post a bond with the Department of Revenue, consistent regu- lations and fair liability to the owner of the food/lodging establishment.

Tennessee Hospitality and Tourism Association • 9

Government Relations | Continued

Increasing the Tennessee Tourism Marketing Fund Several years ago, Governor Haslam created the Tennessee Tourism Committee, chaired by Gaylord CEO Colin Reed, to review the Tennessee Department of

Tourism’s marketing efforts. TnHTA has been extremely active on the committee, on which I have served along with many other TnHTA members. The committee began touring around the state, working on efforts to get public input and to research tourism marketing. The committee’s work,

along with the strong efforts of TnHTA, helped secure millions in additional direct tourism marketing dollars over the past few years.

TnHTA has a long tradition of fighting for more tourism marketing dollars at the legislature. Any further suggestions for increased funding from the Department of Tourism, the Tennessee Tourism Committee and the Association leadership will be pursued by TnHTA.

Extended summer vacation There has been a recent push by local edu- cation districts in Tennessee to make the summer vacation shorter and shorter. The impact on hospitality and tourism busi- nesses is starting to take its toll on seasonal workers and profitability for heavy seasonal tourism business. TnHTA will work with a coalition of marinas, parent advocates and a variety of tourism partners to advocate for some more leeway for local education districts to lengthen summer vacation without hurting the quality of education a child receives.

Other defensive legislative issues The majority of our time every session is devoted to a variety of issues that affect the Association and its members, such as legis- lation affecting pools and workforce areas, food-related legislation and other employer- employee matters.

Over the last several years, TnHTA has been involved in drastic changes in workers compensation. We expect to participate in the discussion and support efforts to make these programs better. If legislation is pro- posed to create an opt-out provision for worker’s comp coverage, TnHTA will be supportive.

TnHTA will be actively involved during 2016 in reissuing vendor compensation.

Many years ago, the state of Tennessee returned to businesses that collect sales tax a portion of the sales tax for the work

10 • Tennessee Notes • Winter 2016

involved in its collection. About a decade ago, that changed when the legislature was trying to balance the budget in a tight revenue year. We will be part of the larger business community to work on reinstating vendor compensation and broader business tax reform.

Throughout the 2016 legislative session, we will continue to publish our legislative updates. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact our lobbying team or me. I look forward to representing you and seeing everyone at our TnHTA Day on the Hill in 2016! J

Your TnHTA Lobbying Team

Greg Adkins

TnHTA President & CEO (615) 385-9970 greg@tnhta.net

Dan Haskell

Gullett Sanford Robinson & Martin (615) 244-4994 dhaskell@gsrm.com

Matt Scanlan

Gullett Sanford Robinson & Martin (615) 244-4994 mscanlan@gsrm.com

Dustin Goforth

Farrar & Bates Law Firm (615) 254-3060 dustin.goforth@farrar-bates.com Tennessee Hospitality and Tourism Association • 11

Recent event

Highlights from the Governor’s Conference on Hospitality and Tourism October 7–9, 2015 Photos courtesy of Tennessee Department of Tourist Development

2015 TnHTA Chair Ken Maples welcomes attendees to the conference.

Brian London leads a seminar on “The Challenge of Change.”

Opening keynote speaker Cary Cavitt gives attendees great ideas on becoming customer service “superstars.”

David Nicholson of Lofthouse Enterprises references foreign arrivals to the U.S. during the International Travel to Tennessee Seminar.

12 • Tennessee Notes • Winter 2016

Nashville CVC President/CEO Butch Spyridon welcomes everyone to the opening-night event at the world-famous Nashville Palace.

Paul Haynes of the Nashville Career Advancement Center speaks during the Workforce Development Seminar.

Cate Hamilton of Amqui Station speaks during the Preserving and Utilizing Historic Assets for Tourism Seminar that also featured Clark Shaw from Casey Jones Village and Andy Marshall of A. Marshall Family Foods.

Attendees learn great tips from a panel of experts during the Social Media for Tourism and Hospitality Businesses Seminar.

