If you had a magic wand, What would you bring to Memphis (Midtown: hotels, neighborhood)

[BlueRedTide]

If you think memphis is missing something and you could wave a magic wand, What would you bring to Memphis

[jabogitlu]

Dense urban development in North Memphis, Midtown, South Memphis, Berclair and the U District that would support and promote the development of light rail transportation.

[JoeCartpath]

A beach

Some mountains and waterfalls would be nice as well....

[eastmemphisguy]

Cooler, less humid summer weather.

[Mopac1980]

Originally Posted by BlueRedTide

If you think memphis is missing something and you could wave a magic wand, What would you bring to Memphis

BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse and Golden Corral, more shopping malls, turn the areas surrounding Graceland into an upper middle class neighborhood by adding more shopping, restaurants and nicer hotels in the area

[CristenS]

Wholeheartedly agree that something needs to be done with the Graceland area. They have talked about it for years, I hope one day to see some progress. I would guess it is our city's biggest tourist attraction, yet the area is a dump. Not just the safety aspect, but the beautification aspect - the area just plain looks like junk. It would do the area and the entire city a great service to make that neighborhood into a destination - nice, safe hotels, both local and chain restaurants, shopping (other than cheap Elvis trinkets), maybe another related museum of some sort. It would bring money to that area as well as give our city a better reputation - I've always wondered what tourists think when they travel here for solely for Graceland, get a motel room in the area not realizing what it's like, and that's all they see of our city.

Originally Posted by Mopac1980

BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse and Golden Corral, more shopping malls, turn the areas surrounding Graceland into an upper middle class neighborhood by adding more shopping, restaurants and nicer hotels in the area

[My_home_town]

Originally Posted by CristenS

Wholeheartedly agree that something needs to be done with the Graceland area. They have talked about it for years, I hope one day to see some progress. I would guess it is our city's biggest tourist attraction, yet the area is a dump. Not just the safety aspect, but the beautification aspect - the area just plain looks like junk. It would do the area and the entire city a great service to make that neighborhood into a destination - nice, safe hotels, both local and chain restaurants, shopping (other than cheap Elvis trinkets), maybe another related museum of some sort. It would bring money to that area as well as give our city a better reputation - I've always wondered what tourists think when they travel here for solely for Graceland, get a motel room in the area not realizing what it's like, and that's all they see of our city.

As a resident of Memphis, perhaps your vision of Graceland is that of the surrounding area. However, having been a "tourist guide" for many friends who come here just to see Graceland, they don't care. They want to see Graceland. Once you are on the property, it's like DisneyLand. Everything is well organized and lines are formed. The waiting area is well thought out, there is plenty of seating to wait for your turn, and clean. They museums are kept up and all part of the tour. Once you're in line you get headsets, hop on a tour bus and off to the mansion.

Tourist don't look for the garbage, they see the gold. It's like that in any town you visit.

[CristenS]

The area as a whole could be the destination, not just the gated property. A neighborhood of safe attractions that are not specifically Elvis related. I've taken family and friends there as well - they love Graceland, but they are scared of and quickly note how terrible the surroundings are. They don't undestand why the city and the Graceland company has not kept the area up nicer. I'm not saying Graceland itself is bad or needs help - it's the area around it that could stand for some serious improvement. It's like Stax - Stax is great. The area around it is terrible. I don't see the Stax area improving unfortunately, but the Graceland area could and should.

Originally Posted by My_home_town

As a resident of Memphis, perhaps your vision of Graceland is that of the surrounding area. However, having been a "tourist guide" for many friends who come here just to see Graceland, they don't care. They want to see Graceland. Once you are on the property, it's like DisneyLand. Everything is well organized and lines are formed. The waiting area is well thought out, there is plenty of seating to wait for your turn, and clean. They museums are kept up and all part of the tour. Once you're in line you get headsets, hop on a tour bus and off to the mansion.

Tourist don't look for the garbage, they see the gold. It's like that in any town you visit.

[JoeCartpath]

For the most part it's not up to the city or Graceland to keep up or improve the surrounding area....it's up to the individual property owners in the area....

[jabogitlu]

It's like Stax - Stax is great. The area around it is terrible. I don't see the Stax area improving unfortunately, but the Graceland area could and should.

I'm very bullish on the Stax area. If I had fat stacks of cash and could weather a 30 year investment window, I would be buying property along McLemore and Mississippi Blvd. I would much rather see both private and public capital investment flow into this area of South Memphis than into the Graceland area. Whitehaven is by and large a huge suburban wasteland which is ultimately quite unsustainable in its current configuration. Upper South Memphis has actual unrealized returns for the citizens of Memphis.