I always think about crafting a vision board this time of year, one on which I place imagery of what I want the new year to look like. Lamborghini, mansion, a personal Bon Jovi concert, my own real-life Ken — wait, that’s what I dreamed of in elementary school. Luckily, myself and the rest of the Flyer staff are more down to earth and much more educated than we were as kids. Wielding that hard-earned knowledge, we have put together a vision board of sorts for what 2026 will (or maybe might) look like in Memphis.
Grand Openings
The new year promises exciting openings for some of Memphis’ biggest cultural institutions.
Metal Museum at Overton Park
The new Metal Museum at Overton Park is set to open in September.
Change has been evident on the site of the former Memphis College of Art (MCA) for months to anyone who has visited the park. Rust Hall’s exterior gleams a new white and shifting mounds of dirt promise a new landscape.
MCA closed in 2017. Metal Museum leaders announced interest in the space in 2018, along with a $35 million capital campaign to finance the move.
The new Metal Museum will feature a new cafe, an auditorium, and lots more space for studios, education, exhibits, storage, and more.
The museum will keep its original French Fort location on the river for residency programs.
Memphis Flyway at Tom Lee Park
Memphis River Parks Partnership (MRPP) will open the only “free and ADA-accessible observation deck on the Mississippi River” early next year.
The $10-million “Memphis Flyway” is a 218-foot-long distinctive curving observation deck that towers five stories above the river. The project is a canopy boardwalk ground-supported by three steel mast column bundles.
“The Memphis Flyway will become the premier place to experience the Mississippi River along the Great River Road, which follows the Mississippi River from its source in Minnesota to its delta at the Gulf of Mexico,” MRPP said in a statement.
The organization said it expects more than 1 million visitors at the Flyway every year.
“The Memphis Flyway will conserve the unspoiled habitat below the structure for a wide variety of species, including the at-risk monarch butterfly, and offer visitors a view of the more than 100 species of birds that fly past the Memphis riverfront each year,” the organization said.
National Civil Rights Museum
The National Civil Rights Museum (NCRM) is set to open its Legacy Building in spring 2026. The museum’s new Founders Park area is also slated to open.
The renovation of the Legacy Building promises to be a “rich and timely examination of civil and human rights movements since [Dr. Martin Luther King’s] assassination,” according to the NCRM.
The new space will usher visitors into an “urgent and immersive journey through the unfinished business of civil rights.”
“Through five powerful thematic galleries — poverty, education, housing, gender equity, and nonviolence — visitors are invited to explore the structural inequalities Dr. King warned of and how those injustices still shape American life today,” the NCRM said.
Also, Founders Park and the Legacy Terrace will open just west of the museum to South Main. The enhanced outdoor area will offer enlarged spaces, additional seating, audio and staging capabilities, and landscaped reflection areas.
Memphis Art Museum
The new Memphis Art Museum — relocating the longtime Memphis Brooks Museum of Art to Downtown’s riverfront — is slated to open in December 2026.
The 122,000-square-foot facility will offer about 50 percent more gallery space than the current museum, not to mention 600 percent more art-filled free public space, including a 10,000-square-foot community courtyard at street level and a 50,000-square-foot rooftop sculpture garden. It will also offer classrooms, theaters, river-view galleries, a cafe, and dining spaces.
The $180 million project is supported by public, private, and philanthropic funds. — Toby Sells
Holding xAI Accountable
In 2025, community members and advocacy groups took the fight for environmental justice into their own hands. The year culminated with a December hearing brought before the Shelby County Air Pollution Control Board by the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) on behalf of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and Young, Gifted & Green. It sought to have xAI’s air permit rescinded, but the appeal was dismissed by the board.
SELC said this decision would influence how other similar companies move forward with operations and that community organizations are often tasked with holding big companies responsible. We will likely see a continued pattern of activism as groups like Memphis Community Against Pollution have promised to release a report detailing threats to Memphis’ air quality. These findings will likely be compared to reports the city released earlier, which many found issue with.
