The Memphis Tigers beat Texas in Houston yesterday to advance to the Final Four. This city is going nuts over the Tigers. You can see blue everywhere here right now. The car flags and wind socks are in full force. Several thousand folks showed up at Wilson Air last night to welcome the team back. A few hundred more were at the Finch Center to welcome the team back. The Bank of Bartlett took two charter planes to Houston for the South Regional to see the Tigers absolutely blow out Michigan State and Texas.
Right now, the Tigers and North Carolina are playing the best basketball. In addition to those two teams, UCLA and Kansas are also in the final four. Anyone of the four could win the whole thing but the Tigers have as good a shot as anyone.
The Tigers will play UCLA this weekend for the right to play in the National Championship Game. UCLA and Memphis played two or three years ago for the right to go the final four and that game was as ugly as any I've seen in a long time. I expect UCLA to try to make this game an ugly, defensive low scoring game as well. Beating UCLA will be tough but the Tigers can do it.
Derrick Rose, the Tigers freshman point guard, played amazingly well for a freshman or a senior or any other class. He's a big time NBA talent. Chris Douglas-Roberts (a/k/a "CDR") is a big time NBA talent. Antonio Anderson is a great defensive stopper and can score when needed. Then you have Joey Dorsey and Robert Dozier as the starting big men.
Memphis has been to the final four now three times in school history. This town is already going crazy with pride over the Tigers. If they beat UCLA and make it to the championship game, this might just wind up being the greatest Tiger team ever.
Good luck to the Tigers and Go Tigers Go!
Monday, March 31, 2008
The trees are in bloom!
It's spring in Memphis and that means the flowering trees are in bloom. First came the tulip trees.
Now the cherry trees are in full blossom. People spend a lot of money to fly to Washington, D.C. to see the cherry Blossoms. We have an excellent collection of Japanese/Asian cherry trees right here in Memphis, on aptly named Cherry Road. These beautiful trees will only be in full blossom for another few days. If you want to see them just drive down that section of Cherry Road that runs between Park Avenue and Southern right next to the botanical gardens. Another spot for cherry tree viewing is Memorial Park on Poplar in East Memphis. They have several cherry trees right up next to Poplar - nothing like Cherry Road but still a nice collection. You don't have to drive or fly to Washington to admire the cherry trees. You've got them right here.
Next up will be the dogwood trees. They are just starting to bloom out and will be really pretty for the next month or so. Enjoy spring in Memphis!
Now the cherry trees are in full blossom. People spend a lot of money to fly to Washington, D.C. to see the cherry Blossoms. We have an excellent collection of Japanese/Asian cherry trees right here in Memphis, on aptly named Cherry Road. These beautiful trees will only be in full blossom for another few days. If you want to see them just drive down that section of Cherry Road that runs between Park Avenue and Southern right next to the botanical gardens. Another spot for cherry tree viewing is Memorial Park on Poplar in East Memphis. They have several cherry trees right up next to Poplar - nothing like Cherry Road but still a nice collection. You don't have to drive or fly to Washington to admire the cherry trees. You've got them right here.
Next up will be the dogwood trees. They are just starting to bloom out and will be really pretty for the next month or so. Enjoy spring in Memphis!
Saturday, March 22, 2008
2007 Saw More than $422 Million in Investment
The Memphis Regional Chamber of Commerce recently announced some of the results of its economic development efforts for 2007. In 2007, the Chamber saw more than $422 million in investment in the region with more than 3,000 net jobs created.
2007 saw Nucor Steel make significant investments. Nike expanded their local operations by more than one million square feet. Riviana Foods consolidated their southern operations here in Memphis at their facility off Mallory. Belgium company, Tigenix, located in Memphis. American Medical Depot company selected Millington for their new location. The Depot is expected to create 500 new jobs and have a $12 million investment. These are just a few of the great economic development successes that occurred in our region in 2007.
