Music City Center Moves Forward on Land Purchase
The Music City Center took a huge step forward last week when the Metro Council voted to approve legislation authorizing the purchase of land for the construction of the new Music City Center. Now that the legislation has passed, the city will begin purchasing and clearing land in preparation for construction. Legislation to approve construction financing for the new facility will follow later this year.

The Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau (NCVB) would like to thank everyone for their support and participation during this portion of the legislative process.

Wynonna to Headline 25th Anniversary Music City July 4 Spectacular
Nashville will once again celebrate July 4th like only the Music City can – with great music and one of the nation’s best fireworks displays! Country music superstar Wynonna will headline the 25th anniversary of the “Music City July 4th: Let Freedom Sing!” celebration in Riverfront Park. The show line-up will also include The Gabe Dixon Band, the Grammy-winning Nashville Symphony Orchestra (NSO) and Nashville actor Barry Scott. The world-renowned Fisk Jubilee Singers will perform the national anthem.

Downtown festivities will begin at noon with the free Family Fun Zone featuring inflatables for all ages, sponsored by Coca-Cola. Pre-show live music will take place from 3 - 6 p.m. on the NowPlayingNashville.com stage. The official two-hour concert will kick off at 7 p.m. CST and will conclude with the South's largest fireworks show at approximately 9:10 p.m. arranged by Pyro Shows and choreographed to music by the NSO. All events are free and open to the public.

Music City Songwriting Competition is Back
The Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau (NCVB) is holding its third annual “Music City Songwriting Competition” with multi-platinum recording artist and songwriter Josh Turner serving as the honorary host. The competition will accept entries from June 1 – Oct. 1, 2009 and is open to amateur songwriters only.

The winning songwriter will receive a $1,000 cash prize and two roundtrip Southwest Airlines tickets to Music City. While in town, the winner will be given a personal backstage tour of the Grand Ole Opry by Josh Turner. The winning song will be played on Sirius XM Radio’s “Music City Connection: Heroes Behind the Hits.” In addition, the winner will receive a writing session with a professional songwriter and an Epiphone Masterbuilt Acoustic guitar. Transportation, hotel accommodations at the Renaissance Nashville Hotel and complimentary admission to over 30 Nashville attractions are also included.

For more information on the competition please visit www.themusiccitysongwriter.com.

Music City Specialty Plates Available
Express your love for music and the city it calls home with a new Music City specialty license plate designed by the Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau (NCVB) to benefit the organization’s Music City, Inc. foundation. Applications for the plate, which will feature the city’s signature branded red music note, are currently being accepted.

There is a $36 registration deposit required for each vehicle you wish to tag using a Music City-branded plate. Tennessee residents wishing to purchase a new Music City plate can fill out a form online at www.visitmusiccity.com/licenseplate or print the form and mail it with their $36 check to the address at the bottom of that form. Forms are also available at Regions Bank branches throughout the city. A minimum of 1,000 registrations are required to produce and make the Music City specialty plate available.

Industry Indicators
April’s hotel occupancy rate was 58.1 percent, a decrease of 15 percent compared to April 2008.

The 2009 year-to-date occupancy rate is 54.5 percent, a decrease of 11.2 percent compared to last year.

March hotel tax collections were $1,833,700, a decrease of 18.3 percent compared to March 2008.

The 2009 year-to-date collections are $5,122,030, a decrease of 15.3 percent compared to last year.

Brand Champion
Looking for a little fun in the sun? That’s what you’ll find when you visit this month’s Brand Champion! The tan specialists at Urban Sun in Cummins Station have been busy differentiating their salon from the others by giving it a distinct Music City feel. Guests will find a music-themed décor inside the salon including a guitar-shaped menu board. The salon also offers free live music events titled “Tan and a Tune” for all of its customers. Tanning has never sounded so good! Congratulations to our June Brand Champion, Urban Sun!

Upcoming Events
New Member Orientation
June 16
11:30 a.m.-12 p.m. Lunch/Networking
12-12:45 p.m. New Member Orientation
NCVB Boardroom
Learn how you can make the most of your NCVB membership at the New Member Orientation.
Lunch provided by Demos' Steak and Spaghetti House

Nashville Backstage Training
July 15
2-3 p.m.
NCVB Boardroom
A complimentary training program designed to educate NCVB members on what Music City has to offer in regards to attractions, events, tours, restaurants and nightlife.

Conventions & Meetings Calendar