A Memphis developer with a polished sales pitch and a hit-or-miss record. A city government often at war with itself. A historic street known as much now for crime as its heritage.
Almost from the start, the marriage between Jackson and Memphis-based Performa Real Estate Entertainment to redevelop Farish Street into an entertainment mecca was built on shaky ground. Now, in a questionable renewal of their vows, Performa and the city are set to begin life together anew.
Developers, city officials and mediators with an interest in seeing the Farish Street project completed will continue Monday with a series of meetings to reformulate the project. The plan is to bring in a local developer to calm nervous investors and an impatient mayor.
“This can be solved,” Performa CEO John Elkington said. “This is bigger than me. It’s bigger than any of us.”
