After months of high-powered negotiations involving Memphis in May International Festival, Memphis River Parks Partnership, Greater Memphis Chamber of Commerce, Forward Momentum, and Mayor Paul Young’s administration, it appears that after intensive back-and-forth, the overriding tenor of the discussion is one of frustration for the lack of progress in reaching final agreement on a shared path for the future. 

With negotiations stretching longer than expected, it threatens whether SmokeSlam can be held in 2026 in Tom Lee Park. 

A key driver of the negotiations has been the opportunity to increase the organizations’ financial strength and to fuse some assets to create more entertainment events that animate downtown.

Duncan Williams, incoming chairman of the Chamber of Commerce, has been leading the process which was sparked by the potential of  dividing millions of dollars pledged by xAI. In his comments at the recent Chamber of Commerce Chairman’s Luncheon, Mr. Williams made an impassioned plea for the business community to set a revitalized downtown as a priority and for each of them to contribute to making it happen.

Ideas and Motivations

The range of ideas has been exhaustive, including the merger of Memphis in May and Memphis River Parks Partnership into a single organization or a structured working partnership between the two, the revival of Sunset Symphony on the riverfront, and a riverfront barbecue competition branded as the World Championship Barbecue Contest which Memphis in May organizes in collaboration with  Forward Momentum, organizer of  SmokeSlam the past two years. 

A key goal has been to reposition Memphis in May from the brink of bankruptcy to improving its odds for survival, if not success; however, insiders say a key barrier to reaching agreement has been the unwillingness of the festival to concur to several proposals that have been presented to it. It was hoped that as a result of the agreement, Memphis in May would move out of Liberty Park in 2026 and back downtown with the inducement of a cash infusion.

In 2022-23, according to The Commercial Appeal, Memphis in May suffered losses of $5.71 million, citing complaints about Tom Lee Park’s design and “astronomically elevated talent costs, plus ticket sales competition from big-name artists’ concerts in the Memphis area during late first and early second quarters of this year.”

Reports are that Memphis in May has recently received what sounds like a final proposal from the others in hopes the festival will have a positive response in moving ahead in concert with a shared plan to be implemented in 2027.  

Contract Problems

The festival has asserted that design of the new, award-winning Tom Lee Park did not provide it with adequate space although the mediation agreement it signed included the space that the festival told Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland it needed for success.  It resulted in the three unobstructed, large lawns totaling 252,000 square feet which represents more than Memphis in May required in the mediation agreement.   

When the new Tom Lee Park opened, Mr. Strickland offered Memphis in May the option of also putting barbecue booths on Riverside Drive all the way to Union Avenue in addition to Tom Lee Park, but the festival turned it down.

A major factor in the significant damage done to the park was caused by the World Championship Barbecue Contest’s failure to modify the template it had used for years.  The damage was caused by large trucks driving on the sidewalks, grease dumped into light fixtures, irrigation systems being compromised, turf and flower plantings being destroyed, and more. 

To complicate things, Memphis in May refused to honor the contract it signed with River Parks and City of Memphis that set out the process for determining damage to the park and the costs of repairs.  It still owes a balance and a judge has ruled in favor of the parks group and has encouraged continued mediation.

As a debtor to the park and because of its considerable losses, Memphis in May was in no position to reserve Tom Lee Park for 2024, leading it to ditch Beale Street Music Festival and to move the World Championship Barbecue Contest to Liberty Park.

Seeking Collaboration

Because of the damage caused by Memphis in May and its failure to pay costs of repairs as laid out contractually, reports are that Memphis River Parks Partnership board of directors is less than enthusiastic about the World Championship Barbecue Contest returning to Tom Lee Park. 

That said, Forward Momentum’s SmokeSlam proved that a context sensitive design layout could make a barbecue contest possible in Tom Lee Park.  As a result, negotiators were pinning their hopes for a 2026 barbecue contest with Memphis in May and Forward Momentum joining hands to organize and implement it.

With that promising concept falling apart, Forward Momentum was left with questions about whether it can go it alone.

One report indicates that if Memphis in May had signed on for the World Championship Barbecue Contest in collaboration with Forward Momentum in 2026, it would also have beenon given a stage at RiverBeat that it could brand for itself. 

Money Talks

The spark that ignited the talks is said to be the promise of millions of dollars from xAI that can conceivably be used to pay Memphis in May’s debts, provide funding for Memphis River Parks Partnership whose budget was cut by almost $500,000 by City Council, provide sponsorships to defray Forward Momentum’s costs for its Tom Lee Park events, and provide seed money for other downtown events.   

The latest report is that a “final” deal has been forwarded to Memphis in May from the other parties in the negotiation, but what the festival organization will decide is anybody’s guess; however, an indication of their answer is the fact that months ago, Memphis in May announced that the World Championship Barbecue Contest will be held next year on May 13-16 at Liberty Park.

The SmokeSlam website still lists the barbecue contest on the same days at Tom Lee Park, but barring a major change, it may not happen.  A source said Forward Momentum was hopeful that a collaborative agreement could be reached for next year but when that seemed improbable, it needed to consider skipping SmokeSlam next year.   

Sources report that Forward Momentum will still be doing what it does best and in the area where it has deep experience – by organizing the RiverBeat music festival in Tom Lee Park in 2026. 

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