B A N D T O G E T H E RAnnual Report | FY 19–20

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................................................ 4

KEY HIGHLIGHTS (PRE-COVID 19) ................................................................................................................... 9

VISITOR IMPACT .................................................................................................................................... 10

EVENTS ................................................................................................................................................... 12

THE WORLD WAS STILL WATCHING ................................................................................................ 16

KEY HIGHLIGHTS (SINCE COVID-19) .............................................................................................................. 17

SALES ...................................................................................................................................................... 18

MARKETING ............................................................................................................................................ 20

COMMUNITY SUPPORT ........................................................................................................................ 22

PERFORMANCE METRICS ................................................................................................................... 26

WHAT’S NEW ....................................................................................................................................................... 27

THANK YOU MEMBERS ...................................................................................................................................... 32

NCVC BOARD OF DIRECTORS ......................................................................................................................... 34

T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S

2A N N U A L R E P O R T | F Y 1 9 – 2 0

We started this fiscal year anticipating another record-breaker.

Yet, the year ends with our city recovering from a historically devastating tornado and a pandemic that has economically ravaged the hospitality industry nationally.

The neck-breaking turn of events makes it easy to understand the financially vulnerable place where our industry currently lies. COVID-19 was the one visitor we did not want.

Directly prior to the tornado and COVID-19 hitting the United States, the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp was on pace to meet or exceed all organizational goals for the fiscal year. Visitors were coming in great numbers and the city had more to offer them than ever before.

But there is hope, a plan and optimism for our future.

(CONTINUED...)

Executive Summary

4A N N U A L R E P O R T | F Y 1 9 – 2 0

C O N T I N U E D

Executive Summary When these unfortunate events occurred, our industry did what it does best: banded together to help one another.

As you read on, you’ll find that we:

• Kept the music playing so Music City was top of mind with our clients and visitors;

• Kept selling our city;

• Kept communicating with our members and partners;

• Supported those in need in our community; and

• Supported the Mayor’s Office, the Metro Health Department and the Office of Emergency Management.

5A N N U A L R E P O R T | F Y 1 9 – 2 0

C O N T I N U E D

Executive Summary We have collectively strategized and planned for our city’s and industry’s recovery.

Weekly visitor sentiment data was analyzed to best understand what visitors expect as cities reopen.

Like most of you, we have also been deeply financially impacted – our budget for the new fiscal year is approximately 50% lower than last year.

We have adapted and plan for FY 21 to be as results-driven as possible.

6A N N U A L R E P O R T | F Y 1 9 – 2 0

As we prepare to welcome visitors again, the NCVC has a strategic, tiered marketing campaign that will responsibly invite our guests back at an appropriate time.

• Many of our industry partners have fresh offerings for the next year, such as the Chihuly at Cheekwood experience, the historic opening of the National Museum of African American Music and the new terminal and additional Southwest flights at the Nashville International Airport.

• With the new flights added by mid-August, the total number of daily, non-stop markets serviced by Southwest Airlines will exceed the total amount serviced prior to COVID-19.

C O N T I N U E D

Executive Summary

7A N N U A L R E P O R T | F Y 1 9 – 2 0

During these uncertain times it is reassuring to remember that Nashville’s hospitality industry has faced adversity before, and we know the formula for recovery.

We are hopeful. We are resilient.

And we believe in Nashville.

Dr. Robert Fisher, Board Chairman Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp

Butch Spyridon, President/CEO Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp

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K E Y H I G H L I G H T S

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Visitor ImpactGrowth was strong, but would soon be impacted by COVID-related business closures and safer-at-home orders mandated nationwide.

$7.5 Billion in direct visitor spending (1/3 of entire state)

C A L E N DA R Y E A R 2 0 1 9

We welcomed a total of 16.1 million visitors in 2019

C A L E N DA R Y E A R 2 0 1 9

Total Occupancy Tax collections of $64,367,673

F Y 1 9 –2 0

Nashville visitors spent an average of $14,300 per minute

F Y 1 9 –2 0

10A N N U A L R E P O R T | F Y 1 9 – 2 0

EventsNASCAR Champion’s WeekDecember 2019Hosted NASCAR National Champion’s Week

for the first time, including the popular

“Burnouts on Broadway.”

The event’s success has resulted in NASCAR

rebooking in Nashville for 2021 and 2022.

12A N N U A L R E P O R T | F Y 1 9 – 2 0

EventsSpin On: Nashville’s Vinyl Collection at SHOWFIELDSOct 2019–Jan 2020Produced Spin On, a creative, three-month

pop-up vinyl record shop in New York City,

which garnered 34,792,436 impressions in

public relations, customer traffic, social

media and marketing impressions.

