The Memphis Cook Convention Center: A Brief History

• 1924 – Ellis Auditorium opens, making Memphis one of the first cities to offer comprehensive meeting and convention facilities. (The auditorium offered 30,000 square feet of display space and seated 12,000.  The electrically-powered, movable stage was truly ahead of its time.)

• 1974 – The Memphis Cook Convention Center is built as an attachment to the auditorium and music hall.


• 1995 – Shelby County Mayor Rout, City of Memphis Mayor Herenton, the Memphis Cook Convention Center Board, SMG and the Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau begin plans for a major facility expansion.


• 2003 – The Memphis Cook Convention Center reopens, with its impressive additions and improvements


• - Today: The facility competes for nearly 90 percent of the conventions and meetings scheduled across the country.