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  #2241  
Old Posted Dec 30, 2013, 8:24 PM
ILoveMemphis ILoveMemphis is offline
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I know it's been said many times before...but Memphis could really take advantage of the music tourism scene better than they are now. Memphis would be a GREAT home to a HARD ROCK HOTEL and Cafe - and the whole theme could be based on all the great rock and roll legends from here. Maybe this is the "mystery" hotel across from the Bass Pro shop?! Hahaha, one can dream right?
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  #2242  
Old Posted Dec 30, 2013, 8:33 PM
Wayward Memphian Wayward Memphian is offline
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Originally Posted by ILoveMemphis View Post
I know it's been said many times before...but Memphis could really take advantage of the music tourism scene better than they are now. Memphis would be a GREAT home to a HARD ROCK HOTEL and Cafe - and the whole theme could be based on all the great rock and roll legends from here. Maybe this is the "mystery" hotel across from the Bass Pro shop?! Hahaha, one can dream right?
Doubtful, with Memphis' track record, wish for a Best Western Plus.
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  #2243  
Old Posted Dec 30, 2013, 8:37 PM
Huntsvillenative Huntsvillenative is offline
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Originally Posted by Wayward Memphian View Post
Doubtful, with Memphis' track record, wish for a Best Western Plus.
Sad, but very true. Memphis has never got it and probably never will.
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  #2244  
Old Posted Dec 31, 2013, 3:50 AM
Johnny Ryall Johnny Ryall is offline
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Originally Posted by Huntsvillenative View Post
Graceland wants a piece of the pie too. That's why they are planning to build an entertainment venue for live concerts for both Elvis related and non related events to bring in more tourism and revenue for the estate.
Absolutely, if a private entity wants to build & manage a venue including booking & promotion, by all means. Heartbreak Hotel has a very high occupancy rate and should be razed to build a hotel tower with at least 500 rooms & performance arts/ convention space.

Last edited by Johnny Ryall; Dec 31, 2013 at 5:21 AM.
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  #2245  
Old Posted Dec 31, 2013, 5:07 AM
Johnny Ryall Johnny Ryall is offline
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Originally Posted by Wayward Memphian View Post
Doubtful, with Memphis' track record, wish for a Best Western Plus.
Hard Rock Hotel "Tulsa" is not downtown or in Tulsa County at all. It is actually 15 miles away in Catoosa, OK. Plus, it's a casino which you can't have in Tennessee, so not really a Memphis issue. Ironically enough, metro Memphis has the 6th largest casino-gaming destination in the U.S. by revenue (Tunica Resorts). Even closer and inside the urban core, across the Hernando-Desoto Bridge from Downtown Memphis is ever-popular Southland Greyhound Park which now has electronic Blackjack & video poker. Honestly, Memphis has its own version of Hard Rock Hotel Tulsa. The pic below is almost 2000 hotel rooms including the 31-story Goldstrike Casino tower, the 2nd tallest building in Mississippi. Not to mention, Harrah's Casino Tunica, the closest to Memphis, is the largest casino between Las Vegas & Atlantic City.

