Project Overview Felicia Harris Manager, Planning and Development City of Memphis
MISSION/VISION STATEMENT Mission To recognize the significant contributions of African Americans who helped shape the rich business, cultural, and musical heritage of Memphis, Tennessee. Vision To educate and promote an appreciation for diversity, history, and culture to a global audience through authentic interactive experiences that create community investments and economic opportunities.
GOALS OF MHT PROJECT To develop stronger cultural and heritage tourism as a mechanism for economic development To promote and celebrate the cultural assets and contributions of people in the targeted community through visual and physical reminders of the history To provide a better quality of life and more opportunities for residents of the area To create a positive sense of place in safe and vibrant neighborhoods To position Memphis positively in preparation for the international attention connected to the 50th anniversary of Dr. King s death.
TARGET AREA Boundaries: North - Beale Street South - Crump Blvd. East - Walnut Street West - Main Street
MHT CULTURAL ASSET MAP More than fifty points of interest have been identified in the target area consisting of points of civil rights, historical, entertainment/c ommerce, residential and economic significance.
The Trail Lets take a virtual walk on the trail
MASTER PLANNING Jimmy Tucker Self + Tucker Architects
Creative Place-making WHAT? HOW? WHERE?
Memphis Heritage Trail Loops
Regional Strengths and Opportunities Highway 61 Blues Trail
Regional Multi-Modal Connector:
Urban Trail CASE STUDIES
Linking and Leveraging the LEGACY Connecting people to the cultural legacy and heritage in new and unique ways.
Proposed Trail Features
Proposed Plaza Features
Public Relations and Branding Deidre Malone The Carter Malone Group
Public Relations and Branding Informing the Public - Messaging, Branding, Communication Interactive website and social media platforms, print, community participation, etc.
Anchor Projects Church Park Clayborn Temple Renovation Mason Village Wither s Collection Gallery and Museum Digitization Universal Life Bldg. Renovation South City Choice Neighborhood Initiative
Public Relations and Branding
Technology and Creative Placemaking Christopher O Connor Prodigi Arts
Model Development
Interactive Markers
Interactive Art
Monuments
TECHNOLOGY Visual elements to ensure that the MHT concept are both innovative and aligned with current trends utilizing the most current technology to garner the attention and admiration of today s technically savvy audience.
NEA Grant Lauren Kennedy Urban Arts Commisson
ARTIST: SUZY HENDRIX LOCATION: ARMY & NAVY PARKS Nat l Endowment for the Arts - $150K, Planning Grant, for master planning and the installation of 2 public art pieces Partners: Rhodes College, Univ. of Memphis, Mayor s Innovation Delivery Team, HCD, Urban Art Commission, STA, City Parks Division
ARTIST: SUZI HENDRIX LOCATION: ARMY & NAVY PARKS
ARTISTS: DERRICK DENT MICHAEL ROY LOCATION: MLGW PARKING GARAGE
Economic Impact Sharon Younger, Ph.D. Younger and Associates
Economic Impact Background Mt. Olive Church There are 49 National Heritage Areas (NHA) designated by the National Park Service Among these sites, there are seven that are focused in small, usually urban areas, such as the Memphis Heritage Trail This concentration of historic and cultural assets within the downtown area is similar to the other seven focused NHA s
Benchmarking The most similar National Historic Area for benchmarking the Memphis Heritage Trail is the Baltimore NHA The Birmingham Civil Rights Heritage Trail is similar to Memphis in its focus, size and location in the Southern U.S. The Alliance for National Historic Areas sponsored an economic impact study based on the data from six established NHA s The study then found the economic impact of all 49 sites combined to be $12.6 Billion Lt. George Lee
Benchmarked Impact If the Memphis Heritage Trail performs as the average urban focused NHA, it will attract over 1,320,000 visitor/days which would generate $265 Million in annual economic impact Visitor/days in this analysis include new visitors attracted to the Memphis Heritage Trail as well as visitors who extend their stay in Memphis due to the Trail
Economic Impact of 1 Million Visitor Days *Average annual employment during construction/development
Economic Impact Update 1. Update the construction impact Complete 2. Update the Impact Model with 2016 Data Complete 3. Re-examine Benchmark Sites - Underway 4. Update the visitor day projections Underway A. Dr. Martin Luther King Memorial Event B. Memphis Bi-Centennial Event 5. Finalize Impact Report Julia Hooks
Community Outreach and Stakeholder Engagement Cynthia Sadler, Ph.D.
Community Outreach and Stakeholder Engagement *Refer to handout for definitions
Memphis Heritage Trails Questions, Comments, Exercise
Memphis Heritage Trails Next Steps Closing Remarks Felicia Harris