It's Better Than Leaving It Vacant

Even though it was a bargain basement deal from it's inception. I remember when State Senator Steve Cohen suggested the deal in the first place. Surprisingly he doesn't take credit for that these days. I wonder why? I have been in support of "Bass Pro" buying the Pyramid all along. It's a futuristic move. People who own boats have expendable incomes. Unlike those youngsters who will go to an amusement park once maybe twice a year. One of those probably being to put in an application. I have visions in my mind of a downtown marina after visiting other cities. Probably like that of council members who took the tour of Bass Pro last year. A lot of other major cities have one already. This latest offer should light a fire under them though. Their bargaining chip has been removed. This isn't some bright idea put together by a group with credentials you can't verify. Cummings Street Baptist Church is bringing a serious offer to the table. They have offered 12 million dollars for the building with no strings attached. The city won't have to give them tax incentives or invest in their success. To get them to locate here.

I personally don't think this would be such a good thing for the city in terms of growth. Although it may end up being the only viable choice we have. It's not the best use of the building, I agree. All it would be is the latest showplace of black churches. Look at the long overdue undone development of the COGIC property. Let's not get Conservative all of a sudden. We haven't been picky in the past. The best thing hasn't been done since the building was originally constructed. Though it was supposed to be built to attract a pro basketball team, it never met NBA standards. The local pro basketball team has never played there. The #2 tigers moved to the FedEx forum too. They should have never let "University Of Memphis" out of their lease. It shoud still be the tomb of doom.

The only suggestion I would have to the city is swallow your losses and keep going. Don't go into the landlord business because you have a tenant. Sell the building to them outright. Don't sit by worrying if the property is going to have a sharp rise in value, and Cummings Street is going to be the benefactor. It brings to mind a passage in the bible: But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. All that means is, if God is behind this, it will come to past. He didn't tell them to rent, he told them to buy. Allow them to go forward boldly. It's better than leaving it vacant.