Johnny Morris and his Great Bass Pyramid of Memphis update

chittlins · May 17, 2012, 11:06:52 AM

Will now include hotel and silliness

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/may/14/pyramid-plan-takes-shape/

chittlins · February 18, 2014, 04:12:09 PM

Construction is in full swing on the 190 million projectz. Interesting that they are putting in glass flooring in the observation deck that was never opened when it was an arena. The Pyramid never reached its vision as arena, as there was suppose to have been much more as part of the project but never happened. Anywho It's interesting that they are tying in the hotel as part of the Big Cedar Lodge but calling it Big Cypress Lodge (video at link):

http://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/news/2014/02/18/bass-pro-gives-a-glimpse-of-the-pyramid.html

A 101-room hotel isn't expected to be ready when Bass Pro Shops opens its Memphis retail center late this year, but the rest of the building is progressing on schedule.

That was the message the company wanted to portray during a site visit earlier today. Members of the media, as well as some city officials were brought to the Pyramid to see the progress of the $190 million project

Fisherman Bill Dance, who was instrumental in the development of the project, stood in for Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris, who wasn't in attendance. Dance said the company has set Dec. 1 as the opening date for the project, which will include more than 220,000 square feet of retail space, as well as the hotel rooms for the Big Cypress Lodge.

The hotel is meant to be a companion to Bass Pro Shops' Big Cedar Lodge, which is located at the company's Springfield MO destination retail center. Other features will include a live duck aviary and an alligator pond.

Tom Jowett, Bass Pro Shops' lead architect on the project, said the top of the Pyramid will include glass decks on the west and south of the building that will resemble the glass walkway at the Grand Canyon.

Jowett said an opening date for the hotel will be announced later this year, but it will feature Ducks Unlimited cabin-type rooms. He says the finished facility will be "the largest footprint we've used in any of our stores".

"You do not see a lot happening on the outside of the building, but your presence today can verify what's happening inside," Jowett said.

Junior · February 18, 2014, 08:51:03 PM

WOW! An amazing project...can't wait to see it completed and open.

History Buff · February 18, 2014, 09:25:45 PM

In the interest of accuracy, Big Cedar is not "located at the company's Springfield MO destination retail center."

sanddunerider · February 19, 2014, 10:32:20 AM

HB: LOL.. did u catch that too?.. Yes that is quite a project,

Of course I would like to see the wildlife museum in springfield mo get fininshed.... has been 3? or 4? years in rebuilding??

Joy · February 19, 2014, 11:11:08 PM

It's been longer than 4, 'cause they were working on it when I moved to Springfield in '09.

sanddunerider · February 20, 2014, 12:21:01 PM

yep, I would agree with you Joy... When it first shut down it was a 2 year project.. I just pulled up website and 1st set of construction pictures is 12-2010, and they already have main building up with footings and steel going into place... at least 5 years..!!

http://www.wondersofwildlife.org/Default.aspx

chittlins · February 20, 2014, 01:25:52 PM

Quote from: sanddunerider on February 20, 2014, 12:21:01 PM
yep, I would agree with you Joy... When it first shut down it was a 2 year project.. I just pulled up website and 1st set of construction pictures is 12-2010, and they already have main building up with footings and steel going into place... at least 5 years..!!

http://www.wondersofwildlife.org/Default.aspx

But what that picture page shows is something is taking place and what they are doing is going to be quite nice.

Ozarks Gal · February 25, 2014, 09:05:27 AM

I'm going to guess the WWM has been closed since about 2007. There was talk of having prom there, but we couldn't when we heard they would be closing.

As for the pyramid in Memphis, we saw it from the outside last fall when we visited the city for a baseball game (got to see Carpenter pitch his last game). It's certainly...shiny.

chittlins · February 25, 2014, 10:22:46 AM

Quote from: Ozarks Gal on February 25, 2014, 09:05:27 AM
I'm going to guess the WWM has been closed since about 2007. There was talk of having prom there, but we couldn't when we heard they would be closing.

As for the pyramid in Memphis, we saw it from the outside last fall when we visited the city for a baseball game (got to see Carpenter pitch his last game). It's certainly...shiny.

The original intent was for it to be a gold tint. The location wasn't where many wanted. Most favored a sight on the South Bluffs basically between the two bridges. That sight was choosen due to proximity of the convention center that at the time wasn't woefully undersized or outdated. The convention centerhosted a series of fantastic exhibits called the Wonders series and they tried to tie in the countries being honored for Memphis in May. It was to connect with Beale Street via the new trolley system. Other plans for the original pyramid included a Hard Rock Cafe, a Grammy Music Hall of Fame after Memphis got shafted on the Rock HoF, an inclinator to the never used observation deck and Mud Island becoming a theme park. It was a parntership between local Tigrett(Co founder of Hard Rock and House of Blues)and then owner of the Denver Nuggets named Sidney Shlinker. When construction started, the two had a falling out and Tigrett quit and Shlinker got caught up in financial woes under the first Bush and went bankrupt. The City and County had to finish it and it lacked all the extras. The arena itself was awful, cramped seating to get it to 20,000 and horrible acoustics for concerts.

chittlins · June 30, 2014, 11:00:22 AM

It's coming along. Mr. Bass Pro will be pitching Branson vacations there soon. Video tour of construction:
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10152466779346348&id=574246347&_rdr