“We competed against cities who were offering big cash incentives,” said Benny Lendermon, President of RDC. “But once the company saw the plans for Beale Street Landing, they knew it had to be Memphis.”

For the city, the deal means:

- 250 new jobs

- $1.5 million in yearly taxes and fees to the City of Memphis

- 10,000 filled hotel rooms each year

- a $90-million annual economic impact

All with no taxpayer-funded incentives to the company. The vision for Beale Street Landing as a catalyst for economic and cultural vitality is clearly already underway.

Ogle will be involved primarily in program development. The first phase of his efforts will involve launching a new incarnation of his popular walking tour program and establishing a riverfront speakers’ bureau.

Over the last 25 years, Ogle has served in leadership positions with the Memphis Park Commission, Mud Island River Park, the Memphis Queen Line, Beale Street, the Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum, and the Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau. He has also played instrumental roles in a long list of community organizations (including the West Tennessee Historical Society, Memphis Heritage, the Center City Commission, Memphis in May and The Cotton Museum), and has emerged as one of the city’s foremost authorities on Memphis’ cultural assets and heritage.

“The story of our riverfront is amazingly fascinating and always evolving,” said Benny Lendermon, RDC’s President. “I can’t think of anyone better to share that story than Jimmy.”

Construction crews are on track to open Beale Street Landing in two phases next year. RDC is planning to unveil the dock next summer, and then – in December or January – open the doors to the Beale Street Landing interior facilities and island parks.

Almost a decade of careful study and planning will soon pay off. Be on the lookout for more updates on this site and in upcoming issues of River Vision.

To learn more about the history and vision of the Beale Street Landing project, click here.

Time: Twilight, 8:45 p.m.

Admission: Free and open to the public

Primary Viewing: Mud Island River Park
As always, the fireworks spectacular will be shot above the Mississippi River and can be seen from all the riverfront parks. However, Mud Island River Park is the place to be on this special evening.

Paid parking available in the Mud Island Parking Garage (Front St. at Poplar Ave.)

Use the Mud Island walk bridge for free

$4 Monorail Rides (round trip)

Fireworks Display: 8:45 pm – Activities Begin: 6:00 pm – Park Opens: 10:00 am

Come early, bring your lawn chairs and blankets, and settle in for an evening of family-friendly fun and local entertainment.

● Enjoy the Mississippi River Museum, Pedal Boats, Pontchartrain Fountain & more
● Food and drink concession available
● Kiddie rides and games
● Blankets, picnic baskets, & lawn chairs are welcome
**NO PETS, PERSONAL FIREWORKS, ALCOHOL, or GRILLS**

Sponsored by:
Riverfront Development Corporation and
WREG-News Channel 3

For more information: www.mudisland.com or 901.576.7241

Beale Street Landing answers the community’s call for a safe, inviting, welcoming place on the riverfront to get close to the water – not only to hear the currents lapping at the shore, but to see it up close and personal – to have a shady place to sit, a cool place to watch the beautiful sunsets, and casual place to get a bite to eat and beverage to drink.

We all understand the shortfalls of Tom Lee Park.  It was expanded to accommodate the Memphis in May International Festival.  It was never designed for shade or play structures or outdoor rooms formed by trees and plantings that add human scale and artful purpose.  Tom Lee Park was built to be a wide open field to accommodate the Beale Street Music Festival and the World Championship BBQ Cooking Contest.

On the other hand, Beale Street Landing is designed to have all the wonderful park-like features the riverfront is currently missing.  Beale Street Landing provides access to the river – no matter how high it gets or how low it falls.

Beale Street Landing will offer the first riverfront restaurant in decades.  Beale Street Landing will feature play areas for the children and seating areas for the adults.  Beale Street Landing will serve as an appropriate civic terminus for Beale Street and provide a family-friendly alternative to the clubs found there.

The decision to fully fund Beale Street Landing is the right one because it is what the vast majority of citizens want and what the Memphis riverfront needs.  The fact that it has attracted a new business to Memphis, which will hire more than 500 new employees, is icing on the cake.

