5 new attractions that Memphis needs downtown

[Memphis77]

I don't live in Memphis, but I have always wondered why there's so little to do for families and children in downtown. Memphis should make the downtown their priority in investing and luring tourists. Graceland can't do it all. Now, after hearing of Ericson's mastermind plan, I am optimistic that these 5 major tourist attractions could follow IF the city gives the go ahead to Ericson and his group as they smartly should. If not then forget I even started this thread. But just for the sake of it, here goes.

1.A state of the art aquarium. It's mind boggling that a big inner city like Memphis sits on a river bank and does not have an aquarium, knowing that aquariums are a major attraction in other cities. Chattanooga has arguably the nicest. Atlanta now has one that is a huge impact on their tourism, and they weren't even considered a big tourist city. I still would like and hope that an aquarium is in Ericson's plans somewhere. If not his plans, then hopefully an investor will see the opportunity to build one near the Pyramid. A theme park and aquarium go hand in hand. It would make sense to have one on the river. Check out the one in Chattanooga. http://www.tnaqua.org/ And the one in Atlanta. http://www.georgiaaquarium.org/

2.A state of the art Science Museum Center. Memphis needs to have something like this to lure in mroe tourism for mroe than just Elvis and the Blues. Check out the link for the one in Cleveland next to the Rock Hall of Fame, on the river. It's state of the art. http://www.glsc.org/

3.Children's Museum. I know Memphis already has one, if you wanna call it that. But it's small and sits in a dead part of town. It's not much to write home about compared to the other unique ones around the country. Memphis needs to tear down their current one and build a new state of the art museum attraction for the kids, like the one in Indianapolis which is amazing and a huge profit for the city. Why can't Memphis have something like that? Here's the link. http://www.childrensmuseum.org/

4.American Music Hall Of Fame & Museum. There isn't a museum like this anywhere. Memphis is the home to some of the greatest music stars of all time like Elvis, Aretha, BB King, Otis Redding, etc. Plus Memphis was where Rock started at SUN and Soul followed at Stax. Most of the biggest hits from the 50's to the 70's were recorded in Memphis. Some still are. They could devote a large state of the art facility to the history of American music, inlcuding producers Sam phillips, and Berry Gordy to name a couple. Genres from Blues and Country to Rock, Soul, Funk and Hip Hop. This would be an unique attraction not only in Memphis, but in all of America! Elvis fans would even be intrigued.

5.A multi-screen Imax Discovery Theater. I know Memphis has one at the Pink Palace Museum. But I'm thinking of one in downtown, maybe connected with the new Riverfront project Ericson is developing. Memphis needs this for entertainment for the kids. Check out this one in Mertle Beach. http://www.myrtlebeachimax.com/

These 5 attractions could go a long way in turning Memphis from a dangerous crime invested town into a world class city. All it takes is vision like Ericson and investments like Sillerman to make it all happen.

[MidTenn1]

Great post and some good ideas. I wouldn't argue with any of those suggestions.

However, I would recommend development of a performing arts center campus to include the Orpheum, your proposed American Music Museum along with a new state of the art Symphony Hall and amphitheater. A new theater complex with a smaller proscenium stage and a black box facility would be nice to accomodate a local repertory company and local community theater.

[sleepy]

Those ideas all sound great, but I don't think they would make Memphis a "world class" city, basically because I have no idea what that term might mean. I also don't think they would do much of anything to reduce crime. Most crime doesn't occur downtown in any case, and to reduce crime you've got to concentrate on the crime areas of Orange Mound, South Memphis, and North Memphis.

[mandrws1]

I don't live in Memphis, but I have always wondered why there's so little to do for families and children in downtown. Memphis should make the downtown their priority in investing and luring tourists. Graceland can't do it all. Now, after hearing of Ericson's mastermind plan, I am optimistic that these 5 major tourist attractions could follow IF the city gives the go ahead to Ericson and his group as they smartly should. If not then forget I even started this thread. But just for the sake of it, here goes.

1.A state of the art aquarium. It's mind boggling that a big inner city like Memphis sits on a river bank and does not have an aquarium, knowing that aquariums are a major attraction in other cities. Chattanooga has arguably the nicest. Atlanta now has one that is a huge impact on their tourism, and they weren't even considered a big tourist city. I still would like and hope that an aquarium is in Ericson's plans somewhere. If not his plans, then hopefully an investor will see the opportunity to build one near the Pyramid. A theme park and aquarium go hand in hand. It would make sense to have one on the river. Check out the one in Chattanooga. http://www.tnaqua.org/ And the one in Atlanta. http://www.georgiaaquarium.org/

2.A state of the art Science Museum Center. Memphis needs to have something like this to lure in mroe tourism for mroe than just Elvis and the Blues. Check out the link for the one in Cleveland next to the Rock Hall of Fame, on the river. It's state of the art. http://www.glsc.org/

3.Children's Museum. I know Memphis already has one, if you wanna call it that. But it's small and sits in a dead part of town. It's not much to write home about compared to the other unique ones around the country. Memphis needs to tear down their current one and build a new state of the art museum attraction for the kids, like the one in Indianapolis which is amazing and a huge profit for the city. Why can't Memphis have something like that? Here's the link. http://www.childrensmuseum.org/

4.American Music Hall Of Fame & Museum. There isn't a museum like this anywhere. Memphis is the home to some of the greatest music stars of all time like Elvis, Aretha, BB King, Otis Redding, etc. Plus Memphis was where Rock started at SUN and Soul followed at Stax. Most of the biggest hits from the 50's to the 70's were recorded in Memphis. Some still are. They could devote a large state of the art facility to the history of American music, inlcuding producers Sam phillips, and Berry Gordy to name a couple. Genres from Blues and Country to Rock, Soul, Funk and Hip Hop. This would be an unique attraction not only in Memphis, but in all of America! Elvis fans would even be intrigued.

5.A multi-screen Imax Discovery Theater. I know Memphis has one at the Pink Palace Museum. But I'm thinking of one in downtown, maybe connected with the new Riverfront project Ericson is developing. Memphis needs this for entertainment for the kids. Check out this one in Mertle Beach. http://www.myrtlebeachimax.com/

These 5 attractions could go a long way in turning Memphis from a dangerous crime invested town into a world class city. All it takes is vision like Ericson and investments like Sillerman to make it all happen.