Around the globe, the Chattanooga Choo Choo popularized in song more than 75 years ago remains one of Chattanooga's best known brands. The railroad complex from which the song derived its name has evolved from a passenger station to a hotel and convention center to today's mix of entertainment, retail, lodging and housing.
* Location: 1400 Market Street
* Owner: Choo Choo Partners LP
* History: The railroad terminal for Chattanooga was erected in 1906 and, after passenger train service ended to Chattanooga in 1970, was to be demolished. A group of investors organized by B. Allen Casey agreed to buy and renovate the railroad terminal in 1972 and convert it into a hotel, restaurant and convention complex with 363 hotel rooms on 26 acres. After building the Choo Choo into one of Tennessee's biggest tourist attractions, the complex developed financial problems from high-interest debt and filed for bankruptcy in the late 1980s. Former Mayor Jon Kinsey led a group in 1989 to acquire and upgrade the complex. Kinsey's group has recently revamped much of the hotel and conference center into an entertainment complex of restaurants, music venues and bars.
* Distinction: The Chattanooga Choo Choo Historic Hotel was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974 and is considered one of the city's first historic preservation projects. The 82-foot-high Beaux-Arts-style station was designed by Donn Barber with what was then the largest self-supporting brick arch in the world. In 2018, the historic dome was donated to Cornerstones, Inc., putting it into public hands for the first time ever and ensuring that the structure will preserved and never torn down.
* The song: Introduced in 1941 by the Glenn Miller Orchestra, the song was featured in the movie "Sun Valley Serenade" and performed by Tex Beneke and the Modernaires. Harry Warren wrote the original music score, while Mack Gordon takes credit for the rhythmic words. The Chattanooga Choo Choo song traveled fast throughout the circles of Europe during World War II, and, by early 1942, more than 1.2 million copies of the song had been sold. The record label, RCA Victor, celebrated by presenting Glenn Miller with a trophy during a live radio broadcast, making the song the first solid-gold hit in history.
* Hotel: - The MacArthur and Pullman rail cars are available, offering a total of 130 rooms
* Restaurants:
* Stir - Restaurant and bar featuring craft cocktails with artisan ice and craft cocktails
* The Comedy Catch - Nightclub for comic performances
* Frothy Monkey - Restaurant and coffee bar offering breakfast and brunch until 5 p.m. everyday
* Station Street - Entertainment is always rolling with variety of bars and restaurants on Tennessee's 3rd open container street.
* American Draft – Chattanooga's only pour your own beer bar, in a train car!
* Gate 11 Distillery – Vodka, gin, rum and whiskies made on site and aged in an old train box car
* Attractions:
-Songbirds - Guitar museum and collection with two stages for live music
-Glenn Miller Gardens - Gardens with flora and ice skating during the winter
-Escape Experience - Game that traps you inside an armored transport rail car on a runaway train bound for destruction unless you make it to the back of the train and jump
-Sweetly Southern - Eclectic selection of gifts, clothing, home accessories, and more
-Chattanooga Jewelry - Jewelry store in the Terminal Station opened as second store for Signal Mountain retailer
-Echelon - With over 3,000 sq ft, this group fitness center is the largest in the area. Each studio offers classes that will be streamed live throughout the world on the Echelon App.
*Apartments: Passenger Flats, 208 units, opened in 2015, and Bluebird Row with 283 apartment units opened at the end of 2018. Combined, the apartments can house nearly 700 people.