13A N N U A L R E P O R T | F Y 1 9 – 2 0

EventsHoliday Harmony: Music City in LightsNov 2019–Jan 2020Marketed Holiday Harmony, promoting

the popular holiday attractions, including

GLOW Nashville, events at Cheekwood,

Zoolumination at the Nashville Zoo and

Gaylord Opryland’s A Country Christmas.

14A N N U A L R E P O R T | F Y 1 9 – 2 0

EventsNew Year’s Eve 2019Produced Jack Daniel’s Music City Midnight:

New Year’s Eve in Nashville which was

attended by a record-breaking crowd of

over 200,000 and resulted in 25,529 rooms

sold and $26.6 million in direct visitor

spending.

The show featured a line-up of diverse

Nashville talent, including the Fisk Jubilee

Singers, Bren Joy, Kalie Shorr, Amanda

Shires, The Struts, Jason Isbell & the 400

Unit and headliner Keith Urban.

The event was covered by two national

broadcasts: NBC’s “New Year’s Eve 2020”

and CNN’s “New Year’s Eve Live with

Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen.”

15A N N U A L R E P O R T | F Y 1 9 – 2 0

Nashville came in at #6 on Cvent’s list of Top 50 Meeting Destinations in the U.S.

(July 2019)

Nashville made Forbes’ list of The Top 20 Destinations For 2020

(December 2019)

The Sun (UK) named Nashville as one of 2020’s 10 Hottest Destinations

(January 2020)

Nashville was named as Best Sports City in the country by Sports Business Journal, largely on the strength

of the 2019 NFL Draft, which was recruited and implemented by the NCVC in partnership with the NFL.

Nashville ranked in WalletHub’s 2019 Best Sports Cities Roundup

(November 2019)

Nashville was named as one of the Top Travel Destinations for 2020 by Condé Nast Traveler on the TODAY Show (January 2020)

Travel + Leisure included Nashville on their list of The 15 Best Cities in the

United States (July 2019)

Resonance Consultancy ranked Nashville the #25 Best Large City on its 2019

America’s Best Cities Index (June 2019)

Condé Nast Traveler included Nashville in their list of 20 Best Places

to Go in 2020 (December 2019)

T H E W O R L D W A S S T I L L W A T C H I N G

16A N N U A L R E P O R T | F Y 1 9 – 2 0

K E Y H I G H L I G H T S

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S A L E S

Continue to Sell NashvilleWe continue to sell Nashville, keeping the Music City brand top-of-mind as the city and state works towards reopening safely.

To date, 21 citywide conventions have cancelled

their 2020 meeting in Nashville due to COVID-19.

Eight of these groups, representing 84,000 room

nights, have rebooked future meetings in

Nashville.

Hosted ten intimate virtual songwriter events reaching approximately

85 clients around the US and the UK. Also hosted 40 clients for a virtual cooking demonstration

with celebrity chef Maneet Chauhan.

Delivered Nashville-themed gifts from Batch

Nashville to canceled groups as part of efforts to rebook lost business

and let them know we are thinking about them.

Prepared a digital cookbook called Recipe Notes, featuring recipes

from local chefs and restaurants to share with clients, visitors and locals.

Provided online sales training to more than 400 Tour Operators based out of the United Kingdom.

18A N N U A L R E P O R T | F Y 1 9 – 2 0

Supported the audience-free Saturday live broadcast of

the Grand Ole Opry.

Worked with Live Nation to produce the Live from the

Drive-In Concert Series at Nissan Stadium.

M A R K E T I N G

Kept the Music PlayingWhen the world pressed “pause,” we kept the music playing through strategic marketing efforts, focusing on brand awareness and safety & health precautions.

Created Music City Bandwidth to showcase Nashville-based artists performing virtual concerts from

their homes. This has been a crucial link to keep Music City top-of-mind with key clients

and leisure visitors.

After canceling their show in Vegas, we booked the Academy

of Country Music Awards show in Nashville. The 55th Annual ACM Awards aired on

September 16, 2020 from Music City for the first time ever.

20A N N U A L R E P O R T | F Y 1 9 – 2 0

Supported Our PartnersWe steadfastly supported our partners across the city and hospitality industry alike, through one of the most difficult years that the city has ever faced.

NCVC’s Music City, Inc. Foundation raised

$1.4 million for tornado and COVID-19 relief,

distributing direct financial gifts to over 3,800

individuals, targeting the frontline employees in the

hospitality industry.

