Courtesy Tennessee Department of Tourist Development
Delegates going to the 2012 BankTravel Conference in Memphis, Tenn., February 7-9, will be welcomed like royalty at Graceland’s evening event. Elvis Presley’s former estate will host the opening night’s entertainment with a private party and mansion tours.
Attendees will walk in the footsteps of the “king of rock ‘n’ roll” as they peruse the enormous property that Presley lived in from 1957 to his death in 1977. From Presley’s Jungle Room to the Hall of Gold Records, guests learn a lot about the music legend’s life, personal style and contribution to music. Visitors can leave feeling like they know Presley through the vast quantities of videos, personal mementoes, outfits and other artifacts at Graceland.
After the Graceland evening event, attendees will stay at the Memphis Marriott Downtown. The hotel is connected by a short skywalk to the Memphis Cook Convention Center where the conference’s marketplace sessions will take place.
Since the convention center and hotel are downtown, attendees can go ‘walking in Memphis’ for themselves and enjoy sightseeing tours for attractions further afield.
Sneak peak at Memphis:
Beale Street
Just strolling along Beale Street in the evening will give visitors an idea why it is a center for the Delta blues. Live music pours out of the music clubs lining the street for blocks. Neon lights, street bands, carriage rides and other interesting sights can be experienced along this iconic street.
www.bealestreet.com
Sun Studios
An 18-year-old Elvis Presley walked into Sun Studios to record his first song in 1953 and the rest is history. Called the “birthplace of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” the studio helped launched the careers of Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis and many other notable rock singers. Groups can now tour the studio to listen to famous recording sessions that took place there, touch Presley’s first microphone and learn the history behind Sun Studios.
www.sunstudio.com
National Civil Rights Museum
Going into the room where Martin Luther King, Jr., was assassinated can feel like the event just took place, since the room has been left exactly as it was when King was shot. This impactful scene in the National Civil Right Museum is just one of the emotional exhibits and visual displays in the museum. The museum is housed in the Lorraine Motel, the assassination site of King, with an additional 12,800 square feet of exhibit space to chronicle civil and human rights struggles.
www.civilrightsmuseum.org
Other Memphis attractions:
Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum
Heartbreak Hotel
Stax Museum of American Soul Music
For more information or to register for the conference, visit www.banktravel.com.
