A 321-foot-tall pyramid, inspired by the grandeur of ancient Egyptian architecture, looms over Memphis, Tennessee. Once a symbol of grand ambition, it opened with high hopes but soon fell into decline, remaining closed for years before being repurposed as a retail destination. Many claim that something dark lurks beneath its majestic exterior, tied to a mysterious ‘curse’ that has plagued the structure since its creation.
The Memphis Pyramid opened in 1991 after three years of construction, costing $65 million. Initially envisioned as a multipurpose venue, it was meant to host basketball games, concerts and large events.
The curse of the crystal skull
The story of the curse begins during the pyramid’s construction. Workers uncovered a metal box welded to the top of the structure, within which lay a crystal skull. This artifact, placed there by Isaac Tigrett, the founder of the Hard Rock Café, was meant to ‘ward off evil spirits’.
However, when the box was removed, Tigrett’s warning was chilling: “You don’t have any idea what you have done.” He claimed that by disturbing the skull, a curse was unleashed—one that would haunt the pyramid with a series of unfortunate events.
A rocky start with early failures
The pyramid’s early history was fraught with misfortunes. On opening night a concert by The Judds was overshadowed by a sewage flood that ruined hallways and bathrooms, forever tarnishing the venue’s reputation.
The Memphis Grizzlies, who played their first NBA games there, also faced problems—poor acoustics and outdated facilities that didn’t meet league standards. The costs of upgrading the facility were deemed too high.
Despite hosting renowned performers like Mary J. Blige and The Rolling Stones, the pyramid could not shake its troubled beginnings. By 2007, it closed its doors and remained abandoned for nearly a decade.
The pyramid’s bold reinvention
The pyramid’s origins trace back to Memphis artist Mark C. Hartz, who proposed the concept in 1954. His vision included a series of pyramids, one as large as two-thirds the size of Egypt’s Great Pyramid of Giza.
In 2015, the pyramid was given a new life through a $215 million renovation. It was transformed into a massive Bass Pro Shops retail complex, complete with a cypress swamp, live alligators, and a 103-room hotel.
Tigrett still claims that hidden artifacts remain within the pyramid, though no evidence has ever surfaced to confirm this.
Despite his belief that the pyramid is cursed, the site now attracts millions of visitors every year. In its first year as Bass Pro Shops, the location drew over three million people, and continues to be a popular destination, debunking the notion that it’s the curse keeping people away.
The real secret of the pyramid? Probably the endless stream of challenges, setbacks and a good dose of modern retail magic. Whatever the cause, it’s clear that the pyramid’s legacy has become one of bold ambition, more than any ghostly misfortune.
