MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Construction on the new Memphis Art Museum in downtown Memphis will continue as normal, after a Shelby County Chancery Court Judge denied a request for a temporary injunction filed by a non-profit to stop the building.
Chancery Court Judge Melanie Taylor Jefferson issued the ruling June 28, 2024, after Friends for Our Riverfront, a nonprofit created by descendants of Memphis’ founding fathers, filed a complaint and petition in August 2023 against the City of Memphis and Brooks Museum of Art.
In June 2023, the Brooks Museum broke ground on their new location on Front Street between Monroe and Union Avenues. In October, they announced the location would open with a new name: the Memphis Art Museum.
The area for the new Memphis Brooks Museum of Art is part of the public promenade designated by Memphis’ founding fathers in the 1800s. Friends for Our Riverfront members said they feared projects like the museum might damage the land.
In a statement following the latest ruling, Carl Person, Memphis Art Museum Board President, said:
"For years, our goal has been to establish for the people of Memphis one of the greatest cultural institutions in the country. Today, thanks to the unwavering dedication of many, many supporters, we are closer than ever to making that dream a reality. This portion of our riverfront will soon be home not only to a world-class art museum, but acres of new, open, art-filled, and accessible public space for everyone to enjoy.
We are grateful for the enduring support of everyone who has shared our vision so far and we are thrilled to keep making progress toward our 2026 opening day."
ABC24 has reached out to Friends for Our Riverfront for its response to this latest ruling.