Law school and Bass Pro

[HKG]

Big news in the Commercial Appeal this morning for Downtown Memphis.

First, The U of M law school will be moving to the downtown Post Office. This project has been in the works for a couple of years. IMO this project was critical to downtown. It will bring 500 students, faculty, and staff downtown daily, and some will likely live downtown. The post office sits at the intersection of Front St. and Madison Ave. It is a gorgeous building that was being underutilized. As a bonus, across the street sits in vacancy 67 Madison, the old UP Bank, that begs for apartments (many apartments, the place is huge). Hopefully the law school move will act as a spur to revitalize that area of Front Street. Address below:

http://www.commercialappeal.com/mca/higher...4381692,00.html

Bass Pro is also reported to be coming closer to finalizing the deal for the pyramid. Regardless of your opinion on the efficacy of this project, it is surely better than the Pyramid's current use...basically nothing. This project will bring more money to the north end of downtown, the end that fell off the radar after FedEx forum was built. See the address below:

http://www.commercialappeal.com/mca/busine...4381686,00.html

[sleepy]

Pic of the law school's new home:

[memphian]

Good news.

[northernbizzkit1]

Could we see a hotel/restaurant come out of this deal as well? The CA article mentioned a Bass Pro Shops with "extra ammenities" along with the fishing/boating site on the river would be located in the Pyramid if they open a store at that location...what would you speculate this type of hotel would be? Does Bass own the hotels they open at other Bass Pro sites? Will it be a part of the Pyramid or built next to it? Should be interesting to see how this goes through!

[Hankster]

Both bits of new are very good, indeed. I do hope that a good number of law students end up living downtown. It certainly seems reasonable to assume that. As for Bass Pro Shops, if they really pour everything they can into that property, it would be a showcase, and a huge tourist attraction for Memphis. Having a huge tourist attraction on the north side of downtown to balance off the Beale Street area could bring a 24 hour vibrancy to the entire downtown area.

[Clobber]

Both bits of new are very good, indeed. I do hope that a good number of law students end up living downtown. It certainly seems reasonable to assume that. As for Bass Pro Shops, if they really pour everything they can into that property, it would be a showcase, and a huge tourist attraction for Memphis. Having a huge tourist attraction on the north side of downtown to balance off the Beale Street area could bring a 24 hour vibrancy to the entire downtown area.

I don't know, the reason Beale is such a draw is because of the variety and numerosity of the venues. I think if the Pyramid were turned into an upscale destination shopping center, with at least three or four different retailers, it would be more of a complement than a single-tenant destination.

[Rural King]

I hope Bass Pro Shops could bring more stuff into the northside of the CBD as far as restaurants and shopping goes, but I don't know how much it would help make that part of town more 24/7 since I think once BPS closed there would be a sharp decline in activity, unless the growth it sparked could draw on its own.

[sleepy]

I hope Bass Pro Shops could bring more stuff into the northside of the CBD as far as restaurants and shopping goes, but I don't know how much it would help make that part of town more 24/7 since I think once BPS closed there would be a sharp decline in activity, unless the growth it sparked could draw on its own.

A hotel would do the trick. Plus, the streetcar goes right by there, so you will get more pedestrian/transit traffic. If nothing else, some more restaurants and a convenience store and so on. Also, that area has at least three condo developments going on--Harbor Lights, Turning Pointe, and Riverbend. All that stuff ought to feed off each other. The BPS will just pour a lot of people into that area--thousands daily--and I suspect that businesses will try to capture some of their moolah. I imagine too, that BPS would stay open until about 10 or so.

[Bears]

Great news from Bass Pro!!!

http://www.wmctv.com/Global/story.asp?S=4469434

But what will be the grizzlies back up arena? DCC might be to small, but what about the 18,000 seat Alltel Arena in Little Rock?

[Rural King]

Hey, this all sounds good to me. Bring on BPS to Memphis with all its future tax revenue and lease payments.

[sleepy]

An article in the CA today said the BPS development could reach $100 million, and include boat docks, restaurants and possibly a hotel.

http://commercialappeal.com/mca/business/a...4448727,00.html

[Clobber]

An article in the CA today said the BPS development could reach $100 million, and include boat docks, restaurants and possibly a hotel.

http://commercialappeal.com/mca/business/a...4448727,00.html

I hope the vision does come true. I also wonder how broad of a demographic it will draw from? It would be a shame if the Pyramid ends up marginalized because there is only one tenant. I'd like to see a multicultural focus, but I'm not sure how that can be incorporated in a store like this; unless you go into hunting and wilderness lifestyles of different cultures -- their similarities and differences; and maybe market excursions to different continents -- say to the safari in Africa, the Amazon in South America, or the outback in Australia. Actually, come to think of it, if BPS *were* interested in such a broad draw, it seems like that would be something that is needed to diversify the lifestyle beyond the stigma. It could be impressive, *if* they went in such a proactive multicultural direction.

[mandrws1]

I hope the vision does come true. I also wonder how broad of a demographic it will draw from? It would be a shame if the Pyramid ends up marginalized because there is only one tenant. I'd like to see a multicultural focus, but I'm not sure how that can be incorporated in a store like this; unless you go into hunting and wilderness lifestyles of different cultures -- their similarities and differences; and maybe market excursions to different continents -- say to the safari in Africa, the Amazon in South America, or the outback in Australia. Actually, come to think of it, if BPS *were* interested in such a broad draw, it seems like that would be something that is needed to diversify the lifestyle beyond the stigma. It could be impressive, *if* they went in such a proactive multicultural direction.

What about the "Wonders" exhibits? Are they staying put in the Pyramid or moving back to the convention center?

