Towering at 321 feet in the heart of Memphis, Tennessee, the Memphis Pyramid stands as an enigmatic landmark.
Far from the deserts of Egypt, this colossal structure has drawn curiosity, controversy, and crowds since it was completed in 1991.
With a colourful history steeped in alleged curses, eccentric founders, and unexpected twists, the pyramid has transformed from a dream venue to a mega-store, leaving an unforgettable mark on Memphis.
The Memphis Pyramid was brought to life by Isaac Tigrett, co-founder of the Hard Rock Cafe and a man known for his outlandish ideas and a love of mysticism.
Tigrett had a vision that would bring together rock, sports, and history in a way never seen before.
He even dreamed of incorporating his iconic Hard Rock brand into the pyramid, creating a one-of-a-kind space for concerts, university basketball games, and events.
But as fate would have it, the pyramid’s path diverged sharply from Tigrett’s original dream, amid what he claims was a mysterious “curse” unleashed upon it.
Constructed over three years and costing around £50million, the Memphis Pyramid was ambitious, intended as both an event space and the home court for the University of Memphis and, later, the Memphis Grizzlies basketball team.
But on opening day in 1991, an unexpected twist hinted at strange energies surrounding the structure.
Construction workers reportedly found a strange, welded metal box affixed to the top of the pyramid. When they opened the box, they were hit with a powerful smell of incense and a crystal skull.
The box, which was not part of the architectural plans, had been added by Tigrett in an effort to ward off negative forces.
When he learned it was removed, Tigrett said: “You don’t have any idea what you have done.”
From that moment, Tigrett claimed, things began to go wrong. The structure encountered a series of unfortunate events that would lead to its eventual abandonment.
As if cursed, the pyramid struggled from the outset. Its debut event, a concert by country duo The Judds, was marred by plumbing issues, which caused sewage to back up into the building’s bathrooms and hallways.
The resulting public relations debacle cast an immediate shadow over the pyramid’s reputation.
When the Memphis Grizzlies moved to the Pyramid as their home court, the building’s awkward acoustics and poor amenities became quickly evident, and costs to bring the space up to NBA standards were deemed unreasonable.
Though it hosted several big-name events and performances, including concerts by The Rolling Stones and Mary J. Blige, the pyramid’s flaws continued to overshadow its potential. By 2007, it had closed its doors, falling silent and abandoned.
After nearly a decade of inactivity, the Memphis Pyramid underwent an unexpected rebirth in 2015 when it was reimagined as a Bass Pro Shops superstore.
After a lavish £167 million renovation, it reopened with a completely new identity, part sporting goods mecca, part indoor wilderness experience.
The revamped pyramid now includes attractions such as a cypress swamp filled with live alligators, a bowling alley, and the Big Cypress Lodge, a rustic 103-room hotel on its upper floors with balcony views of the swamp below.
Even today, Isaac Tigrett remains convinced that hidden artefacts still lie undiscovered within the pyramid’s walls, hinting at mysteries yet to be uncovered.
However, the metal box and the alleged “cursed” crystal skull remain missing, with no plans to replace them.
Whether the misfortunes that plagued the pyramid were the result of Tigrett’s fabled curse or simply construction missteps, the building’s transformation seems to have quelled whatever ill forces it was thought to harbour.