While we wait to see what moves SELC and other community organizations make next, residents in Southaven will no doubt take this into consideration as they fight against xAI’s expansion into Mississippi.
Southaven residents have voiced noise pollution complaints to elected officials and the company. With ongoing concerns, we are looking to the city to see if there will be any regulation of noise from the facility.
The Safe and Sound Coalition has asked that the Southaven data center stop operations until an independent, third-party health environmental impact study is conducted.
As the fight for clean air coincides with noise pollution and other concerns across state lines, we will likely see groups from both states joining together. — Kailynn Johnson
Political Moves
The bottom line is that the coming election year is one of those all-too-common re-evaluation points (“midterms,” in the parlance) when we get to second-guess the political and economic choices we thought we had committed ourselves to.
Midterm elections almost always do amount to course reversals of some kind, large or small. Anybody who’s been paying attention is surely aware of the conniptions that have been stirred up in this or that state where pols are falling all over themselves to rig or re-rig electoral district lines to make sure members of the political opposition can’t get elected to office.
They will get elected, though — at least at the national level, where numerical control of the U.S. House of Representatives is almost certain to pass from Republican to Democratic control. Whatever else this entails, it means that the dizzying rush toward authoritarianism of Donald J. Trump’s second term as president will, hopefully, begin to abate.
Tennessee is another matter. Much was made of the relatively close special election just held in the state’s 7th Congressional District, resulting in the victory of a MAGA-minded West Tennessee Republican over a progressive Democratic woman from Nashville. But the dirty work of gerrymandering was accomplished by the state’s GOP legislators so thoroughly after the last census that no tinkering with district lines a la Texas was necessary to maintain control of the 7th or any of the state’s other congressional districts save one — the 9th District in Memphis.
There and there alone is an enclave so steeped in Democratic demographics — mainly via the preponderant African-American population of Memphis — that Democrats can get themselves elected.
At stake in 2026 is the one congressional seat — of nine in the state overall — held by a Democrat, and that Democrat, Steve Cohen, finds himself, at the apex of a lengthy and distinguished government career, challenged by a young community organizer whose apparent gifts and biography so far stamp him unmistakably as a rising star.
Over the course of his 20 years so far in Congress, Cohen has handily disposed of all his opponents, a veritable all-star list of local Democratic primary challengers. Pearson, who already has something of a national following as a result of derring-do in the legislature and locally, will be his ultimate test.
Statewide, the governor’s race seemingly will come down to a Republican primary race between U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn and 6th District Congressman John Rose, though Memphis City Council Member Jerri Green will be making a bid as a Democrat.
Shelby Countians will have a choice of several prominent local Democrats for the office of county mayor — Councilman JB Smiley Jr., County Commissioner Mickell Lowery, County CAO Harold Collins, Assessor Melvin Burgess, and Criminal Court Clerk Heidi Kuhn, as well, apparently, as the controversial former schools superintendent, Marie Feagins. County commissioners, state legislators, and a new sheriff will also be chosen.
Meanwhile, the Memphis-Shelby County Schools board, whose seats are normally staggered, is scheduled for a review by the voters of all nine seats as a direct result of animosities stirred up by Feagins’ unceremonious ouster by the board. — Jackson Baker
On Screens
The big story in the film and television world for 2026 is the impending purchase of Warner Bros. (WB) by Netflix. Only three years after the legendary legacy studio which produced everything from Casablanca to Looney Tunes to Batman was sold by AT&T to David Zaslav’s Discovery network, it’s on the market again. It was recently the subject of a bidding war between Netflix, the streaming TV giant, and Larry and David Ellison’s Skydance, who just snapped up Paramount. It’s a lose-lose proposition for everyone involved who isn’t already a billionaire. The Ellisons are Trump allies eyeing WB/Discovery’s TV properties so they can turn CNN into Fox News Lite. There’s little evidence that they care about the film studio part of the operation, since they already have one of their own, which would mean massive job losses and fewer choices at the multiplex. In other words, more Mission: Impossible movies and fascist propaganda. For now, WB/Discovery’s board has rejected the Ellisons’ bid.
