Memphis Pyramid

Memphis Pyramid
The Pyramid in 2016
Map
Former namesGreat American Pyramid
Pyramid Arena
Alternative namesThe Pyramid
Bass Pro Shops Pyramid
General information
LocationMemphis, Tennessee
Address1 Bass Pro Drive
Current tenantsBass Pro Shops
GroundbreakingSeptember 15, 1989[2]
OpenedNovember 9, 1991[3]
RenovatedNovember 2011–April 2015
CostUS$65 million
($130 million in 2023 dollars)[1]
OwnerCity of Memphis
Height321 feet (98 m)
Design and construction
Architect(s)Rosser Fabrap International[4]
O.T. Marshall Architects (Bass Pro Shops improvements)
Other information
Public transit accessBus interchange MATA
Heritage streetcar  Main Street Line 
Heritage streetcar  Riverfront Loop 

The Memphis Pyramid, formerly known as the Great American Pyramid and the Pyramid Arena, and colloquially known as the Bass Pro Shops Pyramid,[5] is a pyramid-shaped building located in downtown Memphis, Tennessee, United States, at the bank of the Mississippi River. Built in 1991 as a 20,142-seat arena, the facility was owned and operated jointly by the city of Memphis and Shelby County until Shelby County sold its share to Memphis in April 2009.[6] Its structure plays on the city's namesake in Egypt, which is known for its ancient pyramids. It is 321 feet (98 m) (about 32 stories) tall and has base sides of 591 feet (180 m); it is by some measures the tenth-tallest pyramid in the world.[7]

The Memphis Pyramid has not been regularly used as a sports or entertainment venue since 2007. In 2015, the Pyramid re-opened as a Bass Pro Shops megastore, which included shopping, a hotel, restaurants, a bowling alley, and an archery range, with an outdoor observation deck adjacent to its apex. Ducks Unlimited also operates a museum on waterfowl hunting and wetlands conservation inside of the store.

  1. ^ Johnston, Louis; Williamson, Samuel H. (2023). "What Was the U.S. GDP Then?". MeasuringWorth. Retrieved November 30, 2023. United States Gross Domestic Product deflator figures follow the MeasuringWorth series.
  2. ^ Baird, Woody (September 15, 1989). "Memphis Will Celebrate". Associated Press. Retrieved March 28, 2012.
  3. ^ Baird, Woody (November 9, 1991). "Big Pyramid, Little Wonder". Associated Press. Retrieved March 28, 2012.
  4. ^ The Great American Pyramid
  5. ^ Murtaugh, Frank. "The Mall of Memphis : Remembering the Marketplace of the Midsouth | Main / Pyramid". The Mall of Memphis. Archived from the original on 2012-01-11. Retrieved 2012-01-14.
  6. ^ McMillin, Zack. Once filled to the rafters, Pyramid sits empty as its future is debated. Memphis Commercial Appeal, Sunday, May 10, 2009.
  7. ^ "The World's Tallest 15 Pyramids". The Hungry Suitcase. 17 November 2013. Archived from the original on 21 July 2015. Retrieved 19 July 2015.