A stellar panel of writers and editors from around the Southeast were featured during the Working With Travel Writers Seminar.

So many choices! The annual TnHTA Silent Auction featured items from across the state and the Southeast.

TnHTA President/CEO Greg Adkins and 2015 Chair Ken Maples, along with several TnHTA board members, cut the ribbon to open the Hospitality and Tourism EXPO Tradeshow.

The Thursday afternoon reception in the EXPO gave exhibitors and attendees an opportunity to meet personally in a more relaxed setting.

Mary Steadman of Miles Marketing Destinations meets with conference attendees at the Hospitality and Tourism EXPO Tradeshow, which featured over 75 exhibitors.

Keynote speaker Mercedes Ramirez Johnson enthralls the audience with her inspiring message on “Second Chance Living.”

Tennessee Hospitality and Tourism Association • 13

Recent event | Continued

Thursday evening’s Women in Tennessee Hospitality and Tourism reception drew a large crowd and featured Shannon Bowles of Marriott as the guest speaker.

Tourism Commissioner Kevin Triplett closes the conference with his presentation on the work of the Department and the rollout of the new Tennessee Music Pathway driving trail.

Travelocity and Kayak.com founder Terry Jones speaks on “Leadership in a Wired World” during his Friday morning keynote address.

The Dyersburg Welcome Center receives the Welcome Center of the Year Award from Commissioner Kevin Triplett (left) and Assistant Commissioner Pete Rosenboro (right).

Mark your calendars now for the 2016 Governor’s Conference “Totally Obsessed Time Management Tech Guy” Randy Dean gives attendees great hints and helps on “Taming the Email Beast.”

14 • Tennessee Notes • Winter 2016

September 21–23 in Chattanooga, TN!

Mark Your Calendars, and

upcoming events

Save These Dates!

February 20

5th Annual Tennessee ProStart Invitational Nashville

March 8

Women in Tennessee Hospitality & Tourism Lunch Nashville

March 8

TnHTA Day on the Hill Legislative Reception Nashville

March 9

TnHTA Day on the Hill Nashville

April 11–14

2016 NRA Public Affairs Conference Washington, DC

April 26–27

TnHTA Board of Directors Meeting TBA

April 26

TnHTEF Board of Directors Meeting TBA

April 26

TnHTPAC Fundraising Event TBA

April 29 – May 1

May 16–19 NRA Show Chicago, IL

May 17–18

2016 AH&LA Legislative Action Summit Washington, DC

June 15

TnHTA Young Professionals Reception Nashville

June 27–28

ISHAE Summer Meeting Chicago, IL

July 12

TnHTA Law Symposium Nashville

July 31 – August 3 2016 DMAI Annual Convention Minneapolis, MN

August 2–3

TnHTA Board of Directors Meeting Memphis

August 2

TnHTEF Board of Directors Meeting Memphis

August 2

TnHTPAC Fundraising Event Memphis

2016 National ProStart Invitational Dallas, TX

August 27–30 U.S. Travel Association ESTO Boca Raton, FL

September 21

TnHTPAC Annual Golf Tournament Chattanooga

September 21–23

2016 Tennessee Governor’s Conference on Hospitality and Tourism Chattanooga

September 22

29th Annual TnHTA Stars of the Industry Gala Chattanooga

November 13–15 AH&LA @ HX: The Hotel Experience New York, NY

November 15–16 TnHTA Board of Directors Meeting Murfreesboro

November 15

TnHTEF Board of Directors Meeting Murfreesboro

November 15 TnHTPAC Fundraising Event Murfreesboro

November 30

ISHAE Winter Meeting San Francisco, CA

Abbreviation Key

AH&LA = American Hotel & Lodging Association DMAI = Destination Marketing Association International ESTO = Educational Seminar for Tourism Organizations ISHAE = International Society of Hotel Association Executives NRA = National Restaurant Association TnHTA = Tennessee Hospitality & Tourism Association TnHTEF = Tennessee Hospitality & Tourism Education Foundation TnHTPAC = Tennessee Hospitality & Tourism Political Action Committee

Tennessee Hospitality and Tourism Association • 15

Local association news

Local Association News and Updates Gatlinburg Hospitality Association GHA is proud to announce that we were able to make end-of-the-year contributions to these local non-profits: Sevier County Food Ministry, Safe Harbor, The Forgotten Child Foundation, Mountain Hope Good Shepherd Clinic, Smoky Mountain Area Rescue Ministries and Taylor Faith Ministry.