Netflix, on the other hand, will spin off the WB/Disco’s TV division, gobble up WB’s unmatched back catalog of historic cinema for their own streaming service, and use the storied studio’s production division to beef up their own operations. The problem is, Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos hates movie theaters. Netflix’s stock price, which determines Sarandos’ pay and wealth, are based on money from speculators who have been led to believe the company will eventually be the only way to access filmed entertainment. So it’s in Sarandos’ personal interest to destroy everything he believes to be competition, and if that includes your neighborhood movie theater, so be it.
There are many ironies to this story which belie the way we were told in school capitalism is supposed to function. Warner Bros. had a great year, both artistically and commercially. A Minecraft Movie pulled in a cool billion at the box office, Superman soundly trounced the comic book competition from Marvel, Sinners was a surprise hit, and either it or One Battle After Another will take home Best Picture at the Oscars. So why is WB for sale in the first place? Two reasons. First, WB/Discovery is loaded down with billions of dollars in debt that were accrued first by AOL when they bought the studio at the turn of the century, then by AT&T when they bought the studio from Time Warner, then by Zaslav when Discovery bought it from AT&T. After the Netflix transaction is complete, WB will be forced to pay off something north of $50 billion. Second, once the sale goes through, Zaslav’s stock options will vest, and he stands to retire with about a $567 million windfall. Will these perverse incentives lead to Zaslav burning down the house on his way out?
Then there’s the possibility that the Trump administration’s Department of Justice will jump in with an antitrust prosecution which will force the sale of the studio to his political allies, the Ellisons, thus further expanding state control over the news and mass media. Any way you slice it, it’s bad for the people who make film and television, and bad for the people who consume it. — Chris McCoy
Good Sports
2026 is a sports year the world has had circled for quite some time. The Winter Olympics in February will make skiing and ice-skating topics of the day for two weeks, and with the gorgeous setting of northern Italy. Then in June, soccer’s World Cup arrives in these United States (the home country is guaranteed a place in the field … though nothing beyond that). But what about here in Memphis, before, between, and after the international fun?
The Memphis Grizzlies are climbing toward a .500 record despite lengthy absences, due to injury, of Ja Morant and Zach Edey. Can the likes of Cam Spencer, Vince Williams Jr., and rookie Cedric Coward help the franchise return to the NBA playoffs in a top-heavy Western Conference? Last season, 48 wins were merely good enough for 8th place in the conference. Another question that will be answered in the coming months: Are Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. the centerpieces of a team still hungry for its first Finals appearance? If Grizzlies GM Zach Kleiman isn’t convinced, 2026 could yield a roster transition.
At the college level, Memphis Tigers coach Penny Hardaway knows plenty about roster transition. His entire 2025-26 roster is new to the U of M. After a 1-4 start and an ugly December loss at Louisville (!), a winter of discontent seems to have lowered upon a program that last season won both the American Conference’s regular season and tournament championships. The lack of star power on this year’s team has led to sagging attendance at FedExForum and a general sense of “What can be done?” Win the conference tourney again, and Memphis will return to the NCAA tournament. Win it or not, we can expect roster turnover. Again.
With the St. Louis Cardinals undergoing their most comprehensive rebuild in three decades, the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds will serve as a conduit for growth. At least that’s the hope for Cardinal fans. Last season’s headliner — infielder JJ Wetherholt — is a virtual lock to land a roster spot with the big club. Pitcher Quinn Mathews — the 2024 Minor League Pitcher of the Year — may be back for some fine-tuning, though the Cardinals’ starting rotation is thin in both talent and experience. The Cards’ top pick in the 2025 draft, left-handed pitcher Liam Doyle from the University of Tennessee, could land a Memphis rotation spot. And remember the name Rainiel Rodriguez, one of baseball’s top catching prospects, but only 19 years old.
