Tennessee tourism officials tout 2016 events and attractions

Friday, January 8, 2016, Vol. 40, No. 2

NASHVILLE (AP) — The Tennessee Department of Tourist Development is highlighting several destinations in the upcoming year.

The top events and attractions include:

— The Jack Daniel Distillery in Lynchburg kicking off its 150th anniversary celebration at the start of the new year.

— Dollywood opening the world's fastest wooden roller coaster, the Lightning Rod, in March.

— The fall opening of the Guest House at Graceland, a 450-room resort near Elvis' home in Memphis.

— The 100th birthday celebration in August of the National Park Service at 14 Tennessee locations, including at the Great Smoky Mountains, the country's most-visited national park.

— The conversion of the Bristol Motor Speedway into a football stadium for the September matchup between Virginia Tech and the University of Tennessee.