A capsized ship. A wooden boat owned by a man who couldn’t even swim. Thirty-two saved lives. These events compose the history of Tom Lee Park in downtown Memphis.

After $62 million dollars and over three years of work from 2020-2023, Tom Lee Park  reopened on Labor Day Weekend. The park’s new renovations have transformed it from its previous design. Pre-renovations, the park was primarily a field and recreational space. Much of this space has been remodeled into specialized areas, such as meadows and other features.

“I thought it was a good park before, it was like most parks before,” Advanced Placement (AP) United States Government and Politics, We The People, and AP Comparative Government teacher Curt Rakestraw said. “It was just fields and public spaces and a lot of people used the park all the time.”

The newly renovated areas include the Civic Gateway, a redefined welcome entrance; the Active Core, the “heart” of the park featuring play centers, canopied areas and food and drink concessions; the Habitat Terraces, a trail area allowing visitors to “feel and experience the nature and ecosystem of the Mississippi River” and many other smaller renovations like the pavilion area turned basketball court.
“I like how they added the basketball court and a lot of [other] good stuff that would be good for kids and the environment,” Brayden Washington (9) said. 

The total cost of the park was $62 million dollars, which primarily came from benefactors and nonprofit organizations across Memphis. The community had a large say in how the money was used and which renovations would be enacted; surveys completed by over 4000 Memphians were “integral” to the renovations according to the Tom Lee Park website. One of the most desired additions was the basketball court. 

“I think [it’s good] that they upgraded [the park because] it’ll let kids go play basketball, as most of the time they can’t get in the community gyms since many are shut down now,” Washington said. 

As the park has received many new renovations that fill substantial space, much of the free field space has been remodeled to the point where it cannot be used in the same way. Tom Lee Park has always been a crucial part of the Memphis in May festival, a very important source of tourism revenue for Memphis. With such reduced field space, events such as Barbeque Fest may have to limit competitors for the competition. 

“In the long run, I think that the park redesigns are going to cost us Memphis in May,” Rakestraw said. “I think that the music festival and the barbeque festival have basically been forced out of the park and I think those are some of Memphis’s most significant revenue drivers, especially for tourist money. Tourists are what bring money into our community for Memphis in May and tourists don’t come to Memphis to go to Shelby Farms [or other parks.]”

Some of the renovations, while they may improve the park’s aesthetic, may also be seen as impractical from a tourism standpoint. For example, a stage from the old Tom Lee Park was transformed into a meadow following the renovations. 

“There are usually three pretty huge stages; there are [still] spots for three stages, [but] they’ve turned one of the stages since Music Fest this spring into what’s called a meadow,” Rakestraw said. “There’s just like growing wildflowers to let bees pollinate, and that’s great but like, really?”

Tom Lee Park holds an extensive history. In 1925, there was a ship of 72 men, women and children traveling to Memphis; this ship capsized in the Mississippi River, spilling the people into the icy waters. Fortunately, Tom Lee, a native Memphian, was able to save 32 people from the disaster with his small wooden ship. Lee was subsequently praised throughout the nation for his heroic deeds, leading to the park being posthumously named after him. A statue sculpted in 2006 commemorating his actions now lies in the park.

“I think [the history] means a lot,” Washington said. “I think there’s a good meaning behind the name of the park.” 

Despite some criticisms about the economic quality of the park, many still see it in an optimistic light. The numerous renovations have certainly changed the aesthetics of the park, overall giving it a more modernized look. 

“There’s gonna be times when the park is just dead again [during the warmer/colder months], but I’m optimistic,” Rakestraw said. “I hope it all goes the way they wanted it to go.”