City leaders held a ground breaking at the place where Elvis Presley was born as it will soon expand 10,000 plus square-feet.
Project plans estimate to cost about $6.6 million including a theater, reception hall, walking trail, and other displays.
Two and a half million dollars for this upgrade comes from the Mississippi Legislature, a wise investment according to some of our tourism experts.
"For every dollar we spend in advertising and marketing in the state of Mississippi we get about seven dollars returned on that one dollar," says Neal McCoy, Director of the Tupelo Convention and Visitor's Bureau. "So this is a good sound investment we think will attract visitors."
"We're the number one tourist attraction for the State of Mississippi. The state tourism people realize that and they're not afraid to put money into a project like this," believes Executive Director of the Elvis Presley Memorial, Dick Guyton.
Records show in 2010, the birthplace brought visitors in from all 50 states as well as 50 foreign countries.
Elvis Presley, Memphis and Pop Culture
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
EPE Announces Record # of Preliminaries for 2011 Ultimate Elvis Contest
Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. Announces Record Number of Preliminaries for the 2011 Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest; President Clinton Center Joins as a Location
Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. (EPE) announced today that for the fifth annual Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest, there will be a record-breaking 26 preliminaries held around the world throughout the spring and summer. Clinton Presidential Center in Arkansas joins as one of the preliminary contest locations.
Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. (EPE) announced today that for the fifth annual Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest, there will be a record-breaking 26 preliminaries held around the world throughout the spring and summer.
The 26 winners will then compete in Memphis, Tenn., on August 11 and 12, 2011, during Elvis Week.
Just added to the list of preliminary contests will be one at the Clinton Presidential Center in Little Rock, Ark. This preliminary, held July 16, will help celebrate two new temporary exhibits at the Center. The exhibit “ELVIS” will include special artifacts, some never-before-seen, from the Graceland archives that are significant to President Bill Clinton, who is a major Elvis fan. A second exhibit, “Elvis at 21, Photographs by Alfred Wertheimer,” is a collection of photographs that chronicle Elvis’ life in 1956.
In addition to the Clinton Presidential Center, other preliminaries are being held in Japan, Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada and all over the U.S. Judges look for the best representation of the Elvis legacy in talent, appearance, performance, stage presence and each contestant’s overall tribute to Elvis. The best overall performer will be named the “2011 Elvis Tribute Artist of the Year.”
Judges for the Memphis round of the competition during Elvis Week 2011 include:
John Cossette, who has more than 30 years of experience in the entertainment and music industry. His credits include 17 years producing the Grammy Awards, producer of the smash Broadway musical “Million Dollar Quartet,” producing live concerts in Central Park and Centennial Olympic Park for the 1996 Olympic Games, and doing benefits for many charitable organizations.
Alexis Grace, a top 12 contestant on season eight of “American Idol,” who continues to perform around the U.S. and is a part of the morning show on Memphis station Q107.5.
Brad Birkedahl, a rock ‘n’ roll guitarist and vocalist who has shared the stage with music legends such as Carl Perkins, Wanda Jackson, James Burton, Billy Lee Riley, The Stray Cats, Paul Burlison, Malcolm Yelvington and D.J. Fontana, and who played the role of Scotty Moore in the film "Walk the Line."
Michael Detroit, the Associate Producer at Memphis' Playhouse on the Square, who has credits in over 75 professional theatre productions, has done 100s of tv commercials and voice-overs, and has appeared in eight films, including “Nothing But the Truth,” “The Client,” “The People vs. Larry Flynt,” and “Cast Away.”
Preliminaries that have occurred or are coming up this summer are:
Rockin' 'E' Jamboree at Oneida Casino in Green Bay, Wis.
New England Elvis Festival in Manchester, N.H.
Elvis FANtasy Fest in Portage, Ind.
Pocono Mountains Elvis Festival in Bushkill, Pa.
European Elvis Championships in Birmingham, United Kingdom
Japan Elvis Tribute Artist Contest in Tokyo, Japan
Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest at Clinton Presidential Center in Little Rock, Ark.
Tupelo Elvis Festival in Tupelo, Miss.
LakeGeorge.com Elvis Festival in Lake George, N.Y.
Pechanga Casino Resort Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest in Temecula, Calif.
Wintersun Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest in Queensland, Australia
Windsor Elvis Festival in Ontario, Canada
Penticton Pacific Northwest Elvis Festival in British Columbia, Canada
Chinook Winds Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest in Lincoln City, Ore.
Ultimate ETA Challenge – Fill the Blue Suede Shoes in Ocala, Fla.
Harrah’s Cherokee Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest in Cherokee, N.C.
