Baron Von Opperbean (BVO) will set sail on the River of Time in March, its leaders announced Tuesday.
Work on the 8,000-square-foot, immersive experience on Mud Island has been underway since 2024. Leaders said the open date is March 7, 2026.
The installation — called Baron Von Opperbean and the River of Time — will combine “an adventure-play labyrinth, fantastical stories, interactive games, community spaces, special events, food and beverage, and more.”
And there is more to come. BVO will be built in phases, with other sections of the experience coming online later in 2026, and completion of the redevelopment of the 33,000-square-foot space is expected in 2027.
The opening of phase 1 was announced Tuesday evening at the Society of Entrepreneurs’ Next Big Thing pitch competition. So far, BVO has raised $450,000 toward its $1 million phase 1 goal. That’s in addition to early support that helped launch the company, including:
$167,000 raised through a Wefunder crowd-investing campaign
$75,000 in sponsorship funding from Memphis Tourism
$10,000 in grants from the Downtown Memphis Commission
These funds are being used to hire additional team members to accelerate the physical and digital build-out of the experience.
“March 7 is more than an opening date — it’s a signal flare,” said BVO CEO Jee Vahn Knight. “Memphis is built on bold moves, and bringing BVO to Mud Island is one of them.”
“We’re not just unlocking a building, we’re unleashing a part of the riverfront that’s been waiting for its next big swing. Adventure, energy, curiosity — it all starts March 7. And in true Memphis fashion, we’re kicking that door open with imagination, grit, and zero hesitation.”