farm6.staticflickr.com

Last edited by Johnny Ryall; Dec 31, 2013 at 6:02 AM.
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  #2246  
Old Posted Dec 31, 2013, 5:57 AM
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Absolutely, if a private entity wants to build & manage a venue including booking & promotion, by all means. Heartbreak Hotel has a very high occupancy rate and should be razed to build a hotel tower with at least 500 rooms & performance arts/ convention space.
Eventually I think we'll see that. It is however on the city to act first by bringing much needed upgrades to the area. I think that with various infrastructure upgrades and perhaps a solid mixed use development (mainly retail and dining) a hotel will be next. That's on the city for sure for not acting on that potential. One thing that does somewhat hurt is the distance of Graceland from downtown, but money being pumped into Whitehaven (if and when new developments start) is a very good thing.
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  #2247  
Old Posted Dec 31, 2013, 3:43 PM
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WilliamTheArtist WilliamTheArtist is offline
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Originally Posted by Johnny Ryall View Post
Hard Rock Hotel "Tulsa" is not downtown or in Tulsa County at all. It is actually 15 miles away in Catoosa, OK. Plus, it's a casino which you can't have in Tennessee, so not really a Memphis issue. Ironically enough, metro Memphis has the 6th largest casino-gaming destination in the U.S. by revenue (Tunica Resorts). Even closer and inside the urban core, across the Hernando-Desoto Bridge from Downtown Memphis is ever-popular Southland Greyhound Park which now has electronic Blackjack & video poker. Honestly, Memphis has its own version of Hard Rock Hotel Tulsa. The pic below is almost 2000 hotel rooms including the 31-story Goldstrike Casino tower, the 2nd tallest building in Mississippi. Not to mention, Harrah's Casino Tunica, the closest to Memphis, is the largest casino between Las Vegas & Atlantic City.
Tulsa has several casinos. Also if you knew the Tulsa area you would know that the Hard Rock is not that far away, especially time wise. It's an easy, straight shot East on the Highway from downtown and the Casino is right next to that highway. The River Spirit Casino, which is inside the Tulsa city limits and a straight shot South from downtown, just broke ground for a new $335 million dollar phase II expansion having a 26-story hotel component. They also now own the Riverwalk Crossing (which has a great view of downtown and is walking distance to the Oklahoma Aquarium) on the other side of the river and have plans to expand that. There is also a push to get a low water dam in that area of the river so that the water can be more constant and then put in a ferry to better connect both projects. http://www.newson6.com/story/2369955...-spirit-casino
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  #2248  
Old Posted Dec 31, 2013, 3:58 PM
Wayward Memphian Wayward Memphian is offline
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Originally Posted by WilliamTheArtist View Post
Tulsa has several casinos. Also if you knew the Tulsa area you would know that the Hard Rock is not that far away, especially time wise. It's an easy, straight shot East on the Highway from downtown and the Casino is right next to that highway. The River Spirit Casino, which is inside the Tulsa city limits and a straight shot South from downtown, just broke ground for a new $335 million dollar phase II expansion having a 26-story hotel component. They also now own the Riverwalk Crossing (which has a great view of downtown and is walking distance to the Oklahoma Aquarium) on the other side of the river and have plans to expand that. There is also a push to get a low water dam in that area of the river so that the water can be more constant and then put in a ferry to better connect both projects. http://www.newson6.com/story/2369955...-spirit-casino
Catoosa might as well be Tulsa. One should see the Wannamaker's Gun Show in Tulsa in spring and fall. That's a sight that brings them in from all over the US.

Like it's been said, without Memphis as it's base Tunica is pretty much dead.

And when someone says that there's video poker at Oaklawn. Yeah with a dealer and all. Weird sight, it is



It's a charade, might as well go full enchilada with dice and the rest.
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  #2249  
Old Posted Dec 31, 2013, 4:51 PM
DoomJ DoomJ is offline
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Tunica Resorts, at best, is a poorly planned development. It's too far away, and the pieces that make it up are too spread out, with very little alternate attractions in the immediate vicinity.

That being said, it can certainly be "rearranged" or improved, but that will require substantial (quality) planning and investment, public and private. Some sort of high-speed transit between casino sites, Graceland, and Memphis International would be phenomenal (and the kind of thing, around here, only gambling revenue could pay for). It may even kick start a better transit connection between Memphis International and Downtown.
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  #2250  
Old Posted Dec 31, 2013, 5:16 PM
Johnny Ryall Johnny Ryall is offline
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Originally Posted by WilliamTheArtist View Post
Tulsa has several casinos. Also if you knew the Tulsa area you would know that the Hard Rock is not that far away, especially time wise. It's an easy, straight shot East on the Highway from downtown and the Casino is right next to that highway. The River Spirit Casino, which is inside the Tulsa city limits and a straight shot South from downtown...
I do know the Tulsa region has more than one casino and I never stated otherwise. Most of Tulsa's nearby casinos are lone and scattered around outside the city 360 degrees while Tunica Resorts is a single town-district. Apples & Oranges really. You go on only to reinforce my point that Tunica is a short drive from the Memphis/Tennessee border with an Interstate route & another 4-lane highway going right to it. You can be there in 25 minutes from Memphis Int'l and 35 minutes from Downtown with 9 casinos to choose from in the same vicinity. Tunica Resorts is not in expansion mode, but there were massive development proposals before the recession such as a $2 billion resort and other rumblings of theme & water parks. Tunica Resorts has the ability to go much bigger and the growing tourism industry in Memphis only helps it. Numbers have shown that a lot of the tourists that come to Memphis to visit Beale Street, Graceland or see an NBA game, etc. like to go down to the casinos for a night or two as well. So, it only adds to the regional draw.
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  #2251  
Old Posted Dec 31, 2013, 5:39 PM
Johnny Ryall Johnny Ryall is offline
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Originally Posted by Wayward Memphian View Post
Like it's been said, without Memphis as it's base Tunica is pretty much dead.
You're saying that Tulsa doesn't anchor its regional casinos as well and that is certainly not true. Tunica Resorts still has a large pull from Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas, Alabama, Missouri, Georgia, Illinois and Kentucky.
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  #2252  
Old Posted Dec 31, 2013, 5:46 PM
Wayward Memphian Wayward Memphian is offline
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I do know the Tulsa region has more than one casino and I never stated otherwise. Most of Tulsa's nearby casinos are lone and scattered around outside the city 360 degrees while Tunica Resorts is a single town-district. Apples & Oranges really. You go on only to reinforce my point that Tunica is a short drive from the Memphis/Tennessee border with an Interstate route & another 4-lane highway going right to it. You can be there in 25 minutes from Memphis Int'l and 35 minutes from Downtown with 9 casinos to choose from in the same vicinity. Tunica Resorts is not in expansion mode, but there were massive development proposals before the recession such as a $2 billion resort and other rumblings of theme & water parks. Tunica Resorts has the ability to go much bigger and the growing tourism industry in Memphis only helps it. Numbers have shown that a lot of the tourists that come to Memphis to visit Beale Street, Graceland or see an NBA game, etc. like to go down to the casinos for a night or two as well. So, it only adds to the regional draw.
I know all about what was proposed for Tunica before the recession, 99 percent of that will never be revisited. Tunica is what Tunica will ever be gaming wise. That interstate dead ends and it's only legit use is to get to the casinos till someone funds the I-69 bridge and it runs down to the crossing. My point of giving Oklahoma as an example is that folks, and I know them, that once went to Tunica for gaming no longer do. Viable options are closer and all around. OKC has casinos as well in and around it as well. Another example of Tunica losing draw power is Cherokee Casino just over the line in NC. The conditions that allowed Tunica to prosper are gone due to market saturation since the beginning of the recession.
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  #2253  
Old Posted Dec 31, 2013, 6:10 PM
Johnny Ryall Johnny Ryall is offline
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Originally Posted by DoomJ View Post
Tunica Resorts, at best, is a poorly planned development. It's too far away, and the pieces that make it up are too spread out, with very little alternate attractions in the immediate vicinity.

