For generations, the Pipkin Building has been a shared civic space at the heart of the Memphis Fairgrounds. BBQ Fest, Tiger football, the Southern Heritage Classic, flea markets, Sista Strut, roller derby, wrestling, reptile expos, trade shows, car shows, and countless other events have all used its doors. The Pipkin Building has repeatedly demonstrated its value as a public asset beyond hosting events. The Pipkin has functioned as a warming and cooling center during extreme weather and was utilized as an emergency response facility during the COVID pandemic. All these organizations have coexisted and shared this one building.

Now, that building for all may become a building for one.

The City is considering a 7-14 year lease that would give the Pipkin Building to a private pickleball company. Under the proposal, the 27,000-square-foot building would be permanently renovated into a dedicated pickleball facility.

The Pipkin Building is located at the heart of the Fairgrounds. Its defining feature is its expansive open floor plan, free of interior walls and columns, which allows the space to be adapted for a wide range of events and community needs. This unique layout is what makes the Pipkin so valuable. Few other venues in Memphis offer the same combination of size, accessibility, and flexibility. As a result of this proposed lease, current users have already expressed concerns about finding alternative locations, as there is simply no comparable facility capable of accommodating the same variety of events.

This is not a condemnation of pickleball at the Fairgrounds. Many Memphians enjoy the sport, and we support businesses that invest in our city. In fact, pickleball is so widespread that the Kroc Center which is located at the Liberty Park Fairgrounds already offers pickleball for $3 to non-members. Our concern is that a public facility currently serving many organizations could be permanently converted for the exclusive use of a single private business for the next 7 to 14 years.

The proposed renovations to the Pipkin appear to permanently transform the facility into a dedicated pickleball venue, which would likely prevent the Pipkin from continuing to serve its broad community purpose even after this lease ends. Community organizations have reportedly asked the pickleball company whether the space could be shared, but the renovations under consideration would not allow the space to accommodate multiple uses.

At a time when Memphis needs more third spaces, we believe that we should be preserving our public community assets rather than limiting them to a single purpose and a single tenant.

Below is an email template that you can personalize and send to express your concerns about the proposed lease and the future of the Pipkin Building to your City Council representative. You can find their emails here: https://memphistn.gov/city-council/

Sign this petition to help keep the Memphis Fairgrounds for All.