Tampa Elvis Festival in Tampa, Fla.
Collingwood Elvis Festival in Ontario, Canada
Silver Slipper Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest in Bay St. Louis, Miss.
The Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest at Hollywood Casino in Lawrenceburg, Ind.
The “Last Chance” ETA Contest at Hard Rock Cafe, Memphis, Tenn.
Four Legends in Concert locations including Las Vegas, Nev.; Atlantic City, N.J.; Myrtle Beach, S.C.; and Branson, Mo.
Mardi Gras Casino in Hallandale Beach, Fla.
Details including dates and times for each of these preliminary contests can be found on the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest website.
All preliminary contest winners will travel to Memphis to compete in the semifinals and final rounds where the 2011 Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist will be named. Prizes for the 2011 Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest include:
Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest First Place Winner:
Title of Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist of 2011
Performance Contract with Legends in Concert
Cash prize of $20,000
A Gibson “Elvis” Epiphone Guitar
Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest Second Place Winner:
Cash prize of $3,000
Selection of other valuable prizes
Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest Third Place Winner:
Cash prize of $2,000
Selection of other valuable prizes
In addition, new for 2011, all Elvis tribute artists finishing in fourth through tenth place will receive a $500 cash prize.
For a complete list of contest preliminaries, along with tribute artist photos, videos and additional information on the 2011 Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest and Elvis Week, please visit Elvis.com. Organizations and entertainment venues interested in holding their own preliminary should e-mail Ultimate@elvis.com for more information.
About Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.
Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. (EPE) is based in Memphis, Tennessee with additional offices in Los Angeles, California. In addition to Graceland and its related attractions in Memphis, including the Heartbreak Hotel, EPE is aggressively involved in a worldwide licensing program, merchandising, music publishing, and television, film, video and Internet projects. For more information on EPE and Graceland, visit http://www.Elvis.com . EPE is a subsidiary of CKX, Inc. (http://www.CKX.com), a publicly traded company listed on the NASDAQ National Market® under the ticker symbol “CKXE.”
Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. (EPE) announced today that for the fifth annual Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest, there will be a record-breaking 26 preliminaries held around the world throughout the spring and summer. Clinton Presidential Center in Arkansas joins as one of the preliminary contest locations.
Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. (EPE) announced today that for the fifth annual Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest, there will be a record-breaking 26 preliminaries held around the world throughout the spring and summer.
The 26 winners will then compete in Memphis, Tenn., on August 11 and 12, 2011, during Elvis Week.
Just added to the list of preliminary contests will be one at the Clinton Presidential Center in Little Rock, Ark. This preliminary, held July 16, will help celebrate two new temporary exhibits at the Center. The exhibit “ELVIS” will include special artifacts, some never-before-seen, from the Graceland archives that are significant to President Bill Clinton, who is a major Elvis fan. A second exhibit, “Elvis at 21, Photographs by Alfred Wertheimer,” is a collection of photographs that chronicle Elvis’ life in 1956.
In addition to the Clinton Presidential Center, other preliminaries are being held in Japan, Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada and all over the U.S. Judges look for the best representation of the Elvis legacy in talent, appearance, performance, stage presence and each contestant’s overall tribute to Elvis. The best overall performer will be named the “2011 Elvis Tribute Artist of the Year.”
Judges for the Memphis round of the competition during Elvis Week 2011 include:
John Cossette, who has more than 30 years of experience in the entertainment and music industry. His credits include 17 years producing the Grammy Awards, producer of the smash Broadway musical “Million Dollar Quartet,” producing live concerts in Central Park and Centennial Olympic Park for the 1996 Olympic Games, and doing benefits for many charitable organizations.
Alexis Grace, a top 12 contestant on season eight of “American Idol,” who continues to perform around the U.S. and is a part of the morning show on Memphis station Q107.5.
Brad Birkedahl, a rock ‘n’ roll guitarist and vocalist who has shared the stage with music legends such as Carl Perkins, Wanda Jackson, James Burton, Billy Lee Riley, The Stray Cats, Paul Burlison, Malcolm Yelvington and D.J. Fontana, and who played the role of Scotty Moore in the film "Walk the Line."
Michael Detroit, the Associate Producer at Memphis' Playhouse on the Square, who has credits in over 75 professional theatre productions, has done 100s of tv commercials and voice-overs, and has appeared in eight films, including “Nothing But the Truth,” “The Client,” “The People vs. Larry Flynt,” and “Cast Away.”
Preliminaries that have occurred or are coming up this summer are:
Rockin' 'E' Jamboree at Oneida Casino in Green Bay, Wis.
New England Elvis Festival in Manchester, N.H.
Elvis FANtasy Fest in Portage, Ind.
Pocono Mountains Elvis Festival in Bushkill, Pa.
European Elvis Championships in Birmingham, United Kingdom
Japan Elvis Tribute Artist Contest in Tokyo, Japan
Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest at Clinton Presidential Center in Little Rock, Ark.
Tupelo Elvis Festival in Tupelo, Miss.
LakeGeorge.com Elvis Festival in Lake George, N.Y.
Pechanga Casino Resort Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest in Temecula, Calif.
Wintersun Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest in Queensland, Australia
Windsor Elvis Festival in Ontario, Canada
Penticton Pacific Northwest Elvis Festival in British Columbia, Canada
Chinook Winds Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest in Lincoln City, Ore.
Ultimate ETA Challenge – Fill the Blue Suede Shoes in Ocala, Fla.
Harrah’s Cherokee Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest in Cherokee, N.C.
Tampa Elvis Festival in Tampa, Fla.
Collingwood Elvis Festival in Ontario, Canada
Silver Slipper Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest in Bay St. Louis, Miss.
The Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest at Hollywood Casino in Lawrenceburg, Ind.
The “Last Chance” ETA Contest at Hard Rock Cafe, Memphis, Tenn.
Four Legends in Concert locations including Las Vegas, Nev.; Atlantic City, N.J.; Myrtle Beach, S.C.; and Branson, Mo.
Mardi Gras Casino in Hallandale Beach, Fla.
Details including dates and times for each of these preliminary contests can be found on the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest website.
All preliminary contest winners will travel to Memphis to compete in the semifinals and final rounds where the 2011 Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist will be named. Prizes for the 2011 Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest include:
Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest First Place Winner:
Title of Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist of 2011
Performance Contract with Legends in Concert
Cash prize of $20,000
A Gibson “Elvis” Epiphone Guitar
Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest Second Place Winner:
Cash prize of $3,000
Selection of other valuable prizes
Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest Third Place Winner:
Cash prize of $2,000
Selection of other valuable prizes
In addition, new for 2011, all Elvis tribute artists finishing in fourth through tenth place will receive a $500 cash prize.
For a complete list of contest preliminaries, along with tribute artist photos, videos and additional information on the 2011 Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest and Elvis Week, please visit Elvis.com. Organizations and entertainment venues interested in holding their own preliminary should e-mail Ultimate@elvis.com for more information.
About Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.
Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. (EPE) is based in Memphis, Tennessee with additional offices in Los Angeles, California. In addition to Graceland and its related attractions in Memphis, including the Heartbreak Hotel, EPE is aggressively involved in a worldwide licensing program, merchandising, music publishing, and television, film, video and Internet projects. For more information on EPE and Graceland, visit http://www.Elvis.com . EPE is a subsidiary of CKX, Inc. (http://www.CKX.com), a publicly traded company listed on the NASDAQ National Market® under the ticker symbol “CKXE.”
Minor Fire @ Tampa Diner Where Elvis Ate
TAMPA — A Seminole Heights restaurant where Elvis Presley once ate reopened Tuesday morning after a fire the previous night. The good news for Elvis fans: The booth where he ate was not damaged.
Crews responded just before 10 p.m. Monday to reports of smoke at Nicko's Fine Foods, 4603 N Florida Ave. Firefighters found light smoke coming from an electrical panel on the roof.
Owner Dee Liakos said a passerby noticed the neon sign on the building was on fire and called authorities. The diner was closed for the evening but reopened for business as usual Tuesday morning.
The fire did not spread through the diner, Liakos said, and there was only some mess near the back door when firefighters entered to make sure no one was inside.
"Nothing happened inside, thank God," Liakos said.
Elvis ate at the diner, then called Ayres Diner, in 1956 after a concert at the Fort Homer Hesterly Armory. A plaque at booth three on the north side of the restaurant recalls the occasion.
Crews responded just before 10 p.m. Monday to reports of smoke at Nicko's Fine Foods, 4603 N Florida Ave. Firefighters found light smoke coming from an electrical panel on the roof.
Owner Dee Liakos said a passerby noticed the neon sign on the building was on fire and called authorities. The diner was closed for the evening but reopened for business as usual Tuesday morning.
The fire did not spread through the diner, Liakos said, and there was only some mess near the back door when firefighters entered to make sure no one was inside.
"Nothing happened inside, thank God," Liakos said.
Elvis ate at the diner, then called Ayres Diner, in 1956 after a concert at the Fort Homer Hesterly Armory. A plaque at booth three on the north side of the restaurant recalls the occasion.
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