The Commercial Appeal Weighs In On Graceland
Commercial Appeal Editorial: Disappointment in Whitehaven Expansion of Graceland is on hold, but that must not dampen the city's efforts to improve the surrounding area.News that plans for a makeover of Graceland have been put on indefinite hold probably have many Whitehaven residents shaking their heads in disappointment. The $250 million plan announced in 2007 was seen as the catalyst to bring quality retail and eateries back to the Elvis Presley Boulevard corridor. Now a bad capital funds market resulting from the still-recovering economy has led Graceland's landlord, CKx Inc., to announce in its annual report that the makeover, if it ever takes place, is years away. That's not only a blow to Whitehaven, but also a break in the synergy that city and tourism officials are trying to build between current and future tourist attractions such as a redeveloped fairgrounds, Beale Street Landing, Memphis Zoo, Beale Street, Shelby Farms, Bass Pro Shops and the Pinch, and the...