Did you know the tenth-largest pyramid in the world is located in… Memphis, Tennessee?
There are few things that scream being American more than the Bass Pro Shops pyramid in Memphis, Tennessee. That’s right – the tenth-largest pyramid in the world is right here in the United States and is the current home of a Bass Pro Shops sporting goods store. That sentence just feels so… right.
Also known simply as the Memphis Pyramid, and formerly the Great American Pyramid, it’s very fitting this complex has evolved into such a beacon of capitalism. While it is of course a Bass Pro Shops megastore now (since 2015), it has gone through many iterations in its history, and has played host to some incredible events in its time, including being the home of the University of Memphis men’s basketball team, the home arena for the Memphis Grizzlies, an Arena Football League arena, and the location of numerous events and concerts, including a WWF pay-per-view, Rolling Stones and Phish concerts, a Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson boxing match, and more. It was even used as the sound stage for the 2005 movie Black Snake Moan. The list just goes on and on.
So what in the world is up with this place?
The History of the Memphis Pyramid
The Great American Pyramid was conceived by Mark C. Hartz back in 1954, but the project itself languished for three decades until it was finally resurrected by his son in the mid-90s. Apparently, the entire family was haunted by the dream that there simply must be a gigantic pyramid that dominates the Memphis skyline. Originally, there were supposed to be three pyramids overlooking the Mississippi River, with plans for a wide variety of amenities and attractions, including a radio station, an observation deck, a Hard Rock Cafe, a music museum, a College Football Hall of Fame, and a theme park.
Those plans had to be scrapped for a variety of reasons, but hey, not only do we still get a Bass Pro Shops MEGASTORE, but we also have an archery range, a shooting range, a laser arcade, a restaurant with a bowling alley and saltwater aquarium, and, perhaps most importantly, the tallest freestanding elevator in the United States, which takes visitors to an indoor/outdoor observation deck. The pyramid is also home to the Big Cypress Lodge, a 100-room hotel.
The Great American Pyramid has also been included in the design of Tennessee’s driver’s licenses, so it has truly become an iconic piece of architecture in the state, just as Hartz envisioned back in the mid-20th century. I’m not sure if the Egyptians planned to include bowling alleys in their pyramids, but I will say, Bass Pro Shops could do big business by allowing customers to be entombed within the walls of the store.
A Little Bit of Controversy at the Bass Pro Shops Pyramid
In order to convert the Memphis Pyramid from a sports arena into a Bass Pro Shops retail store, the city of Memphis shelled out $100 million of taxpayer money. The terms of the deal stipulate that Bass Pro Shops would then pay back 2% of its gross sales – and at least a minimum of $1 million – per year as part of the rental agreement.
As recently as May of 2021, documents show the company wasn’t living up to its end of the bargain, underpaying since 2017. The company claims the documents received were incomplete and they’ve been paying the $1 million each year, but would it really surprise anyone to see a giant company skirting around the agreement that already resulted in very generous corporate welfare?
If things go south and Bass Pro Shops one day gets kicked out of the Memphis Pyramid, what should it be next? Personally, it would be cool to see it all transformed into residential housing of some kind.
