Memphis Riverfront and Mud Island

[MDC26]

2 hours ago, Memphisborn said:

Interesting idea, however one of the draws to the island is the beautiful background of the amp. Memphis is a music city with soul so having a amp on the River is amazing. Scale back maybe if your doing that to have lawn seating I can see.  Also we see now with the TLP redo the amp may be a go to venue ( once updated) for BSMF. So removing it completely is not a option IMO, however scaling the fixed seating to about 3,000 and having lawn seating with about 3-4000 seating capacity may be a option. I think the solar canopy ie Miami would be a great addition and add amazing lighting on the venue @ night and protection from rain. 

Yeah, I’ve been thinking that the amphitheater is going to have to come into play for BSMF. There’s just going to be no way to have the same kind of capacity after the park renovation. Would really need a pedestrian bridge on the South end of Mud Island to make it more accessible too. 

[Memphisborn]

4 hours ago, MDC26 said:

Yeah, I’ve been thinking that the amphitheater is going to have to come into play for BSMF. There’s just going to be no way to have the same kind of capacity after the park renovation. Would really need a pedestrian bridge on the South end of Mud Island to make it more accessible too. 

That pedestrian bridge is the missing link. Monorail improvements are also necessary. With the bridge/ Monorails u can move a large number of people to the island. 

[The Guardian of Memphis]

17 hours ago, Memphisborn said:

Interesting idea, however one of the draws to the island is the beautiful background of the amp. Memphis is a music city with soul so having a amp on the River is amazing. Scale back maybe if your doing that to have lawn seating I can see.  Also we see now with the TLP redo the amp may be a go to venue ( once updated) for BSMF. So removing it completely is not a option IMO, however scaling the fixed seating to about 3,000 and having lawn seating with about 3-4000 seating capacity may be a option. I think the solar canopy ie Miami would be a great addition and add amazing lighting on the venue @ night and protection from rain. 

A covered theater is a great idea, and if the BSMF is going to move then the amp is the only place to go. I always remember the weather being rainy and muddy at TLP in early May, so maybe taking out all the concrete seating isn't a great idea if it isn't covered. So if the amp needs upgrading, can this be done? Isn't Mud Island on the Historic Register? If it is, then the concrete will have to stay - can't alter it too much. 

The background of the skyline and river are definitely magnets which can draw people to the facility. If there was an aquarium nearby, it could be used for educational purposes and field trips. A large projector screen could be installed for multimedia presentations.

[MDC26]

23 minutes ago, The Guardian of Memphis said:

A covered theater is a great idea, and if the BSMF is going to move then the amp is the only place to go. I always remember the weather being rainy and muddy at TLP in early May, so maybe taking out all the concrete seating isn't a great idea if it isn't covered. So if the amp needs upgrading, can this be done? Isn't Mud Island on the Historic Register? If it is, then the concrete will have to stay - can't alter it too much. 

The background of the skyline and river are definitely magnets which can draw people to the facility. If there was an aquarium nearby, it could be used for educational purposes and field trips. A large projector screen could be installed for multimedia presentations.

Mud Island isn’t on the register of Historic places. Even if it was, it wouldn’t matter. It just gives tax credits to preserve it, but since the city owns it, I’m not aware of any possible benefits, unless it changed hands to a private entity. 

[Memphisborn]

5 hours ago, MDC26 said:

Mud Island isn’t on the register of Historic places. Even if it was, it wouldn’t matter. It just gives tax credits to preserve it, but since the city owns it, I’m not aware of any possible benefits, unless it changed hands to a private entity. 

Just now, Memphisborn said:

5 hours ago, MDC26 said:

Mud Island isn’t on the register of Historic places. Even if it was, it wouldn’t matter. It just gives tax credits to preserve it, but since the city owns it, I’m not aware of any possible benefits, unless it changed hands to a private entity. 

Expand  

Correct it’s not historic. Hopefully more funding sources will come via state/ federal by year end and work can start 2023 and by 2024 MI can host BSMF 

[Wayward Memphian]

I haven't forgotten about this and I'll be getting back with it in detail. But...some quick hits

 

Yes, it should absolutely be used for the MIM BSMF.

The Horde Tour back in the 90's didn't even use the Amp but the lawn area south of the Gulf. This could improved and enlarged with retaining walls.

 

The "architecturally significant" covering isn't just for the rain but the sun as well. That comes into play for music fests

 

Yes, their needs to be a southern pedestrian bridge but with a caveat, it can handle vehicle traffic for special events only. This would tie into increasing visitation and making access to cruise passengers easy.

 

The  issue is and will be the non compete with the Grizz on scaling up the Amp. We see their opposition to the MSC and Graceland Live. Thise are venues that would host shows that would never need 20k seats but the Grizz will scream half house set ups would be the option.

 

Memphis ceded nearly 90% of the music touring acts ever summer with that clause as almost everything is geared to outdoor Amp venues. Southaven gains instead. That costs Memphis a ton of hotel rooms a year.

Edited September 6, 2022 by Wayward Memphian

[Wayward Memphian]

On 9/2/2022 at 6:54 PM, Memphisborn said:

Interesting idea, however one of the draws to the island is the beautiful background of the amp. Memphis is a music city with soul so having a amp on the River is amazing. Scale back maybe if your doing that to have lawn seating I can see.  Also we see now with the TLP redo the amp may be a go to venue ( once updated) for BSMF. So removing it completely is not a option IMO, however scaling the fixed seating to about 3,000 and having lawn seating with about 3-4000 seating capacity may be a option. I think the solar canopy ie Miami would be a great addition and add amazing lighting on the venue @ night and protection from rain. 

Also, the setting at Mud Island is great compared to that cookie cutter amp in Southaven or the Walmart Amp up here in NWA. It is a unique and beautiful setting. I have been to over a 100 concerts in my time and that Skyline is a great backdrop. I watched the Allman Bros Band back in the 90s and earlier storms had past to the east but it even added an amazing electrical storm display behing the Skyline. That pedestrian bridge would make it even better to pre party on Beale.

 

If my dream came true and it gained Tivoli type rides on the north end. I would push for moving the marina to the Bass Pro Side and filling that area in a bit it would also make an excellent place for in water supports for a  steel coaster.

This in answer to a previous post. MI has many elements similar to Tivoli in place.  It has the Riverwalk and fukf that could be more of a botanical feature. Has the room for a couple of eateries. Has a museum. The Cannon Center is the Performing Arts Center that Tivoli has, just slightly off property. Tivoli has an aquarium, Mud Island needs this and the rides and "gardener up" the  rest is there in place, it just needs polishing. 

Here is Dollywood's Christmas Tree show that would be the showpiece of a European style Christmas Market from Thanksgiving to to New Years. Imagine this in the middle of the Gulf and done to Memphis music artists.

https://youtu.be/5030BT6rCro

 

Also this an old Pippin designed coaster from Jacksonville. That first drop was quite something for the time. It is very compact. The past shows you the possibilities. 

[MDC26]

1 hour ago, Wayward Memphian said:

I haven't forgotten about this and I'll be getting back with it in detail. But...some quick hits

 

Yes, it should absolutely be used for the MIM BSMF.

The Horde Tour back in the 90's didn't even use the Amp but the lawn area south of the Gulf. This could improved and enlarged with retaining walls.

 

The "architecturally significant" covering isn't just for the rain but the sun as well. That comes into play for music fests

 

Yes, their needs to be a southern pedestrian bridge but with a caveat, it can handle vehicle traffic for special events only. This would tie into increasing visitation and making access to cruise passengers easy.

 

The  issue is and will be the non compete with the Grizz on scaling up the Amp. We see their opposition to the MSC and Graceland Live. Thise are venues that would host shows that would never need 20k seats but the Grizz will scream half house set ups would be the option.

 

Memphis ceded nearly 90% of the music touring acts ever summer with that clause as almost everything is geared to outdoor Amp venues. Southaven gains instead. That costs Memphis a ton of hotel rooms a year.

That would have been a good show - Blues Traveler, Rusted Root, Lenny Kravitz, Dave Matthews Band and G-Love and the Special Sauce.  I didn't make that, but I did go to the MTV Sports & Music Festival at Tom Lee a couple years later that had Rusted Root, DMX, and Three-6.  

So the vehicle traffic on the pedestrian bridge, are you talking about automobiles, or golf carts and side-by-sides?

As long as no seats are added to the Amp, the non-compete with the FedEx Forum shouldn't come into effect.  

[Wayward Memphian]

1 hour ago, MDC26 said:

That would have been a good show - Blues Traveler, Rusted Root, Lenny Kravitz, Dave Matthews Band and G-Love and the Special Sauce.  I didn't make that, but I did go to the MTV Sports & Music Festival at Tom Lee a couple years later that had Rusted Root, DMX, and Three-6.  

So the vehicle traffic on the pedestrian bridge, are you talking about automobiles, or golf carts and side-by-sides?

As long as no seats are added to the Amp, the non-compete with the FedEx Forum shouldn't come into effect.  

It was. 

One of the major improvements needed for the AMP is back of house stuff so I have read over the years. New dressing rooms, catering facilities, Tour bus parking, ect, ect, ect.  

 

Correct me if I'm wrong but the no compete clause kicks in at 5k.  Graceland Live was to be 6,700 and you saw the stink they threw. Mud Island is at 5k presently. How do you improve economies of scale without increasing capacity. New AMPs like the one in NWA are 7,500 at least. I hear many shows get underwritten by Walmart as well just for the quality of life aspects of it.