Created the free Good to Go program

with Vanderbilt Health and Ryman Hospitality

Properties, which now has more than 700 members working to make Music

City safer for employees, customers, and visitors.

Offering discounts and deals to local residents to encourage them to

get out and safely enjoy restaurants, hotels and attractions to help our

industry recover.

Offering complimentary masks at the Nashville

Visitor Information Center to assist visitors.

Posting hiring opportunities for

hospitality workers who have been laid off or

furloughed and listing other resources to help industry workers, businesses and

residents.

22A N N U A L R E P O R T | F Y 1 9 – 2 0

Helped coordinate meetings between the Metro Public Health

Department and hospitality industry businesses so they could provide input on the city’s plans. Hosted educational webinars for

the industry.

Assisted Mayor John Cooper’s Office with ongoing

communications strategy since mid-March.

Helped establish the Nashville Community

Assessment Centers, securing signage, tents and refrigerator units and spearheading PPE supply drives for the city.

Coordinated approximately 200 meals a day for five months for

the city's Community Assessment Centers, the Office of Emergency

Management, Metro Health Department and for healthcare

workers. While we love assisting frontline workers, this has also been a way for us to support

local restaurants.

Assisted the CityWe assisted the city of Nashville in navigating issues related to public health, communication, testing, and community support.

24A N N U A L R E P O R T | F Y 1 9 – 2 0

Key Performance MetricsThe first cases of COVID-19 were identified in

Nashville in early March, resulting in citywide

safer-at-home orders and business closures.

The hospitality industry was deeply impacted,

more so than most other business segments.

Prior to March, the organization was on pace to

meet or exceed annual goals.

After March, the focus of the organization

shifted to keeping Nashville top-of-mind with

visitors and clients, promoting virtual concerts,

upcoming events & exhibits and best preparing

our city to reopen safely.

Sales Performance Metrics FY 2019-2020 Goals FY 2019–2020 Actuals

Convention Sales Leads 4,850 3,888

Convention Sales Bookings 1,400 997

Convention Sales RMN 1,655,000 1,018,309

Convention Sales Lead RMN 8,000,000 6,364,802

Tourism Sales Leads 2,450 1,726

Tourism Sales RMN 430,000 469,497

Marketing Performance Metrics FY 2019-2020 Goals FY 2019–2020 Actuals

Advertising Promotional Value $7,450,000 $4,744,500

Editorial Equivalency (Direct NCVC) $45,000,000 $72,286,078

Social Media Sites – Fan Base 600,000 598,932

Website sessions 5,300,000 3,713,619

Visitor Information Centers Revenue $1,500,000 $873,927

NCVC New Members 125 168

Membership Revenue $1,220,000 $994,725

Membership Upgrades 30 23

26A N N U A L R E P O R T | F Y 1 9 – 2 0

W H A T ’ S N E W F O R F Y 2 0 2 1

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National Museum of African American MusicLate Fall 2020The National Museum of African American

Music will showcase the tremendously rich

heritage of African American music in Music

City. The museum is located at the corner of

Fifth + Broadway, at the heart of Nashville’s

entertainment district.

28A N N U A L R E P O R T | F Y 1 9 – 2 0

Nashville Yards2020 and BeyondNashville Yards is well positioned on the

west end of Broadway to become the

gateway to downtown Nashville.

The multi-use development features many

elements for visitors to enjoy, including

the Grand Hyatt Hotel, which will be the

home of famed-chef Sean Brock’s latest

restaurant (scheduled to open Fall 2020),

and a world-class entertainment district in

the heart of the project.

29A N N U A L R E P O R T | F Y 1 9 – 2 0

Fifth + BroadwaySpring 2021The multi-use space at the iconic corner

of downtown’s entertainment district at

5th Avenue and Broadway will showcase

new retail, dining and entertainment

options featuring many local tenants

offering everything from hand-crafted

cocktails to tacos and donuts. The National

Museum of African American Music is the

signature tenant.

30A N N U A L R E P O R T | F Y 1 9 – 2 0

Thank You to our MembersThe partnership with our 1,223 members has

helped us to create Nashville as a global

destination. We thank you for your continued

resilience and will never stop fighting for you,

selling our city and supporting your great work.

Together, we will rise again.

