Bass Pro remains committed to Memphis

Bass Pro executives and Memphis city officials met Aug. 28 to discuss plans for the downtown Memphis Pyramid Arena.

Nothing groundbreaking came from the meeting, but Bass Pro brass reiterated their commitment to the project, reassuring city officials who had become anxious that Bass Pro was being noncommittal and moving too slowly since the project was unveiled in February.

The 32-story, stainless steel arena housed the Memphis Grizzlies basketball team from 2001 to 2004. Since then, it’s been vacant and a drain on the city, which owes more than $20 million on it.

Bass Pro has proposed to rent the Pyramid for up to $1 million a year and invest another $75 million to $100 million to transform it into one of the chain’s most unique outlets. The store would likely open in 2008 and feature a hotel, restaurant, aquarium, museum, education center and marina.

See SBJ's Sept. 4 issue for more on Bass Pro's deal in Memphis.