The Gatlinburg Convention & Visitors Bureau Sales Department would like to thank all our customers that selected Gatlinburg hotels, restaurants, attractions and the Gatlinburg Convention Center for their conventions and programs this past year. We truly appreciate that you entrust in bringing your event to Gatlinburg.
Meeting Safely and Successfully
The Gatlinburg Convention Center and Gatlinburg continues to be the premier destination for conventions, meetings, and sporting events. The Gatlinburg Convention Center has successfully and safely executed 41 events with a total of 47,953 attendees since June 1, 2020. These events have varied from group meetings and conferences to craft fairs, religious conferences, and a gift show spanning the entire facility. For those of you that have not had a convention or event in Gatlinburg, please let us know how we can help as we would really love to have you experience what Gatlinburg has to offer to your program and attendees.
In this issue, we celebrate Gatlinburg and Margaritaville achievements, bring you what is new in Gatlinburg for 2021 and recently opened, and the continued proactive efforts the Gatlinburg Convention Center and F&B catering staff are undertaking regarding sanitization and safety protocols in preparations for all upcoming events. During this perplexing time, it is incredibly important for our customers to know their event is taking place in a facility that values and upholds the safety of all who enter their building. Once again, thank all our customers for continuing to make Gatlinburg the perfect event destination.
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Convention Center: (148,000 square feet of total space)
Sleeping Rooms (4,000+ surrounding convention center including full and limited service hotels, condominiums, chalets and cabins)
Dining Options: (100+ restaurants, from casual to elegant gourmet establishments with the majority within walking distance to hotels and convention center)
Shopping: (500+ shops with 5 malls plus largest Arts & Crafts Community in the U.S.)
Attractions: (40+ along with many other entertainment options with the majority within walking distance to hotels and convention center)
Rocky Top Sports Complex: (Named top Multi-Use Sports Facility by SportsEvents Magazine) and (Favorite Indoor Venue by Sports Destination Management Magazine)
Gatlinburg Golf Course: (Named Best Municipal Golf Course in Tennessee by Golf Digest Magazine)
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For the second year in a row Margaritaville Resort has been selected as the Margaritaville
Brand “Property of the Year” (top Margaritaville Resort in the country). The have also been voted “Best Hotel Knoxville”, and Convention South – “Readers’ Choice Award” Best Meeting sites in the south 2019 & 2020. We want to Congratulate Margaritaville on such wonderful success!
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Tripadvisor just announced that Gatlinburg is the #𝟏 𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 in the U.S. and #5 in the World. Thank you all for making Gatlinburg such a great place to visit!
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The Gatlinburg SkyTrail is a scenic walkway that will connect each end of the SkyBridge and provide guests the opportunity to take a leisurely walk in the mountains while enjoying new views of the famous SkyBridge. At just over one-third of a mile in length, the SkyTrail will be an enjoyable walk for adults, kids, and even dogs and offer three distinct sections.
The Boardwalk is an elevated wooden walkway leading from the SkyDeck back along the hillside of the ravine that cuts under the SkyBridge. Along the way, interactive signage will provide information about the engineering of the SkyBridge, the history of iconic Gatlinburg SkyLift, and the wildfires of 2016 that swept across Crockett Mountain where the SkyTrail stands today.
The Lookout will be a steel tower set in the back of the ravine accessed by rope bridges and featuring elevated viewing platforms.
The Pathway will be a smooth walking path cut into the natural hillside extending from the Lookout across to the west end of the SkyBridge with views of the Smoky Mountains from every step.
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ANAKEESTA BLACK BEAR VILLAGE |
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Black Bear Village is a central location atop Anakeesta mountain where guests can gather to listen to live music, watch outdoor movies, relax around the firepit, enjoy scenic mountain views and so much more! Enjoy an elevated dining experience from the NEW Cliff Top Restaurant serving modern american cuisine like hand butchered steaks, burgers, local trout and made from scratch sauces. Looking for a bite on the go? Stop by Kephart Cafe for fresh flatbread pizzas, gourmet hot dogs and Flavor Burst frozen yogurt! Shop the Mercantile, a modern take on a general store or cool off by our interactive splash pad!
