Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association MID-SOUTH CHAPTER Headquarters: Nashville, TN Including TN, KY, AL, GA, VA, AR, MS
VHPA 1999 Reunion Schedule 1999 Reunion Sign-Up Recap By Event 1999 Mini-Reunion Schedule
VHPA NASHVILLE REUNION
HEADQUARTERS HOTEL Renaissance Hotel, Nashville ($84/night) 611 Commerce St. Nashville, TN 37203 (615) 255-8400 (615) 255-8163 (FAX) (800) 327-6618 SOLD OUT IN RECORD TIME!!
Official Overflow Hotels
SOLD OUT Crowne Plaza ($79/night) 623 Union St. Nashville, TN 37219 (615) 259-2000 (615) 742-6056 FAX 1-800-447-9825 Within easy 3-block walking distance of HQ Hotel
Marriott Courtyard Downtown ($89/night) 170 4th Ave. No. Nashville, TN 37219 (615) 256-0900 (615) 256-0901 FAX 1-800-321-2211 Within easy 3-block walking distance of HQ Hotel SOLD OUT!!
Marriott Courtyard ($89/night) 1901 West End Ave. Nashville, TN 37203 (615) 256-0900 (615) 256-0901 FAX 1-800-321-2211 Not within easy walking distance of HQ hotel (approx. 15 blocks)
Doubletree Hotel 315 4th Ave. No. Nashville, TN 37219 (615) 747-4855 Within easy 4-block walking distance of HQ Hotel SOLD OUT!!
"Unofficial" Overflow Hotels/Motels
Featured Events
Grand Ol' Opry Show (SOLD OUT!)
Jack Daniels Distillery Tour, Lynchburg, TN (600 tickets max! No minimum age restrictions. Sorry, NOT handicap accessible due to large number of stairs.)
Picnic and Aircraft Static Display, Army Aviation Support Facility, Smyrna, TN, with support from the 160th "Night Stalkers," Fort Campbell, KY, and Tennessee Army National Guard
Reunion Schedule
Thurs, 1 Jul 99: Early Bird Reception
Fri, 2 Jul 99: Mini-Reunions, Golf Tournament, Jack Daniels Tour (600 tickets max! No minimum age restrictions. Sorry, NOT handicap accessible due to large number of stairs.), Music City Welcome Reception, Buffet, Band
Sat, 3 Jul 99: 5K Run, Mini-Reunions, Picnic & Static Display, Grand Ol' Opry (SOLD OUT!)
Sun, 4 Jul 99: Church Service, Business meeting, Ladies Social (a tour of The Hermitage, home of Andrew and Rachel Jackson), Banquet (1500 tickets SOLD OUT in main room. JUST ADDED MID-JUNE: 250 seats in SEPARATE room connected to main room by closed-circuit TV! When these are gone, that's it!), Dance
Mon, 5 Jul 99: Departure Day, On-Your-Own Activities
Mini-Reunions: Local Nashville Coordinator is Rick Haines. Mini-Reunion Schedule Vendors: Contact Dave Rittman
REUNION PLANNING NOTES
The Renaissance Hotel is in the heart of downtown Nashville, within easy walking distance of the Ryman Auditorium (original home of the Grand Ol' Opry), historic Second Avenue with all its attractions (such as the Wild Horse Saloon), Riverfront Park (site of impressive July 4 fireworks), NASCAR Cafe, Hard Rock Cafe, Planet Hollywood, and Nashville Arena (home of Nashville Kats Arena Football). Low-cost trolley service ($8 for 3-day, unlimited use; $5 for seniors) is available to many other sites beyond walking distance, including the Country Music Hall of Fame.
NOTE: Opryland Theme Park is undergoing complete renovation to become a major shopping and entertainment complex called Opry Mills, but will not reopen until 2000. Opryland Hotel was not affected by the park closing. but is not very convenient to the downtown reunion site. It is near the new Grand Ol' Opry House to which we will bus on Saturday night.
FOR THOSE TRAVELING BY CAR: There are major attractions enroute to Nashville, including the Corvette Museum (Bowling Green, KY, visible from I-65), Elvis Presley's Graceland (Memphis, I-40/59), U.S. Space & Rocket Center (Huntsville, AL, I-65), Casey Jones Museum (Jackson, TN, I-40), Dollywood (Pigeon Forge, east of Knoxville, I-40), Tennessee Aquarium (Chattanooga, I-75/24), Fort Campbell (I-24), Fort Knox (I-65), and Redstone Arsenal (Huntsville, AL, I-65).
COUNTRY MUSIC FANS: Numerous bus tour companies provide tours of the stars' homes.
ARRIVING BY RV? Unfortunately, since the reunion is in the downtown area, there are no RV parks very convenient to the HQ hotel. There are some good RV parks near Opryland Hotel on Music Valley Drive (see your RV directories). If possible, you should probably plan to drag a POV to use to commute to/from the Reunion activies. ARRIVING BY AIR? Gray Line is offering a discount to VHPA to/from airport and hotels. Simply go to the Gray Line desk and ask for the "VHPA Rate."
Need a map to or around Nashville? Maps On Us Info on Attractions around Nashville and Middle Tennessee: "In And Around" Downtown Nashville Events, Parking, etc.: "Nashville Downtown"
For more information about joining the new Mid-South Chapter:
r-rainwater@juno.com
Click here for sample press release for your hometown newspaper to help publicize Mid-South Chapter formation.
For more information about VHPA: http://www.vhpa.org
