DEBS 2009 will be held in Nashville, Tennessee during the first week of July. Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and is located on the Cumberland River in the north-central part of the state. Nashville is a major hub for the health care, music, publishing, and transportation industries.

Nashville is home to seventeen post-secondary educational institutions, including Vanderbilt University, founded in 1873, which is Nashville's largest university, enrolling over 11,000 students and containing the Institute for Software Integrated Systems (ISIS) , which is one of the largest R&D organizations in the USA focusing on model-driven technologies. Nearby, a full-scale replica of the Athenian Parthenon has stood in since 1897 and is in much better condition than the original ;-). Examples of classical and neoclassical architecture can be found throughout the city.

There are many activities for visitors available in Nashville, as described at www.onlinenashvilleguide.com. Many popular tourist sites in Nashville involve live and recorded music, including the Country Music Hall of Fame and Ryman Auditorium , which was for many years the site of the famous "Grand Ole Opry" that's now located near the airport. Downtown Nashville is home to a large number of music clubs and honky tonks, including the infamous Tootsie's Orchid Lounge, which hosted many big names from the country music scene whilst remaining small, intimate, and unchanged since it started in the sixties. The Wildhorse Saloon is another great spot if you enjoy country dancing.

Additional sites of interest include Cheekwood , home of the Maxwell House coffee fortune or the Hermitage, home of Andrew Jackson, 7th president of the USA. If you are interested in a unique Nashville experience, make a reservation at the Bluebird Café for an evening of authentic songwriting and performing like you've never experienced before (ssshh – No talking!!). For a truly renaissance experience, consider an afternoon tea at the Hermitage Hotel .

The average temperature in early July is the mid-80's Fahrenheit, which is around 29 Celsius. The airport is close by (i.e., 15-20 minutes) to the city and to Vanderbilt University, so getting to the conference facilities will be straightforward.

Sites to See (walking distance)
Parthenon in Centennial Park
Vanderbilt University

Sites to See (driving distance)
Opryland Hotel (a MUST see!!)
The Ryman Auditorium (downtown)
Country Music Hall of Fame (downtown)
Wildhorse Saloon (downtown)
Riverfront Park (downtown)

Grand Ole Opry (next to Opryland Hotel; 15-20 min drive)
The Hermitage Hotel (30-40 min drive)
Cheekwood (located in the heart of Belle Meade; 15-20 min drive)
Home of President Andrew Jackson (30-40 min drive)
Nashville Symphony (if you have time to catch a performance; downtown)

Restaurants (walking distance from Conference Hotel)
The Acorn
J. Alexander's
P. F. Chang's
Amerigo
Blackstone Brewery
Maggiano's Little Italy (family style dinning)

Restaurants (driving distance from Conference Hotel)
2nd Ave Downtown (many GOOD restaurants and entertainment)
Hard Rock Café (downtown)
Bosco's Brewery (21st Ave)
Jackson's (21st Ave)
Boundry (20th Ave)
The Cheesecake Factory (Green Hills Mall off of 21st Ave)
The Pancake Pantry (21st Ave; breakfast only; Nashville tradition)

More Expensive Restaurants
Ruth's Chris Steak House
Stony River
The Palm
Zola's