Graceland Arena Controversy Shows Strings

Above, The Beast at the Graceland RV Park in 2016. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The saga between the proposed projects of Elvis Presley Enterprises and the City of Memphis marches on.

The Memphis Daily News reported:

Elvis Presley Enterprises and City Hall got together last week in Whitehaven on neutral ground to talk about Graceland’s expansion plan, specifically a 6,200-seat arena. And from a distance you could barely see the strings from the arena attached to the 1,000-job manufacturing facility Graceland has also talked about starting on Brooks Road. 

Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland has said he has no problem with incentives for a manufacturing facility that would make such products as The Clapper and Chia Pets – made by a company recently bought by Graceland Holdings managing partner Joel Weinshanker. But he says Graceland hasn’t sought incentives for that project. 

At the May 16 forum hosted by City Council member Patrice Robinson at the Southwest Tennessee Community College Whitehaven center, attorney Clarence Wilbon, representing Elvis Presley Enterprises, said he hasn’t heard that before. And he indicated Graceland may begin moving in that direction.

But Wilbon also said there is a legal argument to be made for tax incentives that might be granted for any project on the Graceland campus – including an arena.

The map above shows a proposed exhibit area and a new arena west of the Elvis Presley's Memphis entertainment complex.  (Elvis Presley Enterprises map)  Note that the Graceland RV Park is still a part of the campus. This will make RVers very happpy (and it is a nice campground/RV park, I stayed there two years ago). It does look like it may be reconfigured from when I was there.

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