The first Holiday Inn opened in which Tennessee city?

The first Holiday Inn opened in Memphis, Tennessee. Kemmons Wilson launched the original property in August 1952 as Holiday Inn Hotel Courts on Summer Avenue, a major route through Memphis.

Wilson was inspired to create the motel after a family road trip to Washington, D.C., during which he found roadside lodging inconsistent, uncomfortable, and expensive for families. His solution emphasized predictable standards: clean rooms, air conditioning, televisions, a swimming pool, and an on-site restaurant. Those features helped distinguish Holiday Inn from many roadside competitors.

The name Holiday Inn was suggested jokingly by architect Eddie Bluestein and referred to the 1942 musical film of the same name. Wilson and business partner Wallace E. Johnson then built additional properties around Memphis before developing a much larger standardized chain.

Memphis is the canonical answer, although the original building itself was demolished in 1994. The chain grew rapidly afterward, reaching 50 locations by 1958, 500 by 1964, and 1,000 by 1968.