I don’t care how many times Elvis played in the Mid-South Coliseum. That's not why I have been working with the Coliseum Coalition for more than two years to reopen the legendary arena.

The YouTube video showing John Lennon at a 1966 Coliseum press conference explaining his claim that the Beatles were "more popular than Jesus" is cool, but it has no bearing on my love for that beautiful building.

I love the building for its Mid-Century architectural design, for which Memphis was renowned. I love it for its civil rights history, its sports history and its music history. 

No other building in the region that has touched more lives than the Coliseum. All of these things make it a piece of authentic Memphis.

Authenticity is what makes Memphis what it is. I moved to this city, remain in this city, and see millions of tourists spend their money in this city because of its authenticity.

Hanging on to our past isn’t going to hold Memphis back. Respecting our past while incorporating innovation and progressive city planning will build upon what we already have.  

And what we have in the Coliseum is worth saving. It's a citizen-owned and paid-for asset in remarkable condition, especially considering that it has been shuttered for more than a decade.

It’s a structurally sound, solid concrete building with no roof leaks in the dome. It’s surprisingly clean inside for an abandoned building. Why tear something like that down? 

While touring the building last year to assess its viability, more than one person asked me, “Why can’t we just power wash it and open it back up?”  

It's condition isn't quite that good, but its not bad. It would take at least $24 million to reopen the Coliseum's doors as a multi-use facility including sports, music, museum and other entertainment or tourist uses. 

For $35 million we could create a truly competitive second-tier venue that would bring needed tax revenue for the city.

The proposed Tourist Development Zone funding can pay for the majority or all of the renovation costs without an added burden to the city coffers. Nostalgia isn't a reason to reopen the building, but that aspect of it will aid tourism.

Speaking of tourism, Elvis Presley Enterprises wants to build a 6,000-seat venue for its fans. Why not use the Coliseum? The city could work with Graceland and the Grizzlies to get creative about revising the city's non-compete covenant with the FedExForum and repurpose the Coliseum.

Actually now I do care how many times Elvis played in the building.

Charles “Chooch” Pickard is a preservation architect, urban designer and vice president of the Coliseum Coalition.

Show Thumbnails
Show Captions

The city announced they will be reopening the conversation about the future of the Fairgrounds and Mid-South Coliseum.


Read or Share this story: