MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Driving to (or through) Memphis, you can’t help but notice the giant pyramid. Standing 321 feet tall, it towers over most of downtown as an homage to the city’s Egyptian connections.
If you look closely toward the top, you’ll see a lighted deck around it ... and people on that deck. If you are lucky enough to stand on that deck, you can get a spectacular view of the city with the quiet Mississippi River on one side, the bright lights and big sounds of a bustling downtown on the other.
Built in 1991, the pyramid began life as an entertainment venue and later served as an arena for the Memphis Grizzlies NBA team. It has a long history of dreams and plans and ultimately troubles. After being closed for years, it opened as Big Cypress in 2015, a hotel and entertainment venue built by Johnny Morris of Branson’s Big Cedar fame. Big Cypress has a giant Bass Pro store in its middle.
