Weekly Update

Friends,

 

In case you missed it yesterday, we made a pretty exciting announcement about a transformational investment and renovation to the Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium. While we are still ironing out all the details to fund the project, the University of Memphis, in partnership with the City of Memphis, announced plans for a $150 to $200 million in renovations to the stadium.

 

The University studied options for both a renovation and construction of a new football stadium with global stadium architecture design firm Populous. After deliberately analyzing both possibilities, the University decided the most logical conclusion was to focus on a transformation of Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium.

 

Priority elements of the renovation will include:

• A transformation of the stadium’s west side, providing several modern premium seating options
• Creating a hospitality experience within the halo space surrounding the stadium
• Other new seating options, such as family boxes on the north end and party deck patios for students on the south end
• A potential repurpose and retrofit of the east side suite tower

This renovation will be the single largest facility investment in the history of the University. Our collective goal for completion of this transformational project is prior to the start of the 2025 football season.

 

 

If you haven’t noticed, now is a time of historic public and private reinvestment in our city. Whether through private developments or city-wide public projects, billions of dollars are helping to bring new life and new energy to Memphis. This significant investment in the stadium will be a tremendous compliment to the 227,000-sq. ft. youth sports complex just across the street on Early Maxwell, as well as, the overall transformative Liberty Park development. Stay tuned for more details as we progress.

 

To wrap up this section Kenneth Gainwell (former Memphis Tiger and current Philadelphia Eagles running back) said it best on his social media after the announcement:

 

“What a time to be in Memphis!!!!! WOW💎”.

 

The momentum was and still is real: There was a great article written earlier this week detailing the momentum our city was experiencing pre-pandemic. The author states in their story that “According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s County Business Patterns (CBP) data released in April 2022, Memphis saw more than 80 new net business establishments; the addition of more than 4,600 employees; and an increase of more than $1 billion in annual payroll —  the highest across the state — in March 2020, compared to March 2019.”

 

I am happy to say that, after two long years fighting the pandemic, we are finally seeing light at the end of the tunnel. Our economy is strong and billions of new public and private investment is happening all around our city. Our employment numbers have fully recovered. Our tourism numbers, meaning people visiting, spending money and staying at hotels in our city, is better than the national average. Flights into the newly renovated Memphis International Airport have recovered faster than like airports across the country.

 

All that to say—we’re moving full speed ahead in Memphis, TN!

 

A trip the Motor City: One thing you’ve hopefully learned about our administration is we’re constantly looking for ways to improve our service to Memphians. In an effort to do that earlier this week, members of our GVIP team, MPD, and I took a trip to Detroit to meet with their team leading similar efforts.

 

 

Our time with the Detroit team was well worth the trip. We learned best practices and more ways we can improve our team.

 

While in town, I also was able to stop by and spend some quality time with Bishop John Drew Sheard the Presiding Bishop and Chief Apostle of the Church of God in Christ. We’re so excited to host the Holy Convocation back in Memphis later this year, and it was great to be able to share that with him and his team in person.

 

Also, we met with Ford Motor Company executives at their World Headquarters in Dearborn to discuss workforce development opportunities at Blue Oval City and ways Memphians can take advantage of the thousands of jobs that will be coming in the near future.

 

Game 6, Conference Semifinals: The Grizz play tonight at 9:00, and right now, we’re behind in series is 3-2. Be sure to watch and cheer them on! We need the win tonight!

 

Enjoy your weekend and Go Grizz!

 

Yours,