[Rural King]

^ Thats a good question.

[sleepy]

Well, I guess they'd have to go back to the convention center.

I guess a lot though depends on how BPS reconfigures the Pyramid. Wonders was always in that basement area of the Pyramid. If BPS doesn't use that area, I think it would be great if Wonders could continue there. The synergy would be good and I suspect it would really boost their attendance.

[cdarr]

This BPS, if it becomes reality, could do much more for the surrounding Pinch District than the Pyramid ever was able to do as a sports arena.

One reason that area never really took off as was envisioned back in the early '90s was because arena traffic was always a hit-and-miss affair. Who really wanted to invest in a business - even a restaurant or club - near an arena that might have events 50 nights per year and empty streets the other 315? By the time the Grizzlies moved to town that became about 100 events, but by then it was also clear that a new arena was going up next to Beale so nobody was going to develop anything new. Yes, there were (and still are) a handful of joints around Main and North Parkway, but they really attracted their own crowd regardless of what was happening at the Pyramid. I recall one of the owners saying that the Pyramid events actually hurt their business because the regular dinner/club crowd stayed away on game nights due to the extra traffic and hassle.

BPS, combined with the ever-expanding St. Jude and nearby Harbor Town and Uptown residential communities, could create the critical mass needed to make the Pinch District a new hotspot for development. It's the right combination of a major employment center, tourist/shopping attraction and residential area. And another thing...as long as Pyramid was a sports arena, the most profitble land use for much of the Pinch District was parking lots. Several old but probably salvageable buildings were bulldozed to make way for event parking. Since BPS will probably not attract the same number of cars simultaneously as a sell-out arena event, the land use equation should shift to perhaps high-density residential or retail

One more thing - BPS should mean more ridership on that part of the trolley line. It gives the north side of downtown a legitimate, everyday attraction.

[Bears]

Looks like Bass Pro is gonna happen!!! An announcement is expected on Feburary 24th. I hope they don't make the pyramids exterior look tacky. Its a very nice building as is.

http://www.wreg.com/Global/story.asp?S=4507612

[Psalm 91]

I like the idea of a Bass Pro Shops...as long as it pays off the debt for the Pyramid and is a great success for Memphis' image. It'd be nice if they would market multiculturally. I also am excited about the idea of possibly empty surface parking lots being developed around the Pyramid. Hopefully the development of the BPS will bring more projects to the North Side to create synergy. As far as having a boat dock - it wouldn't be so healthy to do that on the Wolf River since that's where the storm runoff water empties.

[Bears]

There is a video with a rendering on the wreg.com of what Bass Pro has planned!!!

An aquarium, hotel, resturant, observation deck, rock wall and waterfall and a cheap shot at Nashville's Bass Pro

http://www.wreg.com/Global/story.asp?S=4545968

[sleepy]

There is a video with a rendering on the wreg.com of what Bass Pro has planned!!!

An aquarium, hotel, resturant, observation deck, rock wall and waterfall and a cheap shot at Nashville's Bass Pro

http://www.wreg.com/Global/story.asp?S=4545968

Thanks for the link. I couldn't find the rendering, though.

I think this will be a really big thing in terms of creating a lot of energy in that part of downtown. I wonder who will run the hotel?

[Bears]

Thanks for the link. I couldn't find the rendering, though.

I think this will be a really big thing in terms of creating a lot of energy in that part of downtown. I wonder who will run the hotel?

Sorry. Should've said that there is a video on the homepage wreg.com. Its a preliminary rendering but gives ya the main idea

[Clobber]

Thanks for the link. I couldn't find the rendering, though.

I think this will be a really big thing in terms of creating a lot of energy in that part of downtown. I wonder who will run the hotel?

Yeah, it's indoors, so it'll probably be like a lodge or something. I wouldn't expect an upscale property, given they try to appeal to a broad market.

I'm somewhat disappointed about some of the external decoration changes, such as the fish canopy and the fishhook inclinator. I guess it could be worse. But a fishhook inclinator is just ridiculous. The canopy is appropriate, I guess. I would just preserve as much consistency in the exterior as possible. The fishhook seems tacky.

I hope they make an effort to appeal to minorities.

There is an aquarium component to it, but whether that is educational or to promote the lifestyle and therefore their products, I wouldn't hold out hope for rare species. Given the lifestyle, they coulda added an aviary component to it; not too many museums have both an aquarium and aviary. Regardless, it looks like new construction (the aquarium). I'd be surprised if it was more than two stories tall, which would be miniscule compared to the TN Aquarium.

[Rural King]

I like it! The fish shaped canopy I could do without, but everything else sounds terrific! Opening up the top of the Pyramid for tourists/customers is a superb idea!

This IMO is the best possible outcome for the Pyramid and the City of Memphis. Everybody wins.

[memphian]

I watched the news clip - I think it is so funny that Memphis has to compare itself to Nashville so much. Why?

As for the redevelopment of this pyramid.... the plans looked a little too animated for my personal tastes but as long as someone else is paying for - do whatever.

[Bears]

I watched the news clip - I think it is so funny that Memphis has to compare itself to Nashville so much. Why?

2 major cities in a state will always have a sibling rivalry. I heard a couple of cheap shots at Memphis in the Nashville media as well. I remember a few years back, some newspaper in Nashville actually wrote an article about why Memphis sucks! Not as many Memphians appreciate their city as Nashvillans. Nashville is precieved as the "nice city" and Memphis is considered the "ghetto." Phil Bredsen put it best when he pointed out that "Memphis is like the red headed step child of Tennessee." A lot of Tennesseans (Memphians included) absolutely hate Memphis, but the perception is changing. I think alot of the rivalry started during the NFL issue.