Beale Street Landing is an investment in the future of our city and an economic development opportunity that is attracting new jobs for our citizens.

As Smith & Nephew orthopedic division’s president Joe DeVivo said recently at a chamber breakfast forum, we need to put the past behind us and focus in on the future – a positive future.  He said, “Tear the damn rearview mirror off the car.”

That’s exactly what the Memphis City Council has done by supporting and funding the completion of Beale Street Landing. And that’s the reason we should be proud of their action. Now we can all look forward to a positive new future for the Memphis riverfront.

The optimal place for viewing the Mississippi River and Wolf River Harbor is Mud Island River Park.  The river park remains open (for now) and is a wonderful place for the public to view the rising waters.  However, visitors need to access Mud Island River Park from the main entrance on Front Street.  There is a parking garage on Front Street at Poplar Avenue to accommodate vehicles.  By coming to Mud Island River Park, visitors will get the added treat of an aerial view of the flooding from the Monorail or the Monorail Walkbridge.

Today, Riverside Drive is closed due to the move-out of Memphis in May from Tom Lee Park.  However, the storm drain is emptying water onto Beale Street at Riverside Drive immediately beneath the railroad tracks.  Sometime tonight or early tomorrow water from the Wolf River Harbor is expected to spill onto Riverside Drive at Beale Street making the entire area unsafe for vehicles and pedestrians.  So, Riverside Drive may remain closed until the river water begins to recede.

Some people are stopping their cars and parking along Riverside Drive near Jefferson Avenue, which should be discouraged.  Instead, visitors can just as easily park in the lot of the Tennessee Welcome Center located at Riverside Drive and Jefferson Avenue beside Jefferson Davis Park (north end of the Cobblestone Landing) and get an outstanding view of the Wolf River Harbor at water level.

Another nice place to view the riverfront area is from Martyrs Park, which is located off of Riverside Drive onto Channel 3 Drive.  It is easily accessible from the South on I-55 or from the southern most end of downtown, near Carolina and Georgia Avenues.

This is (hopefully) a once in a lifetime event.  People should come down to witness it first hand.  But they should be careful in where they drive – avoiding any standing water – and where they walk.  No one should attempt to wade through or touch the water.  The currents are very strong and the wake action causes unexpected waves after the barges and boats go by.  In addition there are bacteria in the water which can cause unforeseen health issues.  The river is to be respected and safety must take priority.

The service road between the Mud Island Roundabout and Mud Island River Park has taken on water significant enough to cause concern for vehicles and pedestrians.  While visitors and staff could enter the river park via the East Terminal or main entrance on Front Street, emergency vehicles would be unable to safely access the area.  Without emergency access, the RDC cannot allow the park to remain open to the public.

All events scheduled for the next seven days at Mud Island River Park, including those at River Terrace and Harbor Landing, are cancelled.  The RDC will update the closings on a go-forward basis based on road conditions.

The Memphis Yacht Club, which operates from Mud Island River Park, will modify its operations.  The RDC will allow members of the Memphis Yacht Club to access the marina from the East Terminal, using the monorail walkbridge to Mud Island River Park or via a temporary water shuttle that the marina might operate between the dock and Jefferson Davis Park.

Mississippi River water is also encroaching into the riverwalk model at Mud Island River Park causing the Gulf of Mexico area to overflow its banks.  To maintain a safe environment, the RDC is having the power cut off to the south end of the river park.  Earlier this week, the RDC evacuated the maintenance compound at Mud Island River Park and turned off the power there as well.

The RDC is keeping a close watch on the Mississippi River Museum.  While the elevations show the Museum to be above the predicted crest, we are taking every precaution to stave off any flooding that might lead to a loss of the important artifacts housed in the Museum.

The Mississippi River is expected to crest on Wednesday, May 11^th and remain at +48 on the Memphis gauge for five to seven days thereafter.  As long as there is significant standing water on the service road, Mud Island River Park will remain closed to the public.  The RDC will continue to monitor the situation and take necessary actions to ensure the safety of our staff and visitors.

For more information on the affects of the flood along the Memphis riverfront, visit www.memphisriverfront.com.