Downtown Memphis · Visitor & Attendee Guide

Renasant Convention Center: Visitor & Attendee Guide

Heading downtown for a conference, trade show, or gala? This guide to the Renasant Convention Center covers the recently renovated venue, the kinds of events it hosts, how to get around, and — most useful of all — where to stay. For attendees and exhibitors who would rather walk to the show floor than wait on a shuttle, The Exchange Building sits just a few blocks south in the heart of downtown, on Court Square Park.

A local visitor guide from The Exchange Building · 9 N 2nd Street, Memphis, TN 38103

About the Renasant Convention Center

The Renasant Convention Center is downtown Memphis's flagship meeting and event venue, anchoring the north end of Main Street. Formerly the Memphis Cook Convention Center, it reopened after a top-to-bottom renovation that modernized the building from the lobby up: refreshed exhibit halls, a grand ballroom, a long list of breakout and meeting rooms, and contemporary finishes throughout. The result is a venue that feels current while keeping the easy, all-on-one-level flow that planners and attendees appreciate.

Just as important as the rooms is the setting. The center sits inside walkable downtown Memphis rather than off a suburban interstate, so the city itself becomes part of the program — the riverfront, Main Street's trolley, restaurants, and live music are all a short stroll from the doors. Sharing the campus is the Cannon Center for the Performing Arts, a concert hall that hosts the symphony, touring shows, and larger general sessions. For first-time visitors, the official Memphis Tourism site is a good companion for orienting yourself before you arrive.

The kinds of events and conventions it hosts

The Renasant Convention Center is built to flex. On any given month its calendar can swing from a 1,000-booth trade show to an intimate professional seminar, and the column-light exhibit space makes that range possible. Typical programming includes:

• Conventions & trade shows — regional and national association meetings, industry expos, and exhibitor halls.
• Corporate meetings & conferences — multi-day sessions, training, and breakout-heavy agendas.
• Consumer & public expos — home, bridal, holiday markets, and ticketed weekend shows.
• Galas, banquets & weddings — ballroom receptions, awards dinners, and fundraisers.
• Graduations & ceremonies — large-capacity commencements and community events.
• Performances — concerts and touring productions at the adjacent Cannon Center for the Performing Arts.

Whatever brings you downtown, the lodging question is the same: where do you sleep so the convention is easy? That is where understanding the difference between downtown hotels vs. apartments pays off — especially if your stay runs longer than a night or two.

Where to stay: hotels vs. furnished apartments and extended stays

For a quick overnight, a downtown hotel near the convention center is the obvious move, and there are several within easy walking distance. But the moment your trip stretches past two or three nights — a full convention week, a setup-and-strike for exhibitors, or back-to-back shows — the math changes. Hotels charge premium nightly rates during big events, the rooms are small, and you are eating every meal out.

A furnished apartment or extended stay solves all three. You get a real kitchen for early-morning coffee before the keynote, in-unit laundry for a multi-day trip, a separate living area to take calls or host a small team, and a per-night cost that drops the longer you stay. For the trade-offs in detail, compare downtown Memphis extended stays and corporate housing, or browse furnished apartments downtown.

This is exactly the slot The Exchange Building fills. It is a residential address in the core of downtown — which means more space and a kitchen than a hotel room, with the same walk-everywhere location. You lease direct from the on-site team, so there are no broker fees and no third-party markup, and the inquiry-to-keys process is built to move quickly when your dates are fixed.

Walking distance from The Exchange

One of the best reasons to base yourself at The Exchange for a convention is simple geography. The building stands at 9 North Second Street on Court Square Park, in the central business district. The convention center sits a few blocks north on Main. Door to door it is roughly a half-mile, about a ten-minute flat walk straight up Main Street — no highway, no parking shuffle, no shuttle schedule to memorize.

Prefer to ride? The vintage Main Street trolley runs the spine of downtown and connects Court Square to the north end near the convention center, so you can hop on at the corner and step off close to the doors. That walkability is the whole point of staying in the heart of downtown: you can attend the show, slip back to the apartment between sessions, and still be steps from Court Square Park, the riverfront, and Beale Street when the day's agenda wraps.

Getting around downtown

Downtown Memphis is compact and built for foot traffic, which makes convention week refreshingly low-stress. Once you are based downtown, most of what you need is within a few blocks. Your options:

• On foot — the convention center, Court Square, Main Street, and the riverfront are all walkable from one another.
• The trolley — the Main Street line runs the length of downtown; MATA operates the trolley and bus network.
• Rideshare & taxis — quick for the airport run or a late night out.
• Driving & parking — garages and surface lots serve the convention center; if you stay at an apartment downtown you may not need the car at all.

For the full rundown — trolley hours, parking strategy, and the trip in from Memphis International — see our guide to getting around downtown Memphis.

Dining nearby

An underrated perk of a downtown convention is that you are never far from a great meal. Within a short walk of the convention center and Court Square you will find barbecue institutions, chef-driven Southern kitchens, coffee shops for an early start, and late-night spots for after the closing reception. The Pinch District just north and the Main Street corridor between the venue and Court Square give you plenty of choices without a car.

For booth crews and longer stays, having a kitchen back at the apartment is the quiet luxury — you can stock breakfast and snacks and save the restaurant budget for the meals that matter. When you want to plan a standout dinner, start with our roundup of the best restaurants in downtown Memphis, then wander Beale Street for live music to close the night.

Tips for exhibitors and longer stays

If you are working the show rather than just attending it, a few things make convention week smoother in Memphis:

1. Match your lodging to your length of stay. One night, book a hotel; three nights or more, price out a furnished apartment or extended stay — the kitchen and laundry usually win.
2. Book early for big weeks. When a major convention is in town, downtown rooms fill and rates climb. Securing an apartment ahead of time locks in space and price.
3. Stay walkable. Load-in and long days are easier when you can drop your badge and be home in ten minutes on foot.
4. Bring the team together. A multi-room apartment lets booth staff share a base, prep together in the morning, and debrief at night.
5. Plan downtime. Court Square, the riverfront, and Beale are all within a short walk for the off-hours.

This is the case for The Exchange in a sentence: a 1910 Beaux-Arts landmark in the heart of downtown, with the space and kitchen of a real residence, leased direct on Court Square — a smart home base whether you are in town for one convention or settling in for an extended run. Need turnkey monthly terms for a crew? Our corporate housing guide walks through the options.