MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Following the fallout of million-dollar repair bills and lawsuits after 2023's Memphis in May festival at the newly-renovated Tom Lee Park, one of the festival's signature events said Tuesday they don't expect to be back at the Memphis Riverfront next year.
In a letter sent to participating teams that was obtained by ABC24, Memphis in May said the World Champion BBQ Cooking Contest likely won't return to its signature riverfront location in 2024 after it experienced "difficulties" with Memphis River Parks Partnership, the operators of Tom Lee Park.
Notably, the competition mentioned the $1.4 million restoration bill sent by Memphis River Parks after the festival, which they said was mostly tied to the BBQ competition. Memphis River Parks later filed a lawsuit against Memphis in May for $675,000 in unpaid damages. The competition cited Memphis River Parks as the reason they don't want to return to Tom Lee Park.
"We are currently looking at the Fairgrounds at Liberty Park for the 2024 [World Champion BBQ Cooking Contest], where we previously held the event in 2011 and in 2022, as this seems to be the best available option," Memphis in May said in the letter. "There are no viable locations to hold the event downtown or on the riverfront other than Tom Lee Park, and we no longer see TLP as a viable venue while Memphis River Parks Partnership has control of the park."
Contest organizers ran a poll in the letter, asking teams to choose their best of three choices for 2024:
- "Liberty Park works for us. We are in for 2024. Let’s rumble!"
- "Hate that we can no longer be on the riverfront. Not sure we’ll be back. In 2024."
- "Look for another venue, even if it means moving outside of Memphis proper."
The contest said if they choose to move to Liberty Park, it will address concerns raised by the 2022 contest, including a pedestrian entry on East Parkway.
Memphis in May said they will notify teams of the poll results Friday.
