Strike a deal on Bass Pro signs

Bass Pro Shops executives should not be pilloried for wanting to display large signs bearing the outdoor retailer’s logo on the sides of the old Pyramid arena, which is being redeveloped as a Bass Pro superstore.

But the concerns of those who think that the proposed illuminated signs, each measuring 90 feet by 66 feet, may be too much for Downtown also have to be weighed.

It would be easy to say that this is simply a battle between a tourism-dependent company that wants to make sure its presence is noticed by tourists and other passing motorists, and a group of Downtown and neighborhood advocates who think the signs will violate aesthetic standards and subject nearby neighborhoods to light pollution.

But that oversimplifies the matter. By way of bonds, taxpayers have a $197 million stake in the success of the Bass Pro Shops superstore. The bonds are supposed be repaid with sales tax revenue. That means Bass Pro Shops and other planned retail development nearby have to attract enough customers to generate the sales taxes needed to repay those bonds. If not, taxpayers will be responsible.

For what is at stake, there needs to be some give and take on the sign issue. The willingness to seek middle ground, we hope, will manifest itself during Wednesday evening’s meeting of the Downtown Memphis Commission Design Review Board. Bass Pro representatives will attend the meeting to seek approval for the signs under both the city’s Downtown sign code and the commission’s design guidelines.

Convincing Bass Pro Shops to convert the abandoned Pyramid into a superstore was a tremendous coup for the city of Memphis. The store is being promoted as a tourist destination and will depend heavily on its ability to lure travelers off the nearby interstate system. That explains why Bass Pro opted for a design that calls for the huge illuminated signs on all four sides of the building.

The design that is proposed would dwarf the signage on other Downtown structures. Still, in the context of the massive size of The Pyramid and its sunken location, would the signs really appear out of scale ?

The lease agreement gives Bass Pro authority to install the signs “subject to approval and compliance with applicable laws.” It also states, however, that the city administration will support and assist the company’s efforts to obtain any approvals or variances needed regarding Bass Pro signage. That fact should make for an interesting discussion at Wednesday’s meeting.

Maybe there are other options to consider, such as design revisions which let Bass Pro Shops have its big signs branding The Pyramid, but which incorporate elements that could promote the city as well.