Author: Smart City Memphis

The danger in being an opinionated member of a fact-finding task force is that sooner or later you do actually run the risk of coming face to face with the facts. That seems to be the source of the palpable discomfort displayed...

Great Balls of Fire. We haven’t been this excited since Commercial Appeal editorial writers rhapsodized about how important it was to Memphis that The Rolling Stones booked a concert date in the FedEx Forum.That’s right up there...

Contrary to some of the overheated rhetoric, the future of Western civilization doesn’t hinge on the Shelby County Board of Commissioners’ vote on a moratorium on development. In fact, it would have little real impact, except as...

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to determine if tax incentives for business are legal, and taxpayers are crossing their fingers that finally the courts will do what the politicians don’t have the will to do.It was back...

Let’s say this as clearly as we can. The status quo is simply not an option. In fact, today, status quo is a Latin phrase meaning failure. That’s why our city needs innovative, new economic development policies and a culture of...

The slash and burn political tactics of the Shelby County Board of Education is doing nothing to win points with Shelby County Mayor A C Wharton, who recently ordered the Office of Planning and Development to conduct a complete...

• So we’re doing everything to get prepared for the “big one,” right? Just one question. If the three massive earthquakes in the early 19th century along the New Madrid fault – three of the largest four earthquakes to ever hit...

Another unfortunate feature of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita is that they have overshadowed the growing storm about the pattern of behavior by Majority Leader Tom DeLay.While it seems that Rep. DeLay will be the ultimate...

If we, indeed, could muster the civic courage to demolish the Mid-South Coliseum, how could we re-use the land? A drive through the Cooper-Young neighborhood during last weekend’s festival revealed a surprising amount of...

Now here’s a novel idea. In a few weeks, just up river in St. Louis, they will actually demolish Busch Stadium, whose 39-year history has given thousands of us Memphians some of our favorite sports memories. For some, it’s Mark...