Memphis Pyramid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Memphis Pyramid |
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The Pyramid as seen in 2015
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| 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 |
| Opened | November 9, 1991 |
| Renovated | April 29, 2015 |
| Cost | US$65 million ($140 million in 2022 dollars ) |
| Owner | City of Memphis |
| Height | 321 feet (98 m) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Rosser Fabrap International O.T. Marshall Architects (Bass Pro Shops improvements) |
The Memphis Pyramid is a huge building shaped like a pyramid in downtown Memphis, Tennessee. It sits right by the Mississippi River. This unique building was first called the Great American Pyramid and later the Pyramid Arena. People in Memphis often just call it The Pyramid.
It was built in 1991 and was originally a large sports and entertainment arena with 20,142 seats. Its pyramid shape was chosen because Memphis, Tennessee, is named after the ancient city of Memphis, Egypt, which is famous for its ancient pyramids. The Memphis Pyramid is 321 feet (98 m) tall, which is about 32 stories high! Its base sides are 591 feet (180 m) long. Some people say it's the tenth-tallest pyramid in the world.
After 2004, the Memphis Pyramid was not used much for sports or concerts. But in 2015, it got a new life! It reopened as a giant Bass Pro Shops store. This "megastore" is more than just a shop. It has a hotel, restaurants, a bowling alley, and even an archery range. There's also an outdoor observation deck near the top where you can see amazing views.
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Building the Pyramid
The idea for the "Great American Pyramid" came from a Memphis artist named Mark C. Hartz way back in 1954. His first plan was for three pyramids on the bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River. The biggest one would have been two-thirds the size of the famous Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt.
For many years, the idea didn't go anywhere. Then, Mark's son, Jon Brent Hartz, brought the idea back to life. He imagined a new pyramid made of bronze glass. After a lot of talking and planning, a businessman named John Tigrett decided to make Jon's idea a reality. He wanted the pyramid to be a special symbol for the city of Memphis.
The building started construction on September 15, 1989. It officially opened its doors on November 9, 1991.
Past Uses and Events
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The Pyramid
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The Pyramid Arena, as seen from the Auction Avenue bridge in 2002.
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| Address | 1 Auction Avenue |
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| Location | Memphis, Tennessee |
| Coordinates | 35°9′20″N 90°3′7″W / 35.15556°N 90.05194°W |
| 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 |
| Opened | November 9, 1991 |
| Closed | 2004 |
| Reopened | November 2011 |
| Construction cost | US$65 million ($140 million in 2022 dollars ) |
| Architect | Rosser Fabrap International |
| Structural engineer | Walter P. Moore & Associates, Inc. |
| General contractor | Huber, Hunt & Nichols |
| Tenants | |
| Memphis Tigers (NCAA) (1991–2004) Memphis Pharaohs (AFL) (1995–1996) Memphis Grizzlies (NBA) (2001–2004) |
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The Pyramid was once a very busy place for sports. It was the home court for the University of Memphis's men's basketball team, the Memphis Tigers. Later, it also hosted the National Basketball Association (NBA) team, the Memphis Grizzlies. Both teams moved to a new arena called the FedExForum in 2004. The Pyramid was also home to the Memphis Pharaohs, an arena football team.
Many important basketball tournaments were held here, including:
- The 1993 Great Midwest Conference Men's and Women's basketball tournaments.
- The 1994 and 1997 Southeastern Conference men's basketball tournaments.
- The 1996 and 2000 Conference USA men's basketball tournaments.
- The 2003 Conference USA women's basketball tournament.
- The first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament in 1995, 1997, and 2001.
The Pyramid also hosted many famous concerts and events:
- The band Grateful Dead played two shows in April 1995.
- Singer Mary J. Blige performed there in September 1997.
- In 1999, the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) held its "St. Valentine's Day Massacre: In Your House" event.
- Rock bands like the Rolling Stones and Phish played sold-out concerts in 1999.
- Two major professional boxing matches took place here: Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson in 2002 and Mike Tyson vs. Clifford Etienne in 2003.
- From 2002 to 2006, the annual Church of God in Christ international holy meetings were held at the Pyramid.
- In 2002, a concert was held to celebrate 25 years since Elvis Presley's death.
- The last concert in the Pyramid was by Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band on February 3, 2007.
- Filmmaker Craig Brewer used the building to film parts of his movie Black Snake Moan in late 2005.
Why the Pyramid Closed as an Arena
When the Pyramid first opened, there was a problem with water drainage, causing the floor to flood.
In 2001, the city of Memphis wanted to attract a new NBA team, the Grizzlies. While the Pyramid was working well, it needed major updates to be a good long-term home for an NBA team. These updates would have meant closing the arena for a whole year. So, a new arena, the $250 million FedExForum, was built instead. The Grizzlies moved there in 2004. The city did spend $7 million on small updates for the Grizzlies' three years in the Pyramid.
After the Grizzlies left, the Pyramid was mostly empty. The city council decided to keep it open in 2004. A group looked into new ideas for the building. They thought about turning it into a casino, an aquarium, a shopping mall, or an indoor theme park. One idea was to open a branch of the Smithsonian Institution there. But none of these plans happened. In the end, the group suggested using it for "destination retail," which means a big store that would attract many visitors and create jobs.
Bass Pro Shops and New Life
In 2005, people started talking about an aquarium or a Bass Pro Shops superstore moving into the Pyramid. In 2008, the city and Bass Pro Shops made a first agreement. Then, on June 30, 2010, after five years of talks, they signed a 55-year lease for a Bass Pro Shops megastore.
The city spent $30 million to help make the building safe and ready for its new use. Bass Pro Shops also did a lot of work to change the arena into a giant store. The new Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid opened on April 29, 2015.
This Bass Pro Shops is huge and has many cool features:
- An archery range and a shooting range.
- A laser arcade.
- An Uncle Buck's Fishbowl and Grill, which has a bowling alley and a saltwater aquarium.
- The tallest freestanding elevator in America! This elevator takes visitors to "The Lookout at the Pyramid" at the very top. From there, you can enjoy amazing views from indoor and outdoor observation decks. There's also a restaurant and bar called "Sky High Catfish Cabin" at the top.
- A 100-room hotel called the Big Cypress Lodge at the base of the Pyramid.
The Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid has 600,000 gallons of water features and the world's largest collection of waterfowl and hunting equipment. It was a huge success right away! One million people visited the store between its opening in April 2015 and July 8, 2015. Because it was so popular, Bass Pro Shops has even thought about adding a zip-line and another hotel to the Pyramid.
Legacy
In 2011, a picture of The Pyramid was added to the design of Tennessee's state driver's licenses. It's shown alongside other famous buildings from Tennessee's biggest cities, like the AT&T Building in Nashville, Knoxville's Sunsphere, and the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga. This shows how important and recognizable the Memphis Pyramid has become to the state.
See also
In Spanish: Pyramid Arena para niños
