MID-SOUTH COLISEUM 'SAVED'

The future of the legendary Mid-South Coliseum, home of classic professional wrestling for decades under Jarrett Promotions, may be that the venue actually has a future.

Yesterday, Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland revealed his plans for the Memphis Fairgrounds. In its third phase, the plan would put Tourism Development Zone (TDZ) funds with private investment to "achieve the reactivation, adaptive reuse, or redevelopment of the Mid-South Coliseum," the Coalition announced.  "These are huge wins for the Coliseum, and big steps forward to a great Fairgrounds.  We still have to make Phase 3 happen and get the Coliseum open, but like the rest of Memphis, the Coliseum and Fairgrounds have some strong winds in their sails.".

The venue, the centerpiece of the old Memphis wrestling territory, was shut down in 2006 due to the costs needed to renovate the venue in order to bring it into modern standards.  An attempt by Jerry Lawler to run the venue one last time, featuring a proposed match between himself and Hulk Hogan was denied by the city.

There has been a movement over the last several years to save the venue, with several potential pitches that could have led to its destruction or renovation.  A pitch several years ago that failed to come to fruition, would have seen the Wiseacre Brewing company take over the the first floor of the Coliseum and rent the remaining space to a mix of businesses that could have potentially including restaurants, a bowling alley, climbing walls, a wrestling museum and a Civil Rights homage.

There had been a tremendous amount of campaigning and fundraising to support the venue, including a charity event in 2015 that featured Bill Dundee vs. Jerry Lawler.  Memphis Wrestling historian and author Mark James has been very involved in the campaign