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SMITH AND SON CORNER KITCHEN |
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Located in the center of it all and across the street from the Gatlinburg Convention Center, Smith & Son Corner Kitchen serves an All-American menu with something for everyone. Choose from our ample selection of appetizers, salads, pasta, burgers, entrees and more. Our bartenders are experts at mixing your favorite drink.
We invite you in for a delicious lunch or dinner. Or stop in for quick drinks and appetizers. At Smith & Son Corner Kitchen, we merge Southern Hospitality with Smoky Mountain Flavor and we hope you will visit us soon.
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The Gatlinburg Convention Center is the first in the region to achieve the Global Biorisk Advisory Council® (GBAC) STAR™ accreditation, the gold standard for prepared facilities. Under the guidance of GBAC, a Division of ISSA, the worldwide cleaning industry association, the Gatlinburg Convention Center has implemented the most stringent protocols for cleaning, disinfection, and infectious disease prevention in its facility.
As the cleaning industry’s only outbreak prevention, response, and recovery accreditation, GBAC STAR™ helps organizations establish protocols and procedures, offers expert-led training, and assesses a facility’s readiness for biorisk situations. The program verifies that the Gatlinburg Convention Center implements best practices to prepare for, respond to and recover from outbreaks and pandemics.
“GBAC STAR™ accreditation empowers facility owners and managers to assure workers, customers and key stakeholders that they have proven systems in place to maintain clean and healthy environments,” said GBAC Executive Director Patricia Olinger. “By taking this important step to pursue GBAC STAR™, the Gatlinburg Convention Center has received third-party validation that it follows strict protocols for biorisk situations, thereby demonstrating its preparedness and commitment to operating safely.”
To achieve GBAC STAR™ accreditation, Gatlinburg Convention Center was required to demonstrate compliance with the program’s 20 core elements, which range from standard operating procedures and risk assessment strategies to personal protective equipment and emergency preparedness and response measures.
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Things to do in Gatlinburg! |
Watch our video on things to do in Gatlinburg! |
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Gatlinburg Convention Center |
Check out this video on The Gatlinburg Convention Center. |
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CONVENTION CENTER TESTIMONIALS |
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I just could not leave our event this week (October 4-9, 2020) without letting someone know how fantastic Lexan (Food & Beverage Manager) is with Holston’s Kitchen Catering Company. I have been with the Tennessee Academy of Physician Assistants and coming to the convention center for the last 8 years, and the food has never been this good, not by a long shot.
I have a food allergy and Lexan was always making sure that I had something to eat, and anyone with familiarity with Gatlinburg knows how hard it can be to eat in the city when you have an allergy. I think last year I survived on protein bars for a full week. I am in a much better mood this year!
But it is not just me. I have heard from so many attendees just how happy they are with the food. It is a far cry from "airline chicken". There were several comments on how this is the kind of food you find in upscale restaurants, not a convention center. It has far and above made their experience a more enjoyable one.
Anyway, she is amazing, and I hope all groups that come to the Gatlinburg Convention Center tell her so!
Mallory Briggs, MPA
Special Event and Conference Coordinator
Tennessee Academy of Physician Assistants
279 attendees
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We would love the chance to “update” you on all the new and exciting developments that Gatlinburg has going to ensure that when it comes to your future conventions, meetings and events, Gatlinburg has your event covered!
If you would like to be on the distribution list and receive future Gatlinburg Update Quarterly e-newsletters, please email sales@gatlinburg.com and request to be added. Please feel free to forward The Gatlinburg Update to anyone you feel will find it informative.
This edition of the Gatlinburg Update Quarterly Newsletter is our 16th. If you are interested in viewing earlier editions, please click GCVB Sales Quarterly Newsletter.
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Gatlinburg CVB
Website: www.Gatlinburg.com/info
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