The association had a very successful 2015 and has set an aggressive and active calendar for 2016!

For more information, visit www.gatlinburghospitality.com.

Greater Chattanooga Hospitality Association Ironman and the CVB announced that the Scenic City will host the 2017 Ironman 70.3 World Championships, a marquee outdoor event that will bring an expected 4,000 of the world’s best tri-athletes from nearly 100 countries. The city was chosen for this event over Lake Placid, New York, and St. George, Utah.

Another major sporting event, the Chattanooga Marathon, was announced by the City and Sports Committee. This event will take place March 4–6, 2016, with events including an Expo, Kids Fun Run, 5K, Team Relay and Half & Full Marathons. The new course will feature the best of Chattanooga’s scenic views, from North Shore, Downtown and into the St. Elmo area.

The annual GCHA Chili Cook-Off was held on October 16 at International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame and Museum. $2,000 was raised for our PAC contribution, and the Courtyard by Marriott- Hamilton Place took home 1st place prize.

Westin Hotels announced the spring 2017 opening of a new 90-room boutique hotel called “The Edwin” in the “Gold 16 • Tennessee Notes • Winter 2016

Building,” which was formerly the down- town Chattanooga headquarters for Blue Cross Blue Shield.

Other new developments include two new event venues, “The Venue” and “Granfalloon”; a new eatery, “STIR”, in the Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel; the opening of the new “Puckett’s” restaurant on the Riverfront; the redesign of downtown’s Broad Street, which will add four miles of bike lanes; and the announcement of “The Edney Building,” which is slated to become the new hub of the “Innovation District” housing “The Company Lab” and “Enterprise Center.”

TnHTA’s president/CEO Greg Atkins spoke on hospitality law and legisla- tion at the GCHA annual meeting held at the Residence Inn – Hamilton Place in November.

The GCHA annual Christmas Party was held December 10 at the DoubleTree Hotel.

For more information, visit www. chattanoogahospitalityassociation.com.

Greater Knoxville Hospitality Association The 2015 Greater Knoxville Hospitality Trade Show was a grand success for vendors and attendees a great success for vendors and attendees. The event also provided opportunities for hospitality/tourism students with The University of Tennessee and Pellissippi State Community College to mingle with industry professionals.

GKHA joined The Historic Homes of Knoxville at a lunch to celebrate the 224th birthday of the City of Knoxville with guest speaker, TDTD Commissioner Kevin Triplett.

The GKHA Housekeeping Championship Games were held in November. The competition was fast-paced, and the partic- ipants were nimble-fingered, sure-footed sharp shooters and industry knowledgeable; but mostly they enjoyed some friendly competitive fun.

Knoxville was ranked 12th among America’s Top 20 Best Value Cities by Trivago.com and was selected as a top LGBT destination by UNITE Nashville magazine.

Candlewood Suites-Knoxville received the IHG 2015 Quality Excellence Award at the IHG Americas Owners Conference in October. Hilton Knoxville received the 2015 Readers’ Choice Award from ConventionSouth as the best meeting site in the South.

Visit Knoxville received the 2015 Readers’ Choice Award from Convention South. The award is presented to meeting sites that they believe offer exemplary service for group events.

SMG, the management company for the Knoxville Convention Center, is now providing the City of Knoxville with interim management services for the Civic Audito- rium and Coliseum and Chilhowee Park & Exposition Center.

The November GKHA lunch was held at Cherokee Distributing, and the association celebrated the holidays at its December lunch and Holiday Sock Parade.

For more information, visit www.facebook.com/Greater Knoxville HospitalityAssociationGKHA.