That being said, it can certainly be "rearranged" or improved, but that will require substantial (quality) planning and investment, public and private. Some sort of high-speed transit between casino sites, Graceland, and Memphis International would be phenomenal (and the kind of thing, around here, only gambling revenue could pay for). It may even kick start a better transit connection between Memphis International and Downtown.
Poorly planned? It's a top ten U.S. gambling destination divided amongst only 9 casinos and probably averages $4 billion a year in revenue. Although, it is true that it has hit a plateau in its current form. Some other major attractions would drive growth. It's actually really easy to get around the casinos on shuttle buses and there are shuttles that heavily service Downtown, Memphis Int'l & East Memphis.
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  #2254  
Old Posted Dec 31, 2013, 7:00 PM
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Originally Posted by DoomJ View Post
Tunica Resorts, at best, is a poorly planned development. It's too far away, and the pieces that make it up are too spread out, with very little alternate attractions in the immediate vicinity.

That being said, it can certainly be "rearranged" or improved, but that will require substantial (quality) planning and investment, public and private. Some sort of high-speed transit between casino sites, Graceland, and Memphis International would be phenomenal (and the kind of thing, around here, only gambling revenue could pay for). It may even kick start a better transit connection between Memphis International and Downtown.
That's actually smart and probably how it was intended. If you're at my casino having a decent time, you're more likely to stay there rather than driving 4 or 5 miles to the next casino. The same goes for the alternate attractions. Anything in addition to what's located inside of those casinos takes revenue from the casinos. When a casino is the sole resource in your county you have to protect them at all cost.
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  #2255  
Old Posted Dec 31, 2013, 7:07 PM
Johnny Ryall Johnny Ryall is offline
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Originally Posted by Wayward Memphian View Post
I know all about what was proposed for Tunica before the recession, 99 percent of that will never be revisited. Tunica is what Tunica will ever be gaming wise.
I feel confident you don't know that and your comments are starting to sound as if you just have an axe to grind. Tunica Resorts has the benefit of being a well-established district just outside of a major city with a large & growing tourism industry. Its growth may be impeded by overnight casinos, but long after those have their honeymoon phase you'll still find Tunica Resorts chugging along.

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That interstate dead ends and it's only legit use is to get to the casinos till someone funds the I-69 bridge and it runs down to the crossing.
Interstate 69 does not "dead end" at Tunica Resorts. I-69/269 is under construction and that short segment's temporary terminus is the heavily travelled 4-lane U.S. Highway 61 which is near interstate standards in some parts.
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  #2256  
Old Posted Dec 31, 2013, 8:36 PM
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Originally Posted by Wayward Memphian View Post
I know all about what was proposed for Tunica before the recession, 99 percent of that will never be revisited. Tunica is what Tunica will ever be gaming wise. That interstate dead ends and it's only legit use is to get to the casinos till someone funds the I-69 bridge and it runs down to the crossing. My point of giving Oklahoma as an example is that folks, and I know them, that once went to Tunica for gaming no longer do. Viable options are closer and all around. OKC has casinos as well in and around it as well. Another example of Tunica losing draw power is Cherokee Casino just over the line in NC.The conditions that allowed Tunica to prosper are gone due to market saturation since the beginning of the recession.

