MEMPHIS, Tennessee — Elvis Presley’s Graceland debuted its new $45 million, 200,000-square-foot entertainment complex, Elvis Presley’s Memphis, with a weekend of activities March 2-5.
The cornerstone of the Elvis Presley’s Memphis experience, located across the street from Graceland Mansion, is Elvis: The Entertainer, a 20,000-square-foot museum celebrating Presley’s music, movie and touring career.
This museum features hundreds of artifacts from the Graceland archives, from Presley’s early days in Tupelo, Mississippi, through his first recording session in Memphis, rise to fame, Hollywood career, service in the U.S. Army, life at Graceland, the Las Vegas years and more.
A new Elvis Presley Automobile Museum called Presley Motors showcases more than 20 of his automobiles and motorized vehicles, including the iconic pink Cadillac, while Presley’s two custom airplanes, the Lisa Marie and the Hound Dog II, remain from the existing Graceland experience.
A 20,000-square-foot Graceland Soundstage, with theater seating for up to 2,000, is a venue for live music performances, movie screenings and premieres.
The new facility also features two themed restaurants named for Elvis’ parents, Gladys and Vernon. Gladys’ Diner features classic American fare, while Vernon’s Smokehouse features authentic Memphis barbecue, smoked in-house.
A coffee bar and ice cream shop are also located within the complex, along with new retail stores offering an extensive collection of Presley merchandise.
Elvis Presley’s Memphis is Phase 2 of the planned Graceland expansion and development. Phase 1, the AAA Four Diamond Guest House at Graceland, a 450-room resort hotel, opened last October.
