ABOUT THE LOCATION: Murfreesboro, Tennessee was once the state capital, and sits just a few miles from the geographic center of the state. It is located approximately 35 miles Southeast of Nashville. It sits off exits 78 and 81 of Interstate 24. Middle Tennessee State University has just over 17,000 students, the largest four year university in the Tennessee Board of Regents system. The Department of Recording Industry, your hosts, have over 1500 declared majors in two concentrations "Music Business," and "Production and Technology." The city is the county seat of Rutherford County, and offers varied dining opportunites as well as a range of clubs and microbreweries for evening entertainment.

HOTEL INFO: Make your hotel reservation NOW!! The hotel is going to release our block of rooms on August thirtieth! The host hotel will be: The Garden Plaza Hotel at 1850 Old Fort Parkway Murfreesboro,TN 37129 (615) 895-5555 FAX:(615) ext. 165. Reservations must be made by 8/30/99 to receive the conference's block rate. IMPORTANT: The group name is: MTSU - IASPM-US

Room rates will be: KING one person $50, two persons $70
DOUBLE: one or two persons $70
SUITE: one or two persons $129
(This is the University's corporate rate, so you may not find any better. Also, reserve early because the block is limited and it will be Homecoming Weekend)

The hotel has an indoor pool and spa. There is Shoeless Joe's, a restauarant/sports bar just off the lobby. There is an Int'l House Of Pancakes (24hr) nearby (walking distance in nice weather) as well as many fast and not-so-fast food options a short drive away (see below).

Alternative lodging nearby (you'll want to have a car):
Hampton Inn (615) 896-1172
Holiday Inn (615) 896-2420
There are numerous motel properties by Exit 78B of I-24
(check AAA or other guidebooks)

We will try to provide bus transport to event(s) in Nashville for those
who do not rent cars. Arrangements have not been made for this yet. There will be a shuttle bus from the hotel to the campus conference site Friday
and Saturday mornings, with return trips shortly after the end of the conference day.
AIRPORT TRANSFERS: Best options are sharing a cab or contacting Jarmon Limo and Transportation Service to the left of the exit doors on the airport's ground level. (615) 275-0146. Their basic rate to M'boro is $40, round trip is $75. We will try to arrange a volume discount for IASPM attendees. If several of you arrive at their counter about the same time, the cab option might not be a bad idea.

PROGRAM NOTES: There will be an 8PM Thursday evening keynote presentation (it will be more than a speech) by Koch recording artist Amy Rigby (Diary Of A Mod Housewife, Middlessence) which will evolve into a reception with cash bar and live music. A local R&B and Blues band, the Yoknapatawpha County Glee Club will play. IASPM-US members are invited to bring their instruments to "sit-in" with the band. Before conference sessions begin Friday morning, tours of the Center for Popular Music and the Dept. of Recording Industry Studios will be available.

There will be full days of conference programming on Friday and Saturday in the Bragg Mass Communication building on the MTSU campus and a nearby lecture hall for plenaries. If the number and quality of paper submissions warrants, a Sunday morning session or two may be added at the Garden Plaza Hotel.

Friday night the First Amendment Center at Vanderbilt University has agreed to put on a program. We anticipate a panel discussion on "Music Censorship." Though no firm participant names are available at this time, invitations have been or will be extended to: Amy Ray, Dave Marsh, Jello Biafra, Nina Crowley, C. Delores Tucker, and others. Bus budget allowing, particpants may get a few free hours in Nashville after the program, before the return to M'boro. No events will be planned for Saturday night to allow for freelance exploration of Murfreesboro and Nashville. Copies of the Nashville Scene (the local free weekly) will be readily available at the conference site.

SNACKS: There is a food cart with breakfast biscuits, coffee, juices, soft drinks, cookies, sandwiches, etc. that operates weekdays in the Mass Comm building. We will probably get them to open for a short time Saturday morning as well.

FRIDAY LUNCH- We have arranged for a sumptuous buffet lunch with salad, several vegetables, two entree choices, bread, desserts and beverages for $10. This gathering may also include some low-key musical entertainment as well. You can pay for this when you register for the conference (preferable for the planners) or purchase a meal ticket on site.

SATURDAY LUNCH- This will be Homecoming Day at MTSU, so campus may be busy. So, in addition to the regular campus food service offerings we will have a barbecue buffet (smoked pork shoulder, smoked chicken wings, "fixins'," side dishes, and a beverage, available at the Mass Comm Building for $6. You can pay for this when you register for the conference (preferable for the planners) or purchase a meal ticket on site.

OTHER CAMPUS MEALS: Campus offerings include Starbucks, Burger King, DC Subs, Pizza Hut and the usual grill-deli-salad-entree offerings one can expect from campus food services. Directions will be available on site.

MEALS NEAR THE HOTEL: Shoeless Joe's Restaurant/Sports bar is right in the hotel lobby. Nearby are Outback Steakhouse, Don Pablo's (Mexican), Applebee's, Luby's Cafeteria, IHOP (24 hrs.), and Red Lobster. Fast food nearby includes KFC, BK, McD's, Dairy Queen, Baskin-Robbins, Backyard Burgers, Subway, Steak and Shake and even a Waffle House. There are other good offerings in Murfeesboro, but not as convenient to the hotel. Consult the visitor publications or ask the locals.