MEMPHIS, Tenn. — It’s been a tough few weeks for the lifeblood of the Bluff City – the tourism industry.
COGIC announced its annual event is leaving Memphis. Beale Street Music Fest is no more once again, and the Southern Heritage Classic is up in the air.
Memphis Mayor Paul Young said on Friday that he’s not worried, expressing hope and optimism that new events will come to fill the void.
“I think the market’s just changing, and we have opportunities to fill the void,” Young said. “We’re going to continue to work hard and make sure that we bring as many events and activities to our city so that our locals can enjoy it and other people can come and experience the greatness of our city,” he said.
The mayor mentioned other high profile events like Riverbeat Fest and the new FUBU awards coming to town as well as some other moves he and his administration have been making to replace those that have been lost.
“Upgrading the Sheraton hotel, the purchase that we recently made and we’re really excited about the next chapter for that facility and working on more opportunities to bring more events and activities in our city. Our teams are working really hard to make it happen and I firmly believe you’re going to see more in the pipeline,” he said.
Young continues to tout Memphis crime reduction efforts, and is excited to have reappointed Police Chief Cerelyn ‘C.J.’ Davis to her office after a year as the interim.
“An overall 13% reduction, looking at 19% on violent crime, murders down 29%. Those are things that matter and we want to see more of it,” he said “I think it’s important that we have a Chief that is approved by all of the council members and that’s what happened.”
He declined to take a position in the fight to remove Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy, saying those differences are between the D.A. and state legislators.