Greater Nashville Hospitality Association The Greater Nashville Hospitality Associ- ation PAC endorsed several candidates for Metro Council as well as mayoral candidate Megan Barry. All were successful, as each PAC recipient, including the Mayor, won his or her election.

GNHA assisted in some hosting activities for the 2016 Governor’s Conference on Hospitality and Tourism held at the Gaylord Opryland Resort in October, including planning and hosting the annual TnHTPAC Golf Tournament.

Nashville’s Short-Term Rental Ordinance (VRBO/Air B&B) has already produced

excellent results, with more than $100,000 already collected. This effort achieved a great victory, with the Tennessee Attorney General’s opinion that such establishments must pay applicable state and local taxes as well as lodging taxes.

Newly elected Mayor Megan Barry was the guest speaker at the October GNHA luncheon at the Nashville Airport Marriott.

The Middle Tennessee Hospitality Cham- pionship Series was held in November at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium. The event was a huge success, with hundreds of par- ticipants competing in a variety of categories.

The GNHA Holiday party was held December 16 at The Omni Nashville Hotel.

For more information, visit www.gnha.net.

Metropolitan Memphis Hotel and Lodging Association The annual Southern Lodging Summit was one of our most successful and truly enjoy- able events this year. The event was well attended by individuals who were able to take advantage of the wonderful networking opportunities, gain more insight to our industry and walk away feeling energized.

The September MMHLA Luncheon fea- tured guest speaker Dobbin Callahan, presi- dent of Skye Con and auditor and adminis- trator for TN Green Hospitality program.

Working in partnership with the Kemmons Wilson School, Dobbin will be certifying staff to continue this work in our area.

The World Series of Housekeeping was our biggest housekeeping event in years, featuring 18 hotels and 250 people!

Everyone enjoyed themselves, and the event was a great way to honor one of the hardest- working departments in our business.

Competition was fierce, but the Madison Hotel ended up as the Grand Champion for the second year in a row.

Kevin Kane, president and CEO of the Memphis CVB, spoke at the October MMHLA Luncheon. Kane reported on the exciting $55 million renovation and expan- sion of the Cook Convention Center. The project includes integrating the exterior design of the Cook Convention Center with the Cannon Center, modernizing the inte- rior, maximizing meeting space and adding new signage and upgrades to the parking

garage. The project is slated to begin by summer 2016, with completion by 2018.

The November MMHLA Luncheon featured guest speakers Shannon Little and Shawn Danko, who spoke on reaching millennial travelers.

The annual MMHLA & MCVB Holiday Party was held at Memphis Zoo. The event was a wonderful opportunity to reflect on our year and our future plans.

Great friends, food and fun for all.

For more information, visit www.mmhla.com.

Memphis Restaurant Association MRA’s 8th Annual Thomas Boggs Memo- rial Golf Tournament was held in October at the Mirimichi Golf Course. Well over 100 industry associates and supporters got together for friendly competition and fundraising. Costs were kept low, thanks

to the support of our generous sponsors, with special thanks to Heartland Payment Systems, our event sponsor. The MRA uses the money raised from the tournament and other fundraisers to provide contributions to various charities and community programs throughout the year. The annual golf tour- nament was a favorite event of departed friend and civic leader, Thomas Boggs.

The MRA is proud to honor him at each year’s competition.

Serving Memphis, in cooperation with the Memphis Restaurant Association, offered free flu shots to Memphis-area restaurant workers this flu season at any area Walgreens.

Free shots are available to the first 1,000 restaurant employees to respond. When participants get a shot, Walgreens in partnership with the United Nations will also give a shot to a child in a developing country — Get a Shot, Give a Shot.

A MRA Associates’ Coffee Club event was held in November at Panera Bread – Laurelwood. Established in 2012, MRA

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Local Association NEws | Continued

The PFHA Housekeeping Tournament saw 17 teams participate for bragging rights and cash prizes awarded to 1st through 4th place teams. The exciting event recog- nizes these critically important employees and builds camaraderie among local lodging businesses.

