| Memphis Pyramid | |
|---|---|
.jpg) The Pyramid in 2016 | |
 | |
| Former names | Great American Pyramid Pyramid Arena |
| Alternative names | The Pyramid Bass Pro Shops Pyramid |
| General information | |
| Location | Memphis, Tennessee |
| Address | 1 Bass Pro Drive |
| Current tenants | Bass Pro Shops |
| Groundbreaking | September 15, 1989[2] |
| Opened | November 9, 1991[3] |
| Renovated | November 2011–April 2015 |
| Cost | US$65 million ($130 million in 2023 dollars)[1] |
| Owner | City of Memphis |
| Height | 321 feet (98 m) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Rosser Fabrap International[4] O.T. Marshall Architects (Bass Pro Shops improvements) |
| Other information | |
| Public transit access |  MATA Main Street Line Riverfront Loop |
TheMemphis Pyramid, formerly known as theGreat American Pyramid and thePyramid Arena, and colloquially known as theBass Pro Shops Pyramid,[5] is a pyramid-shaped building located in downtownMemphis,Tennessee, United States, at the bank of theMississippi River. Built in 1991 as a 20,142-seatarena, the facility was owned and operated jointly by the city of Memphis andShelby County until Shelby County sold its share to Memphis in April 2009.[6] Its structure plays on the city'snamesake inEgypt, which is known for its ancientpyramids. It is 321 feet (98 m) (about 32 stories) tall and has base sides of 591 feet (180 m); it is by some measures the tenth-tallestpyramid in the world.[7]
The Memphis Pyramid has not been regularly used as a sports or entertainment venue since 2007. In 2015, the Pyramid re-opened as aBass Pro Shops megastore, which included shopping, a hotel, restaurants, a bowling alley, and an archery range, with an outdoor observation deck adjacent to its apex.Ducks Unlimited also operates a museum onwaterfowl hunting and wetlands conservation inside of the store.
The Great American Pyramid was first conceived around 1954 by Mark C. Hartz, a Memphis artist. The project originally included three pyramids located on the south bluffs of Memphis overlooking theMississippi River. The largest of the three would have been scaled at two-thirds the size of theGreat Pyramid of Giza nearMemphis, Egypt; the flanking structures would have been scaled at two-thirds the size of the main pyramid. The project languished for three decades until Mark's younger son, Memphian Jon Brent Hartz, resurrected the concept. Mark C. Hartz, who was well known for his architectural renderings, rendered a newbronze glass-glazed pyramid. After years of negotiations, the younger Hartz's concept was adopted by entrepreneur John Tigrett as a symbol for the city of Memphis. The groundbreaking ceremony was held on September 15, 1989, and the building was opened on November 9, 1991.[8]
The construction of the building was managed bySidney Shlenker, part-owner of theDenver Nuggets and several entertainment companies, whom Tigrett had brought to Memphis to develop tourist attractions in the building. Originally, there were plans for ashortwave radio station broadcasting Memphis music, an observation deck with an inclinator along the side of the building, aHard Rock Cafe, a music museum, aCollege Football Hall of Fame, and a theme park onMud Island.[9] However, the plans were scrapped because of a fallout between Tigrett and Shlenker, and the latter's financial difficulties.
The Pyramid | |
 The Pyramid Arena, as seen from the Auction Avenue bridge in 2002. | |
 | |
| Address | 1 Auction Avenue |
|---|---|
| Location | Memphis, Tennessee |
| Coordinates | 35°9′20″N90°3′7″W / 35.15556°N 90.05194°W /35.15556; -90.05194 |
| Owner | City of Memphis |
| Operator | SMG |
| Capacity | Concerts: 21,000 Basketball: 20,142 (1991–2001) 19,405 (2001–2002) 19,351 (2002–2004) |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | September 15, 1989[2] |
| Opened | November 9, 1991[3] |
| Closed | February 3, 2007 |
| Construction cost | US$65 million ($130 million in 2023 dollars)[1] |
| Architect | Rosser Fabrap International[4] |
| Structural engineer | Walter P. Moore & Associates, Inc.[4] |
| General contractor | Huber, Hunt & Nichols[4] |
| Tenants | |
| Memphis Tigers (NCAA) (1991–2004) Memphis Pharaohs (AFL) (1995–1996) Memphis Grizzlies (NBA) (2001–2004) | |
The Pyramid was the home court of theUniversity of Memphismen's basketball program starting in 1991, and later for theNational Basketball Association'sMemphis Grizzlies after they relocated from Vancouver in 2001. However, both teams left The Pyramid in November 2004 to move into the newly builtFedExForum. It was also home of theMemphis Pharaohs of theArena Football League for the 1995 and 1996 AFL season before they relocated to Portland in 1997.