You're saying that as if those casinos just came on line in Cherokee within the past few years; which they haven't. Gaming has been in Cherokee roughly the same amount of time that it has been in Tunica. The addition/renovation of 1 casino 500 miles away isn't drawing people from one gaming center to another. You might as well throw in Casino Aztar in Caruthersville and Evansville and the gaming centers on the Gulf Coast if you want to say that a casino in North Carolina is affecting gaming at Tunica.
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  #2257  
Old Posted Dec 31, 2013, 8:49 PM
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Anyways, on to something in Memphis (behind the pay wall):

California group agrees to buy long-dormant Midtown hotel
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news...-square_hotel/


Quote:
The long-closed French Quarter Inn was sold Wednesday morning to California-based NCE Realty & Capital Group.
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  #2258  
Old Posted Dec 31, 2013, 9:12 PM
Johnny Ryall Johnny Ryall is offline
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Awesome news for Overton Square & Memphis Theatre Arts District. Here's more coverage.

Midtown's French Quarter Inn sold for $1.9M
Memphis Biz Journal


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California-based investment group NCE Realty & Capital Group paid owner FQI LLC $1.9 million, or $24.40 per square foot, for the former 77,866-square-foot hotel at 2144 Madison Ave., the Commercial Appeal reported today. The buyer, one of several who has eyed the 105-room landmark recently, may be planning to renovate and reopen the building as a boutique hotel, the report said. The purchase follows the revival of Overton Square, which is 85 percent leased after a $20 million investment by Loeb Properties Inc.
http://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/n...erton-nce.html
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  #2259  
Old Posted Dec 31, 2013, 10:19 PM
kingchef kingchef is offline
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the limited amount that i remember about the tunica resort area, other than the planning of a large water feature casino playing off of a really wonderful and unusual aquarium features. it was my understanding that it would be the biggest casino in the u.s. supposedly, the entire project was to cap the growth of building casinos, but main themes would be reworked, revamped, and updated
over time periods of approximately 6 to 7 years. the river-walk village, which was voted on by both legislative bodies

Last edited by kingchef; Jan 3, 2014 at 5:27 AM. Reason: delete message, please. comments incomplete because of poster's commuter error. thank you
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  #2260  
Old Posted Dec 31, 2013, 11:20 PM
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WilliamTheArtist WilliamTheArtist is offline
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Originally Posted by Johnny Ryall View Post
I do know the Tulsa region has more than one casino and I never stated otherwise. Most of Tulsa's nearby casinos are lone and scattered around outside the city 360 degrees while Tunica Resorts is a single town-district. Apples & Oranges really. You go on only to reinforce my point that Tunica is a short drive from the Memphis/Tennessee border with an Interstate route & another 4-lane highway going right to it. You can be there in 25 minutes from Memphis Int'l and 35 minutes from Downtown with 9 casinos to choose from in the same vicinity. Tunica Resorts is not in expansion mode, but there were massive development proposals before the recession such as a $2 billion resort and other rumblings of theme & water parks. Tunica Resorts has the ability to go much bigger and the growing tourism industry in Memphis only helps it. Numbers have shown that a lot of the tourists that come to Memphis to visit Beale Street, Graceland or see an NBA game, etc. like to go down to the casinos for a night or two as well. So, it only adds to the regional draw.
I think we were going off different ideas. I was thinking more about the notion that other areas that had few or no gambling and tourist options are now getting them and thus perhaps peeling of some of Tunica's growth potential. Not that it can't grow, just that it, and other small/medium regional "players" will not likely have as much, or as easy, a time at it as they once could have.

Another example is the Dallas/Fort worth metroplex. There are large casino complexes going in on the Oklahoma border like the Winstar World Casino (I have done several projects for them). Though it's in Oklahoma, you pretty much only see Texas tags in the lot and they have shuttles going to the Metroplex as well. Another example of a little more people here and there, drawn from a large and major market, that might have made a trip to another area or region to gamble or vacation, now are getting pulled away.

You used to occasionally hear about Tunica even here in Tulsa. Ads in the paper, local magazines, radio, TV,,, now that is overwhelmed with daily ads about Hard Rock Casino and River Spirit (Why go all the way to Tunica when you can have fun right nearby?), and likely the same for the Dallas area with Winstar (which is undergoing a huge expansion and upgrade), etc.

No doubt Memphis and Tunica can still grow and become bigger tourist attractions. But like everything, you can't stand still cause the other guy will be out there also trying to grow, up their game, and pull people there way.
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