 

In an ideal world the Music Fest would be two weekends like NOJ&HF, anchored by the Amp  at Mud Island and a Soccer Stadium venue for the headliners at the other end of Beale(CA prop).

[The Guardian of Memphis]

According to MRPP, TLP should be able to accommodate BSMF. If it doesn't, then if a move to the amp is going to happen, the modernization is going to have to happen pretty fast. How many people attended BSMF in the past? I think the count was over 100k for both events. Can MI handle all this traffic? I'm all for the pedestrian bridge.

While I wouldn't mind a change of scenery to MIM, I'd like to see how it does at TLP next year.

 

[Memphisborn]

16 minutes ago, The Guardian of Memphis said:

According to MRPP, TLP should be able to accommodate BSMF. If it doesn't, then if a move to the amp is going to happen, the modernization is going to have to happen pretty fast. How many people attended BSMF in the past? I think the count was over 100k for both events. Can MI handle all this traffic? I'm all for the pedestrian bridge.

While I wouldn't mind a change of scenery to MIM, I'd like to see how it does at TLP next year.

 

No MI in its current structure cannot handle 100k. I think u may have to split it and use both TLP and MI. I don’t see MI being available until 2024. Hopefully by then. Also I was thinking wolf river greenway could be another alternative to look @. 

[MDC26]

5 hours ago, Wayward Memphian said:

It was. 

One of the major improvements needed for the AMP is back of house stuff so I have read over the years. New dressing rooms, catering facilities, Tour bus parking, ect, ect, ect.  

 

Correct me if I'm wrong but the no compete clause kicks in at 5k.  Graceland Live was to be 6,700 and you saw the stink they threw. Mud Island is at 5k presently. How do you improve economies of scale without increasing capacity. New AMPs like the one in NWA are 7,500 at least. I hear many shows get underwritten by Walmart as well just for the quality of life aspects of it.

 

In an ideal world the Music Fest would be two weekends like NOJ&HF, anchored by the Amp  at Mud Island and a Soccer Stadium venue for the headliners at the other end of Beale(CA prop).

If the soccer stadium were constructed at the South Forum location (behind Wiseacre) it would be a shorter walk to it going up the cut-Bank bluff, than it would to the Amp across a new pedestrian bridge. 
 

 

[Wayward Memphian]

I've forgotten about another key element as part of a Musueum revamp.

 

The "Fly Over" attraction that take you on a flight down the Mississippi from Itasca MN to the Gulf. This ride is like the hugely popular Soarin' rides at Disneyland and Epcot.  There are others that have popped up as well.

The point about a soccer stadium and a rework of the Amp or the south end of Mud Island is that viable locations exists or could exist and keep the River as a major element  of the event. 

The revamped park can still host smaller stages that the massive hordes will mostly skip by.

 

Another aspect is to make sure Beale Street Landing fully capable of host all the river cruise boats with having to utilize the Island so that area can be put to better use. 

 

Now, turn the New Daisy into the stage for a House of Blues complete with a Sunday Brunch Review that truly caters to those type of tourists.

[Wayward Memphian]

Red = new marina location

Yellow = infill for expanding Mud Island usage space

Expanded southern end to accommodate up to 15k for fest stage.

[Wayward Memphian]

Two options

 

Red = New amp stage

Yellow = new fixed amp seating

Green = slightly sloped lawn for seating

Blue= Aquarium

 

3k to 4k fixed seating with a row of premium boxes along the top. Lawn seating for 10k to 12k above. 

Edited September 7, 2022 by Wayward Memphian

[MDC26]

6 hours ago, Wayward Memphian said:

I've forgotten about another key element as part of a Musueum revamp.

 

The "Fly Over" attraction that take you on a flight down the Mississippi from Itasca MN to the Gulf. This ride is like the hugely popular Soarin' rides at Disneyland and Epcot.  There are others that have popped up as well.

The point about a soccer stadium and a rework of the Amp or the south end of Mud Island is that viable locations exists or could exist and keep the River as a major element  of the event. 

The revamped park can still host smaller stages that the massive hordes will mostly skip by.

 

Another aspect is to make sure Beale Street Landing fully capable of host all the river cruise boats with having to utilize the Island so that area can be put to better use. 

 

Now, turn the New Daisy into the stage for a House of Blues complete with a Sunday Brunch Review that truly caters to those type of tourists.

Do you want a ride like this?

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11180593/Terrifying-moment-fairground-ride-crashes-50ft-ground-India-leaving-15-people-injured.html

[The Guardian of Memphis]

21 hours ago, Memphisborn said:

No MI in its current structure cannot handle 100k. I think u may have to split it and use both TLP and MI. I don’t see MI being available until 2024. Hopefully by then. Also I was thinking wolf river greenway could be another alternative to look @. 