The arena hosted the 1993Great Midwest Conference Men's and Women's basketball tournaments, the1994 and1997Southeastern Conference men's basketball tournament, the 1996 and 2000Conference USA men's basketball tournament, and the 2003Conference USA women's basketball tournament. It also held the first and second rounds of theNCAA Tournament in1995,1997, and2001. TheGrateful Dead played two concerts at the arena on April 1 and 2, 1995.[10][11]
SingerMary J. Blige performed at the arena in September 1997 during herShare My World Tour.
The Pyramid was the site in 1999 of theWWF St. Valentine's Day Massacre: In Your House pay-per-view which featuredBig Show's WWE debut (under his real name Paul Wight); also in 1999 the rock bands theRolling Stones andPhish played sold-out concerts.[12] Phish released an audio recording of the concert, entitled "Memphis '99", as a digital download in 2022.[13]
On June 8, 2002, the Pyramid hostedLennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson, one of the biggestprofessional boxing events in history, which Lewis won byknockout in the eighth round. The following year it hostedMike Tyson vs. Clifford Etienne, a fight that Tyson won by knockout in the first round.
On August 16, 2002, the arena hosted a concert that commemorated the 25th anniversary ofElvis Presley's death.
From 2002 to 2006, the annualChurch of God in Christ international holy convocations were held here.
Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band performed what is reputed to be the last concert ever in the Pyramid, in February 2007.[14]
FilmmakerCraig Brewer used the building as a sound stage for his filmBlack Snake Moan in late 2005.[15]
In 2001, the city of Memphis attempted to relocate theVancouver Grizzlies or theCharlotte Hornets to Memphis. While the Pyramid was functional and profitable, it was well short of NBA standards despite being only a decade old. It have required a prohibitively expensive renovation in order to be a viable long-term venue for an NBA franchise. The necessary renovations would have required taking the arena offline for a year.[16] As a result, the $250 millionFedExForum was built as a condition of the Grizzlies'move from Vancouver and opened in 2004. The city of Memphis did spend $7 million on renovations such as improved dressing rooms and new television camera platforms for the Grizzlies' three-year stay in the arena.[17]
While hosting the Grizzlies, the arena lost $200,000 in 2002.[18]
The City of Memphis's contract with the Grizzlies forbade the use of The Pyramid without the team's approval, and, as a result, it went dark. The Memphis city council voted to keep the arena open in 2004.[19] A committee headed by Memphis businessman Scott Ledbetter studied possible uses of the arena in 2005 and considered such uses as converting the arena into acasino, anaquarium, ashopping mall, or an indoortheme park.[20] In November 2006, Congressman-ElectSteve Cohen (D-Tennessee) suggested that he would attempt to open a Mid-American branch of theSmithsonian Institution in the building. However, these plans were never realized. In the end, the Ledbetter committee on the building's future recommended that it be used for destination retail, which would create more jobs and new tax revenues.
In October 2005, media speculation began to focus on an aquarium or aBass Pro Shops superstore as the most likely long-term tenants of the arena. In 2008, the city and Bass Pro Shops reached a tentative agreement, short on details, but based on an intent to develop the then-abandoned structure.[21] On June 30, 2010, after 5 years of negotiating, Bass Pro Shops and the City of Memphis signed an agreement for a 55-year lease for a Bass Pro Shops megastore. In addition, the redevelopment plans included revitalizing thePinch District, which is the neighborhood east of the Pyramid. The city invested $30 million and hired O.T. Marshall Architects to help with the seismic retrofitting of the structure, which was funded by sales tax revenue in the surrounding area. O.T. Marshall and Insight Design Architects was later hired by Bass Pro Shops for its renovations and construction, which led to its opening April 29, 2015.[22] Construction was completed by W.G. Yates & Sons Construction Company.
In addition to the retail store itself, Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid is home to anarchery range, ashooting range, and alaser arcade. The building also includes a Wahlburghers Wild and an Uncle Buck's Fishbowl and Grill with abowling alley and a saltwater aquarium. The tallest freestanding elevator in America takes visitors to the Lookout at the Pyramid at the apex of the building, where people can take in the view on an indoor and outdoor observation deck or dine and drink at the Lookout, which is a restaurant, bar, andaquarium at the top of the building. At the base of the Pyramid is a 100-room hotel, the Big Cypress Lodge. Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid contains 600,000 gallons of water features and the largest collection of waterfowl and hunting-related equipment in the world.[23]
Over 3 million people visited Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid in 2015.[24] In 2015, Bass Pro Shops considered adding azip-line and a second hotel to the Pyramid.[25]
In 2011, a drawing of the pyramid was incorporated into the standard design of Tennessee's state-issued driver's licenses alongsideNashville'sAT&T Building,Knoxville'sSunsphere, andChattanooga'sTennessee Aquarium.
| Preceded by | Home of the Memphis Grizzlies 2001–2004 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by first arena | Home of Memphis Pharaohs 1995–1996 | Succeeded by |