Special thanks to our Strategic Partners,

Diamond, Hall of Fame and Corporate

Ambassador Members:

21c Museum Hotel

6th & Peabody

A.Ray Hospitality

ACCESS Destination Management

Adele’s by Jonathan Waxman

Aloft Nashville West End

Anchor Transportation Group

Anderson Benson

B.B. King’s Blues Club & Restaurant

Bobby Hotel

Bridgestone Arena

Bristol Motor Speedway

Broadway Entertainment

Cambria Nashville Downtown

Castlerock Asset Management

Chartwell Hospitality

Cheekwood Estate & Gardens

CMT

Continental Inns of America

Country Music Association

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

Cromwell Group, Inc

CSI Nashville

Cumberland Hospitality Group

Destination Musick City

DoubleTree by Hilton Nashville - Downtown

Dream Nashville

Drury Plaza Hotel Downtown Nashville

Embassy Suites by Hilton Nashville Downtown Convention Center

Event Logistics, Inc.

Evolution Event Solutions

Four Seasons Nashville

Freeman

Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center

Gibson

Glen Campbell Museum & Rhinestone Stage

Goo Goo Cluster

Grand Hyatt Nashville

Grand Ole Opry Entertainment Group

Gray Line Tennessee

Hard Rock Cafe

Hayes Street Hotel

HCA

Headquarters Beercade

Hello! Nashville Destination Management

Heritage Trade Show Services, Inc.

Hilton Garden Inn Nashville Downtown

Hilton Green Hills

Hilton Nashville Downtown

Holiday Inn & Suites Nashville Downtown Convention Center

Holiday Inn Express Nashville Downtown Conference Center

Hutton Hotel

Hyatt House Nashville Downtown/SoBro

Hyatt Place Nashville Downtown

ICON Entertainment

Infinity Hospitality

Ingram Industries, Inc.

Jack Daniel Distillery

Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville

Journal Communications, Inc.

JW Marriott Nashville

Kimpton Aertson Hotel

LaQuinta Inn and Suites Goodlettsville - Nashville

LMG, Inc.

Loews Vanderbilt Hotel

Madame Tussauds Nashville

Maple Ridge Events, A Hosts Global Member

Margaritaville Nashville Hotel

Martin’s BBQ Joint - SoBro

Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority

Millennium Maxwell House Nashville

Moxy Nashville Downtown

MStreet Entertainment Group

Music City Center

Music City Tents & Events

Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum

Nashville Airport Marriott

Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce

Nashville Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

Nashville Black Chamber of Commerce

Nashville Farmers’ Market

Nashville Marriott at Vanderbilt University

Nashville Predators

Nashville Underground

Nashville Zoo

Noelle

North Point Hospitality

Old Town Trolley Tours of Nashville

Omni Nashville Hotel

Opry Mills

Pinnacle Hospitality Partners

PRA Nashville

Quality Event Flooring Systems

Ray Stevens Cabaray Showroom

Redneck Riviera Bar & BBQ

Regions Bank

Renaissance Nashville Hotel

SERVPRO

Sheraton Grand Nashville Downtown

Sheraton Music City Hotel

Signature Transportation Services

Southwest Airlines

Stewart Transportation Solutions

Nashville Yards

Strategic Hospitality

Tennessee Titans

Tequila Cowboy

The Hermitage Hotel

The Inn at Opryland - A Gaylord Hotel

The Joseph, A Luxury Collection Hotel, Nashville

Thistle Farms

Thompson Nashville

TomKats Hospitality

Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge

Virgin Hotel Nashville

VML

Westin Nashville

Wildhorse Saloon

32A N N U A L R E P O R T | F Y 1 9 – 2 0

NCVC Board of Directors FY 19-20

Charles Robert Bone, Legal Counsel Bone McAllester Norton, PLLC

Shannon Bowles Tennessee State Parks

Patrick Chaffin Ryman Hospitality Properties

Maneet Chauhan Morph Hospitality Group

Eddie George Actor/Entrepreneur

Max Goldberg Strategic Hospitality

Ed Hardy Hardy Media & Entertainment

Howard Kittell Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage Chair, Metro Tourism and Convention Commission

Ken Levitan Vector Management

Kimberly Lewis Emerson Grace

Eric Opron Omni Nashville Hotel

Dr. Jonathan Perlin HCA Healthcare

Joelle Phillips AT&T Tennessee

Ellen Pryor Frist Art Museum

Butch Spyridon Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp

Brian Tibbs Moody Nolan

Sarah Trahern Country Music Association

Marcus Whitney Health:Further

Executive CommitteeDr. Robert Fisher, Chair Belmont University

John Esposito, Chair-Elect Warner Music Group

Ronnie Smith, Immediate Past-Chair Regions Bank

Kevin Lavender, Finance & Audit Committee Chair 5/3 Bank

Kevin Green, Sales & Marketing Committee Chair Chartwell Hospitality

34A N N U A L R E P O R T | F Y 1 9 – 2 0

W E ’ R E I N T H I S T O G E T H E R .