Pyramid Bass Pro Shop is looking good | News

JONESBORO, AR (KAIT)-A group of Region 8 residents got an inside look at what's coming to Memphis.

Principal of O.T. Marshall Architects, Tom Marshall, spoke at the Kiwanis meeting at Barnhills in Jonesboro.

Marshall spoke about a number of upcoming Memphis projects, but the one on everyone's mind was the Bass Pro shop coming to the Pyramid.

"According to their business model," Marshall said. "Each and every new facility has to be better than the previous. Given the designs we've been able to help facilitate it's going to be something quite spectacular."

Marshall says people are going to see more than places to shop.

"You're going to see all kinds of actual wildlife in the facility," Marshall said. "Including a number of swamps, lakes, zip lines and activities along those lines. Also, a very large museum relative to the ducks and all the different species of ducks. We're contemplating putting every known species of ducks in the facility that go up and down this flyway. It's going to, of course, include a lot of retail but a lot of amusement type things too. This is a destination retail. This isn't just something that's like a neighborhood store. This is something very special and unique."

And in the top of the Pyramid will be a place to eat.

"We're looking at what's tentatively called the 'Eagle's Nest'," Marshall said. "There's an elevator going up to the top. There's going to be spectacular views, you'll be able to see all of West Memphis and downtown Memphis from that vantage point. I've walked up the 423 stairs to see it myself. Fortunately, we're going to be giving access to the public by way of elevator."

Marshall says a main focus during this process has been safety.

"The pyramid was built in a time when we did not have seismic codes," Marshall said. "So, we've had to retrofit the building to meet the codes. you know, that's a new science now and we didn't know then what we know now in this digital age. How to manage the construction and design of a building to resist seismic forces and so we've used all that we know today to make this building very safe. I would venture to say this is the safest structure in downtown Memphis in the event of an earthquake."

Marshall says things are, so far, going according to schedule.

"Right now, we're in budget," Marshall said. "We're on time with when we hope to open. We've broken it into six bid packages and we're going out for bid on the third package this week and we're about 20% through completion."

They expect to have the project complete by November of 2013.

For more information about this project, log onto their website.

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