2007 saw Nucor Steel make significant investments. Nike expanded their local operations by more than one million square feet. Riviana Foods consolidated their southern operations here in Memphis at their facility off Mallory. Belgium company, Tigenix, located in Memphis. American Medical Depot company selected Millington for their new location. The Depot is expected to create 500 new jobs and have a $12 million investment. These are just a few of the great economic development successes that occurred in our region in 2007.
Memphis Top 10% in International Exports
Charles Blatteis, Chair of the Regional Chamber's International Council, recently announced that the US Department of Commerce released its export rankings and Memphis ranked 28 out of 326 cities. This represents more than $7 billion in exports - $2 billion more than Nashville. You might not think of it, but Memphis is a serious player in international business. We'll never be New York or Los Angeles but we're already more significant than 90% of the cities who even made the list. With the aerotropolis concept being developed here, those number are sure to rise in the near future.
Memphis Based International Paper Expands
Memphis based International Paper recently announced that it is buying the corrugated box and paper division from Weyerhousaer. The purchase price of the transaction is reportedly $6 billion dollars.
International Paper has recently been selling significant pieces of its business including forest lands and lumber mills. Those were sold to West Frazier, a Canadian company, who promptly established their United States headquarters in Memphis. After the sell off of significant divisions at IP, it's nice to see them purchasing new businesses.
International Paper has recently been selling significant pieces of its business including forest lands and lumber mills. Those were sold to West Frazier, a Canadian company, who promptly established their United States headquarters in Memphis. After the sell off of significant divisions at IP, it's nice to see them purchasing new businesses.
Memphis Chosen to Participate in the Emerge 200 Program
The U.S. Small Business Administration recently announced that it will launch the Emerge 200 program in eleven cities. Memphis is one of those eleven cities. The Emerge 200 Program is designed to act as a business incubator for small businesses to help them find capital and to partner them with the consulting resources need to grow the businesses and cities selected. Memphis' inclusion in the Emerge 200 program is good for Memphis and for our local small and medium-sized businesses.
Memphis International #1 Again
For the 16th straight year Memphis International Airport was named by Airports Council International as the world's busiest air cargo airport. Memphis again beat out Hong Kong. In 2007, 3,840,574 tons of cargo moved through Memphis International.
Now before you say, so what - consider the economic impact of all that air cargo. Between Fed Ex and all of the companies that either service Fed Ex or are here because of Fed Ex and our airport, the majority of people in our region have jobs tied to that airport. So being number one again is a huge sign for our regional economy.
The Memphis Area Regional Chamber of Commerce is busy moving forward with an aerotropolis plan that would treat the airport as the economic engine that it is rather than something to be pushed outside of town and ignored. The Brooks Road Redevelopment Plan is just the first part of that idea. The overall concept is to help foster all kinds of business development around the airport. Being number one and seeing the dollars roll into the region is certainly a great thing.
One of the many reasons Memphis International is doing so well is Richard White. Richard White is the head of properties and business development. He was recently honored by Air Cargo World magazine for excellence in airport management and operations and for helping Memphis International be recognized as a top airport. Richard White, Larry Cox and all of the management team at Memphis International should be congratulated.
Now before you say, so what - consider the economic impact of all that air cargo. Between Fed Ex and all of the companies that either service Fed Ex or are here because of Fed Ex and our airport, the majority of people in our region have jobs tied to that airport. So being number one again is a huge sign for our regional economy.
The Memphis Area Regional Chamber of Commerce is busy moving forward with an aerotropolis plan that would treat the airport as the economic engine that it is rather than something to be pushed outside of town and ignored. The Brooks Road Redevelopment Plan is just the first part of that idea. The overall concept is to help foster all kinds of business development around the airport. Being number one and seeing the dollars roll into the region is certainly a great thing.
One of the many reasons Memphis International is doing so well is Richard White. Richard White is the head of properties and business development. He was recently honored by Air Cargo World magazine for excellence in airport management and operations and for helping Memphis International be recognized as a top airport. Richard White, Larry Cox and all of the management team at Memphis International should be congratulated.
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