The Memphis Tourism team is in the zone.
AutoZone, specifically.
Yesterday, Memphis Tourism announced that it had finalized plans for the Renasant Convention Center to host AutoZone’s national sales meeting in September . The Memphis-based Fortune 250 company will mark the first large-scale meetings event to take place at the center after its $216 million renovation and modernization project.
The event will see 3,000 attendees converge on the convention center, making full use of the 300,000 square feet of space and amenities from September 27th to 30th. Memphis Tourism expects the event to generate almost $2 million in economic impact, and create demand for 3,500 room nights at nearby hotels.
“We are very excited to recognize our amazing AutoZoners, support local partners and hold our National Sales Meeting in downtown Memphis at the newly renovated Renasant Convention Center,” said David McKinney, vice president, Government and Community Relations, Customer Satisfaction for AutoZone.
The event is a promising sign for the revitalization of Memphis’ hospitality and tourism industry. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, direct spending from the meetings, conventions, and trade show industry saw a huge $97 billion decline in the United States. Construction on the Renasant Convention Center was already in progress when health protocols put most of the country into lockdown. However, with restrictions now lifted in Shelby County, the center can aggressively be used as a tool to generate revenue for the city.
The facility was also awarded the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) STAR, a third-party validation that ensures meeting and event facilities have implemented strict health and safety protocols for biorisk situations like the coronavirus.
“The tourism and hospitality industry as a whole has been severely impacted by the pandemic, especially the meetings and events sector. Now is the time to get back to business,” said Kevin Kane, president and CEO of Memphis Tourism. “AutoZone is sending a strong message to the business world as a Fortune 250 company, demonstrating it is possible to safely resume in-person meetings, and that business travel remains a critical part of growing the bottom line.”
