I've been fishing a couple of times: its a good excuse to drink and a chance to get away from everything. I get it...but regardless of how entertaining fishing can be, is putting a bass pro superstore in the pyramid really the best use for it? Local media and politicians seem really excited about it. And it would be a great financial arrangement for the city since there would be a tenant to pay the bills... but aren't we selling ourselve short when it comes to the building that has become the signature point of our skyline? Aren't we setting ourselve up to be the punchline of every joke? And is it too late...?

I so wish that a museum would work in there. I don't care if it was a natural history museum, or a history of fishing musem, or even a museum about pyramids...Anything would be better than a chain retail store. What do you guys think?

I totally agree, hemant. Anything would be better. When I think of Memphis I always think of a the largest small town in America, so really it's par for coarse. But because I love Memphis, and I do love Memphis, I do what I always do when the people in charge make insane decisions, I say to myself with a wink "well, that's Memphis for ya". Which is by the way exactly what I said when they built the damn thing.

how neat would it be to have a museum there. the wonders exhibits already go there, why not make a permanent collection. i think to have part of the museum to be on egypt is a great idea, and I can bet if the get the universities in on it they could get some great exhibits. a bass proshop can go anywhere. the pyramid should not be reduced to a mall, it should be grand and regal.

the three of you are wrong.

You don't live here. Build one in NOLA if you want one so bad.

I would like to see our waterfront be more like Chicago, with museums and parks.

I have no idea where I stand on this since I have always been conflicted about the Pyramid: Embarrassed when I bring out of towners in and they guffaw and then proud, cos hey we got so taken on that piece of shit that the only way to save face is to act like it is REALLY GREAT or rather, "so Memphis!"

I don't know, the retail thing almost seems appropos. Portland is a similarly sized city and the focused strictly on sports and retail, theaters/symphonies/ballet, convention center and high-priced condos in the inner-city and Downtown...and it worked. Three is no BIG attraction in Portland other than all of it together. But there are a lot of great parks here...that should be developed in MEM.

I am outraged.

Although we seem to be doing more and more for the children of Memphis, and some people may feel that a museum would be one more jewl in the Memphis Museum crown, I say:
BASS-O-RAMA!
I would ask those who cannot see the opportunity for perhaps the largest sporting goods store (East of the Mississippii), to actually visit a place like Buck n' Bass or Bass Pro Shops.

i am not saying a bass pro shop would not be good downtown, but why do we have to put it in the pyramid

Furthermore, I believe Memphis has always been cultured, without being uppity. You could test-drive a boat in that place!

but why do we have to put it in the pyramid
The Egyptians were pretty good fishermen, too.

but it their art and culture that is revered, not their fishing skills

not their fishing skills
I beg your pardon? They went fishing and found Moses!

Wrong! The queen was taking a BATH! Open a huge Kiehls up in there!

and moses found the ten comandments, but it was deemed unconstitutional to put that shit in public places

Wrong! The queen was taking a BATH!
Queens can fish, too.

maybe they could use it as an arena, with "games" or "events" that people would want to come see. seems like it would be perfect for that!

with "games" or "events"
I would even suggest taking that a step further. You know the Kyak/canoe races on the Mississippi? Introduce Aligators and shotguns, supplied by the shop.

Oh, and a "find the baby Moses" contest for the kids...

Or it could be the place all the Memphis power players housed their mistresses. Remember when Tic Price put his up just over the river what's that shit hole, Harbor Town?

with "games" or "events"

an iron-man on the river?

Okay, I'll budge. Pyramid should become Bass Pro Shop, OR, ALTERNATIVELY, underground madman's lair, with the four sides of the pyramid hinged so that they could open at an appropriate time to reveal a rocket, missile, laser cannon, or some other extremely devious killing machine. Madman would have to be either Jerry Lawler or the Killer. Somehow underground tunnels would connect to Mud Island, although I'm not sure why at this point.

too bad Sam Phillips wasn't cryogenically frozen, we could resurrect him as the madman.

am I the only one in town who witnessed Phillips riding a red, penis shaped rocket on a float during the Elvis parade about a decade ago??? he was flanked by dozens of hounddogs...

Phillips riding a red, penis shaped rocket on a float during the Elvis parade about a decade ago??? he was flanked by dozens of hounddogs...

I am at a loss for words, here.

They could also host Ultimate Fighting with Herenton.

go here for a photo: http://archives.cnn.com/2002/TRAVEL/NEWS/08/14/ep.elvis.parade/
the foil came off the rocket, and it was red underneath. Sam looked like Slim Pickens!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!

WOW! I'm speechless.

ok, The Pyramid. It's ugly. Sorry. Here's what to do - we LOVE ugly shit up here in Toronto. We'll trade. You can have some cool old Victorian era factory building that's about to turn into "New York Style" lofts or something else of your choice that's just going under the wrecking ball anyway.

The Pyramid protects us from Alien Attack.

Fair enough.

Personally, I was pulling for an aquarium in the Pyramid. But I think the proposal for that was going to involve some kind of taxpayer backing of the revenue bonds that would have been used to finance it. And that's just not going to happen in the current political environment. To say the political will isn't there is an understatement.
The Bass Pro Shop they are talking about now is not just an extra big bait shop. It's got its own fish tank or aquarium. They will probably take advantage of backing up to the Wolf River for some of their demonstrations.
I'm not a hunter or a fisherman, but the one in Arkansas which is the super store type they are talking about for the pyramid draws from the entire region. There is a huge wildlife industry in this region.
Wonders would most likely stay in the Pyramid and the Bass Pro folks have said there would be other businesses there. It sounds like a variation of a mall with an anchor tenant... something more like a big box store with a restaurant and maybe another kind of business. Maybe the TWRA could move in.
Just as long as they don't paint the outside in camo and there is a pick up truck quotient for downtown patterned after the cruising ordinance.

other cities might laugh but i wouldn't mind being laughed for having a giant plastic bass on top of the pyramid. i think it's perfect for the memphis skyline.

camo color is good idea too. but only the orange kind.

What an aquarium would require is a benefactor in the form of a massive company known for destroying the environment. That's how aquariums work - they are PR devices for companies with bad environmental reputations. "Giving Back." Don't get me wrong, I love going to aquariums, and would love to see one in the Pyramid, but I'll settle for a one of those giant casting tanks.

Bass Pro Shops will be cool and will draw tons of people from the greater Mid-South area.

No need for another museum as this mongoloid town can't support cultural attractions. We can barely support an NBA team. Wonders is out of business, nearly $3 million in debt (correct me if it's since been revived).

This town needs to learn that big public works projects need to pay for themselves, or else you're stuck with white-elephant obsolete eyesores on the skyline, and millions of dollars of taxpayer-backed bonds.

Bust out the giant plastic bass and the immense fishing-themed mural, a la Destin.

Where in Arkansas is the one that was referred to?

Sorry, meant Springfield, Missouri sted Arkansas.

Same diff!

Memphis and Art?
Memphis and Redneck Sports?

mmmmmm????

I think that the Rednecks have it in this town, hands down.

Give them an excuse to drive here from central AR, MS, parts of MO and KY, AL, LA. They will come in and shop, pay a sales tax, eat, drink, and maybe catch a show at the Orpheum, or Beale St.?

The space of the pyramid is usable on their grand scale, and like any city with SFB's in office we will give it away and not get anything more then sales tax on the out of starters.

Face it folks, we are screwed with an albatross. It sucked for sound in concerts, and it will be worse in generating revenue for any business.

Welcome to Mecca de Memphis ya'll. When can we stone Satan?