Riverboat operations could move half a mile upstream into the Wolf River Harbor in a city project aimed to protect the historic cobblestones landing.
The Downtown Memphis Commission’s (DMC) Design Review Board will have its first look at the project in a meeting Wednesday. The project, called the Lonestar Paddleboat Landing, will build a switchback from the top of Bass Pro Drive down to the river’s edge.
The Lonestar Paddleboat Landing project is part of a larger preservation effort for the historic cobblestone landing in Memphis,” said DMC staff officials, who recommended the project’s approval to DMC decision-makers. “The proposed site lies roughly half a mile upstream from the historic cobblestone landing site and is intended to provide a new location for Riverboat operations.
“This relocation will improve visitor flow to the city while protecting historic infrastructure and providing safer facilities for boat operators and guests alike.
As the Memphis Flyer reported in a recent cover story, the historic cobblestone project — nearly three decades in the making — is expected to be finished sometime this fall. The landing is still in daily use by the many riverboat companies who operate out of the harbor. It is used to load guests onto boats, for parking, and more.
The “Lonestar” name of the project calls back to the former Lonestar Industries Inc. concrete company facility that stood on the site. The facility’s massive silos with an enormous “Memphis” sign on them once greeted visitors and served as a sort of civic landmark. The facility was demolished in 2021 to make way for the entrance of Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid.
The new switchback there will connect to an existing sidewalk on the site. The walkway will be eight feet wide and feature 16 landings as it snakes its way down the bank. Safety railings will line both sides of the walkway.
No landscaping or signage from the city is expected for the project. However, lighting will be added throughout. The project is on land managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
“… this block of Downtown is particularly well suited for a tourism-adjacent use, increasing activity and enhancing visitor experience,” reads the staff report for the project. “Locating this new infrastructure in the area between the Pyramid and the Welcome Center will ensure that those traveling by riverboat to Memphis are immediately met by defining features of the city, both physically and culturally.”
