Pyramid News

[Clobber]

Well said. I agree that the sefl-doubt that cast a shadow over the city for so many years is vanishing at a rapid place. There is so much going on in Memphis and everyone that I know is proud to be a Memphian!

What I meant by Memphis not worrying about what outsiders think can be looked at from a view point of authenticity. Take New Orleans & Vegas for example. People always rant about how much "sin" goes on in the two cities. Call it what you like, but thats what makes New Orleans and Vegas so unique, they don't seem to care what others think, they are true to their identity. Memphis has done a good job, but could do a WHOLE lot better. Just look at Graceland, its the second most visited house in the nation slightly behind the White House in attendance yet no major development has taken place in the Whitehaven area. One would think the area would be one of the most developed tourism areas in the country but sadly its not.

People are always going to stereotype places because thats what people do. I had family from Chicago come down for the first time a while ago. They asked me how come everyone didn't have jerri curls and gold teeth? So if people associate BPS with "bubba," let em think what they wanna think as long as when they come to Memphis they leave tourism dollars behind.

Yeah, but some might argue that Vegas' new projects are turning away from the sin. Wynn, Caesar's, Trump, Ivana's gig. You don't see Sapphire or Score's at Wynn. That means to me one of two things 1) these projects aren't "Vegas" in that they don't unabashedly promote the sinning; or 2) what makes Vegas Vegas isn't the sin, but the ambition. They're not turning their back on the sin, but they're kind of letting the sin alone, and promoting other things that reflect Vegas and can change the impression that Vegas has on, say, families and conventioneers.

I think the bottom line for me is, is BPS what the Pyramid needs? Does it help it meet its potential? To me, BPS is like calling our NFL team the Hound Dogs. When we want to show Memphis, we still should want to show our best side. We do a good job showing and actually highlighting our warts, so others can learn from our history. That's a noble cause that very few cities have the courage to go through -- most cities destroy their history. But we have the Civil Rights Museum, and the world is a better place because of Memphis' honesty in coming to grips with its past. We still have Graceland. We tore down Stax; we can't turn back the clock, but we can rebuild and recognize our mistake.

At the same time, though, you gotta try to do the best job you can. With the CRM, Graceland, Stax, the products have become pretty remarkable. However you want to cater to any demographic, regardless of the demographic, you have to leave the impression on the other demographics that, 1) this is a noteworthy development; 2) Memphis did the best that could possibly have been done with it; 3) and it's a development that appeals beyond its intended demographic and attracts. I still cling to the notion that the final product needs to stir the imagination of the traveller from Cairo, the family from Taipei, the businessman from Moscow.

[TennBear]

I still cling to the notion that the final product needs to stir the imagination of the traveller from Cairo, the family from Taipei, the businessman from Moscow.

I know that Cairo is in Illinois and Moscow is just East of here in Tennessee, but where is Taipei? LOL I think that everyone here feels that the Pyramid is one of the most recognizable buildings in Memphis and that it should be utilized in the best manner. That was why I said when I started this Post that I wasn't certain how people would view this information. I know that it is good that it will take care of the debt associated with the building, but I too think that something that is one of the most recognizable features in a city should show something unique or special about that city. I just don't know that a retail store short of a Marshall Field's or Harrod's could do that. I hope that it would be a multi-use facility of some sort. I did like the idea of an aquarium. Not certain that it would have been the best thing, but I saw it as civic minded. I would hope that whatever is done would be civic minded and not just taking an opportunity to dump city debt.

[Clobber]

Just curious... why isn't there any talk about bringing the Blues Hall of Fame to the Pyramid? On the surface, it seems like a Win-Win.

The Blues Foundation is exploring developing a hall of fame in Memphis, but the issue w/ the Pyramid is the amount of debt remaining on the Pyramid, and the size of a Blues HOF. While this is a good idea, I don't think the Blues Foundation right now has the resources to develop the Pyramid. It's not like Usher and Beyonce are major contributors there, at least I don't think . . . The government doesn't want to give MORE money to developers because of the existing debt, at least not without some substantial guarantee of a return.

It does seem like a win-win, especially if you add ancillary retail into the mix as well, which has been the recommendation of consultants (combine retail and entertainment/cultural, although maybe the reuse committee didn't receive the entire fax, and read up to "retail" and stopped there). The reuse committee seems so preoccupied with relieving taxpayer debt, which is an impressive contrast to other fiscally irresponsible government entities, but they seem so preoccupied with that that they are turning a blind eye to the notion that relief of taxpayer debt is possible with some of the other projects that add entertainment/culture to the retail mix (such as AquariuMemphis, which was proposed by a local prominent architect). Sounds like they're saying "f culture, culture doesn't pay the bills," when I don't think it has to be an either-or. Let retail pay the bills. Let culture help bring the patrons to the retail and the other things that are going on.

[Clobber]

I know that Cairo is in Illinois and Moscow is just East of here in Tennessee, but where is Taipei? LOL I think that everyone here feels that the Pyramid is one of the most recognizable buildings in Memphis and that it should be utilized in the best manner. That was why I said when I started this Post that I wasn't certain how people would view this information. I know that it is good that it will take care of the debt associated with the building, but I too think that something that is one of the most recognizable features in a city should show something unique or special about that city. I just don't know that a retail store short of a Marshall Field's or Harrod's could do that. I hope that it would be a multi-use facility of some sort. I did like the idea of an aquarium. Not certain that it would have been the best thing, but I saw it as civic minded. I would hope that whatever is done would be civic minded and not just taking an opportunity to dump city debt.

That's funny. I thought've adding Paris, and I didn't even consider those connections. "Moss-kow" is Russia. "Moss-co" is Tennessee. I think. I remember there's a city in Tennessee that's pronounced differently from the namesake.

[fieldmarshaldj]

That's funny. I thought've adding Paris, and I didn't even consider those connections. "Moss-kow" is Russia. "Moss-co" is Tennessee. I think. I remember there's a city in Tennessee that's pronounced differently from the namesake.

How about the butchery of the local pronounciation of "Maury" County ?

[Rural King]

Bogota in Dyer County is not pronounced like Bogota, Columbia, nor is Lafayette in Macon County pronounced like it is in other regions, Indiana for example.

Bogota in Tennessee = ba-go-ta / Columbia = bow-ga-ta

Lafayette in Tennessee = la-fae-it or lay-fae-it / Other areas Laf-ey-et

I think phonically thats how the sounds would break down.

[mandrws1]

Local developer Greg Ericson was on the news today saying that he still wants to put an indoor theme park in the area that currently houses the arena's seats and concession areas. This would be a nice addition that would really make the Pramid a major tourist destination! An indoor amusement park on the arena level, Bass Pro Shop on the base, and an inclinator to the top would be huge!

Moderator: I deleted the duplicate remark from this thread.

[Hankster]

Local developer Greg Ericson was on the news today saying that he still wants to put an indoor theme park in the area that currently houses the arena's seats and concession areas. This would be a nice addition that would really make the Pramid a major tourist destination! An indoor amusement park on the arena level, Bass Pro Shop on the base, and an inclinator to the top would be huge!

Local developer Greg Ericson was on the news today saying that he still wants to put an indoor theme park in the area that currently houses the arena's seats and concession areas. This would be a nice addition that would really make the Pramid a major tourist destination! An indoor amusement park on the arena level, Bass Pro Shop on the base, and an inclinator to the top would be huge!

I'm with you there. If they could do all that, it would be awesome...a tremendous asset to both Memphis and Tennessee and a great tourist attraction.