Business View Magazine May 2023

145 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 10, ISSUE 5 RENASANT CONVENT ION CENTER With all these positive modern features and changes to Renasant, the convention center was certified as a Global Biorisk Advisory Council STAR Facility. This certification is considered the gold standard of a high-performance cleaning and maintenance regimen for institutional and commercial facilities that includes a hygienic indoor environment, a properly disinfected indoor environment, and a staff of professionals trained to uphold the highest standards of cleaning and building maintenance. A full schedule of events awaits Renasant Convention Center works directly with MMG which serves as the city’s convention and visitor’s bureau in charge of marketing tourism to the region. Since its opening, the convention center has significantly increased its social media imprint and has ramped up sales efforts to combine with the resources offered by the Memphis Travel team. Given the attractiveness and pull of the renovated facility, it should come as no surprise that its upcoming calendar is quite full of events. According to Dennis, Renasant submitted its largest budget ever for 2024 in anticipation of this high demand, further highlighted by a return to normalcy after three years of the pandemic hurting the hospitality sector. Business in 2023 is up 80 percent compared to the last year the convention center was open before the modernization began and the center was completely closed. Dennis expects another 50 percent increase in business in 2024. One of the biggest sectors that Renasant draws is religious gatherings and events, Dennis says. Churches and congregations from all types of religious denominations will travel from around the state of Tennessee and throughout the country to host events in Memphis. One of the largest in the Church of God In Christ, which is headquartered in Memphis and has congregations in more than 60 countries. It brings in more than 10,000 people for its annual event hosted by Renasant.