When Memphis Tiger football returns in September, it will be under the watch of new coach Charles Huff, hired in December to replace Ryan Silverfield, who departed for Arkansas after six years (and 50 wins) in blue and gray. At his meet-the-city press conference, Huff had attendees well beyond college age ready to don helmet and shoulder pads for “the apex predator” Huff intends Memphis to be on fall Saturdays. With Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium scheduled to complete its massive ($212 million) renovation by the season opener, the 2026 campaign could be the most significant in program history. With dreams of larger conference affiliation still a motivator, mediocrity is the enemy. — Frank Murtaugh
Live Music (With an Eye on the Past)
If there’s one theme uniting the most exciting concerts on next year’s horizon, it may be “honoring yesterday for a better tomorrow.” The shows coming our way somehow promise to keep the best of what we thought was lost, even as they wrap it up in a whole new package.
First of all, of course, will come Graceland’s annual tribute to Elvis Presley in the days surrounding his birthday, from Wednesday, January 7th to 11th, which will have all the historical tributes we’ve come to expect, including a day devoted to “Elvis 1956,” the singer’s breakout year. But in the middle of the music and conversations with folks who knew The King, the event will also include something utterly new: an exclusive sneak-peek screening of Baz Luhrmann’s EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert, a celebration of Presley’s live shows, especially in 1970s Las Vegas, sprinkled with rare intimate footage and even newly-discovered audio recordings of Presley telling his own story. This will be the world’s first chance to see a film that won’t appear on IMAX screens until February 20th, to be followed by a theatrical run beginning February 27th.
Fast on the heels of that, the Blues Foundation will shift into high gear with the International Blues Challenge, Tuesday, January 13th, through Saturday, January 17th, which for 45 years has offered the best glimpse into the future of the blues, as heretofore lesser-known groups from around the world vie for recognition as the real deal. But along with those new faces, the Blues Foundation also pays tribute to those “who have played crucial roles in advancing the art and commerce of blues” with their Keeping the Blues Alive (KBA) honorees. While those awardees — Cognac Blues Passions, John Anderson, Jeff Davis, Michael Gray, Jazz Alley, Nola Blue, Jim Hartzell, Robert Terrell, and Mark Jacobson — were announced earlier this month, they’ll be honored in person at the Keeping the Blues Alive Awards brunch on Friday, January 16th, at the Hyatt Centric.
On a more local, personal note combining a tearful look backward with hope for the future of music, several Memphians, in collaboration with Music Export Memphis, have launched the Luke White Memorial Fund, offering grants to emerging musicians in the city and offering a day of recording at High/Low, Luke’s home studio, and mastering by Jacob Church at JLC Audio. White, who died in April after a long battle with cancer, was a bandmate to many and a mainstay of the Memphis music scene for many years. A fundraiser show at B-Side on February 27th, featuring Jeff Hulett & the Hand Me Downs and Toby Vest & the Dream Machine, will help jumpstart the fund.
Speaking of jumpstarts, many are hotly anticipating the opening of the Grind City Amphitheater, aka Grind City Amp, a new venue launched by Grind City Brewing Co. and Barbian Entertainment on the brewery’s property in Uptown. The inaugural show won’t come until April 22nd, but get your tickets now — the headliner will be none other than the Alabama Shakes. The garage soul group, spotlighting the powerful vocals of Brittany Howard, seemed to call it quits in 2018 so Howard could pursue her solo career, but just this month reunited for a surprise show in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and shortly thereafter announced their work on a new album and a summer tour next year. The Grind City Amp show will be an early chance to witness this brilliant ensemble of yore made whole again, laying the groundwork for untold sonic delights to come. — Alex Greene