The Forge Adventure Parks, based in Chicago, Ill., has submitted a proposal to the City of Memphis, Tenn., to bring The Forge Memphis to Mud Island, a $10 million project complete with an aerial challenge course, climbing walls, zip lines, and event space.
“What we’ve proposed will be the region’s first, largest, and most exciting zip-lining system,” said The Forge Adventure Parks founder Jeremie Bacon.
Mud Island is a small peninsula located within Memphis city limits and is surrounded by the Mississippi River, Wolf River, and Harbor Town. The peninsula is home to the Mississippi River Museum, restaurants, a residential area, and an amphitheater that has not hosted an event since 2018. Investors of The Forge Memphis say the attraction could revitalize Mud Island. The project, if approved, is expected to attract 100,000 annual visitors and generate $500,000 each year for the city.
The proposal appeared to be well received by the city council parks committee during a meeting on Aug. 9. “I think this is the most well thought out plan that I’ve seen since I’ve been here,” councilwoman Patrice Robinson said. Concerns over the new park include parking, and the park’s compatibility with other plans for Mud Island.
Next steps include obtaining approval from River Parks, city council, and the final licensing agreement. The Forge believes this could all happen within 10 months.
“We have our memorandum of understanding and our license agreement, which are ready for execution,” Bacon said. “That’s the next step here is to get the final license agreement put in place. We’ve already lined up all our construction partners, we’re ready to break ground.”
