Big Cypress Lodge Inside the Memphis Pyramid - The Unique Metamorphosis of a Sports Arena

At the Wolf River Harbor of Memphis, Tennessee, stands a structure that has undergone a serious transformation. The Memphis Pyramid was once a sports arena loud of crowd roar, but now it houses an unlikely blend of retail extravaganza, a rustic lodging known as the Big Cypress Lodge, and a giant water tank.

Built in 1991, the Pyramid was originally designed as a 20,142-seat arena, hosting concerts and sporting events. Its distinctive design is, of course, a copy of the ancient pyramids of Egypt, making it an iconic part of the Memphis skyline. However, by 2004, the arena had fallen into disuse, leaving the city with a giant, empty monument that's the 10th tallest pyramid in the world.

Enter Johnny Morris, the founder of Bass Pro Shops (sports and outdoors retailer), who saw potential in the empty structure. In 2010, Morris signed papers to transform the Memphis Pyramid into something entirely new.

The arena underwent a complete makeover, reopening in 2015 as a Bass Pro Shops megastore with two hotel floors part of the Big Cypress Lodge.

The Pyramid Hotels of the USA

If you were wondering, there are only two pyramid-shaped buildings with an overnight stay in the US, and here is how they compare in size:

Luxor Las Vegas:

Number of floors: 30
Height: 350 feet (106.7 meters)
Number of rooms: 4,407

Big Cypress Lodge at the Memphis Pyramid:

Number of floors: 32 - two hotel stories above the Bass Pro Shop
Height: 321 feet (98 meters)
Number of rooms: 103

The lodge is no ordinary hotel. Suspended among cypress trees, it offers 103 rooms designed to mimic a wilderness retreat with views of the Mississippi River.

The hotel's rustic look is a stark contrast to the modern, pyramid-shaped building that houses it.

But the transformation doesn't stop at lodging. The Pyramid now has two floors of outdoor gear and retail, a bowling alley, aquariums filled with fish and alligators, and a museum.

The pièce de résistance is the Sky High Ride, a 28-story elevator (which is the tallest in the US!) that takes you to an observation deck where you can see all over Memphis and the Mississippi River.

The Pyramid's rebirth has not been without its challenges. The project faced skepticism from locals who wondered if a hunting and fishing store could revitalize the landmark building. Yet, the Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid has become one of the world's largest retail locations, attracting millions to come for a visit year-round.

The rooms and suites with an overdose of handcrafted wood look straight out of a countryside lodge, built in a forest and surrounded by nature. However, at the Big Cypress Lodge, you find yourself inside a pyramid of entertainment, and as soon as you step outside, you are greeted by the bustling streets of Memphis.

Memphis Pyramid is a symbol of Memphis' resilience and adaptability, and it sets an example of the power of reinvention, a beacon of change in a city steeped in tradition.