The downtown hotels would be very upset if it was there, but east Memphis could definitely profit from this. It’s a good location. 

[The Guardian of Memphis]

7 hours ago, Wayward Memphian said:

Two options

 

Red = New amp stage

Yellow = new fixed amp seating

Green = slightly sloped lawn for seating

Blue= Aquarium

 

3k to 4k fixed seating with a row of premium boxes along the top. Lawn seating for 10k to 12k above. 

Nice work, WM.

I like the infill/extension of the island to East - it would create more space. By placing it as close to the harbor as possible is a great idea.

Put some professional lighting around it and let it reflect on the water would make it look awesome.

1 hour ago, MDC26 said:

Do you want a ride like this?

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11180593/Terrifying-moment-fairground-ride-crashes-50ft-ground-India-leaving-15-people-injured.html

No way. There's too much happening negatively with these rides lately. That's one reason I'm not in favor of the zip lines. It only takes one incident.  We don't need any more negative publicity. If the rides were much lower to the ground like the kids rides at Tivoli, I'm all for it. The less risk the better.

[Wayward Memphian]

Here's a new coaster concept just released by Intimin. Their most recent work can be found with the Hagrid's and Jurassic World coasters at Universal among a few others at The Sea World and Busch Garden parks

 

It goes to show what can be done on a small footprint.

 

 

[MDC26]

1 hour ago, Wayward Memphian said:

Here's a new coaster concept just released by Intimin. Their most recent work can be found with the Hagrid's and Jurassic World coasters at Universal among a few others at The Sea World and Busch Garden parks

 

It goes to show what can be done on a small footprint.

 

 

That looks cool.  The Velocicoaster is the best roller coaster I've been on.  

[The Guardian of Memphis]

Cool. This would probably be the focal point, or one of the focal points of the Island. Definitely unique. Only thing missing is a carousel.

[Wayward Memphian]

16 hours ago, The Guardian of Memphis said:

Cool. This would probably be the focal point, or one of the focal points of the Island. Definitely unique. Only thing missing is a carousel.

I have thoughts on this.  

 

I'd build a carousel house. Two level carousel themed to the River, you'd ride fish turtles, ducks, ect, ect, ect. But.. this building would house several other "kiddie rides" have a cafe and also have "birthday rooms" available for rent.  The "indoorness" allows for year round ops to compliment the other attractions (Museum with "Ride Over" theater, Aquarium, and Christmas Market) 

 

Before Memphis lost the Belle, I wanted them to restore it and add a virtual simulator realistically give a taste of a bombing run over Germany was like. I have been on one in France and it was great.

[Wayward Memphian]

On 9/13/2022 at 8:23 AM, MDC26 said:

That looks cool.  The Velocicoaster is the best roller coaster I've been on.  

I have that one planned for a trip next year. But... I have been on Taron at Phantasialand in Germany that Intamin. It is my favorite coaster and I have over 300 under my belt.. not a single inversion but intense. Phantasialand is a small but very cool theme park. They have mixed a family coaster in with Taron in the footprint. They have incorporates themed hotels with in the park. It is amazing. They also have an insane Christmas season. 

 

Here's Taron, notice how short is is

Here is their newest hotel, notice the coaster being part of it. The hotel reminders you of the tube rooms in Japan.

 

 

Edited September 14, 2022 by Wayward Memphian

[The Guardian of Memphis]

11 hours ago, Wayward Memphian said:

I have thoughts on this.  

 

I'd build a carousel house. Two level carousel themed to the River, you'd ride fish turtles, ducks, ect, ect, ect. But.. this building would house several other "kiddie rides" have a cafe and also have "birthday rooms" available for rent.  The "indoorness" allows for year round ops to compliment the other attractions (Museum with "Ride Over" theater, Aquarium, and Christmas Market) 

 

Before Memphis lost the Belle, I wanted them to restore it and add a virtual simulator realistically give a taste of a bombing run over Germany was like. I have been on one in France and it was great.

Good idea. Maybe overkill, but a mini WW2 museum would've added nicely, but NOLA already has one.  That could tie in somehow with the Doughboy in Overton Park. You mentioned bombing runs over Germany, but I really like the Christmas markets they have there - it would be nice on the Island. Have lots of Christmas trees and decorations, nice ambiance and would look relaxing from the harbor.  Below is an example, note the ferris wheels. The statue could be on the Southern end of MI and be well lit. The grounds would be cobblestone like the below, which would tie into the cobblestones on Riverside.

 

Edited September 15, 2022 by The Guardian of Memphis

[Memphis4ever]

Im glad everyone is hopeful for any kind of themepark or rides but the leaders in Memphis for whatever reason do not believe this form of industry will work here.  Let alone downtown.