The association paid tribute to our local police and fire departments at a special mem- bership luncheon. The tribute included a moment of silence for the 9/11 tragedy, with a patriotic medley of songs on the violin by a 13-year-old prodigy and plaques pre- sented to the fire and police Departments.

PFHA hosted its quarterly social net- working event, “Forging Together,” at the Hard Rock Café. It was another great oppor- tunity to invite potential members and for businesses to interact and build relationships.

The Pigeon Forge Housing Bureau, a partnership of the City of Pigeon Forge and PFHA, is working with the Cal Ripken Experience to provide lodging assistance for the players from across America who will be coming to the area. The Cal Ripken Experi- ence regional manager and general manager spoke to the association about Ripken’s philosophy and the history behind the concept of the venue and program.

Winterfest kicked off in November. Once again, the promotion brought thousands of visitors to the region. Also in Novem- ber, PFHA partnered with Gatlinburg, Sevierville and the Smoky Mountain Vaca- tion Lodging associations to hold a joint meeting and Veterans’ Tribute at the Dixie Stampede. All Sevier County veterans were invited to enjoy a free lunch and listen to guest speaker Major Jennifer Anderson.

The PFHA Christmas Party, hosted by Lumberjack Feud, was held December 10.

A Christmas party for our PFHA member frontline employees was held December 15 at Music Road Hotel and Convention Center.

Karl Thomas, the Inn on the River, will

be our PFHA president for 2016, and Mark Thomas (no relation), Hatfield and McCoy Dinner Theater, will be our vice president for 2016.

For more information, visit www.pfhospitality.org.

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Associates’ Coffee Club meets quarterly for a delicious breakfast and networking hour and serves as a great orientation for new associate members.

A MRA board meeting was held in November at the Holiday Inn – Univer- sity of Memphis, and the annual General Business Meeting and Holiday Mixer was held in December.

For more information, visit www.memphisrestaurants.com.

Nashville Originals Nashville’s independent restaurant asso- ciation once again offered gift certificates good at more than 60 locally owned, locally loved eateries — but this year, they sweet- ened the deal! From Black Friday through Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday, participants were able to buy $100 in gift certificates and get $50 free! And, for the entire month of December, a $100 purchase got $25 free.

For more information, visit www.nashvilleoriginals.com.

Pigeon Forge Hospitality Association The 18th annual PFHA Golf Tournament at the Sevierville Golf Course was a huge success. We exceeded all of our goals and developed close relationships throughout Tennessee’s hospitality businesses!

The association hosted Tennessee Home- land Security at a membership meeting at Harpoon Harry’s Crab House. The speakers were very informative, discussing many aspects of security and safety. A workshop was held on November 10 on what business owners and citizens should do in a crisis situation.

Sevier County Hospitality Alliance The SCHA Mini-Golf Fundraiser was a great success and raised just over $8,000.

SCHA was very successful in 2015 in providing scholarships to students and in donating to a number of local non-profits. $4,500 was distributed in three separate schol- arships, and $500 contributions were made to each of the following: Smoky Mountain Rescue Ministry, Sevier County Food Ministry, Mountain Hope Good Shepard Clinic and Sevier County United Way. At its November meeting, the following individuals were elected to serve as the 2016 SCHA board of directors: Shirl Emmert, Hampton Inn Kodak,

President Dottie Clabough, Wilderness at the

Smokies, Vice President Chris Drew, Hampton Inn Sevierville,

Treasurer Howard Kingsbury, The DINER,

Secretary Lauren Chesney, Tennessee Smokies

Baseball, Past President Ethel Hollenbaugh, Apple Barn Creamery Lauren Mack, Texas Roadhouse Monica Jones, Fun For Groups Eric Bradley, The Navigator Amanda Barnes, Collier Restaurant Group Judy Ann Dial, Days Inn 407 The Alliance held its December meeting at the Five Oaks Convention Center.

For more information, visit www. seviervillehospitalityassociation.com. J

Advertiser index

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