What's Up With the Kroc Center

What's Up With the Kroc Center

Thanks to a big endowment and several years of construction, there's going to be a huge community center where Memphians can play, work out, learn, worship and hold garage band practice. Here's what's up with the Salvation Army's Kroc Center.

Kroc Center, Memphis, Tenn.

What it was: The land that the Kroc Center sits on was part of the Mid-South Fair Grounds. There was a public pool there once, too.

Pool, Memphis, Tenn.  Photo from Stephen Hackett, Kroc Center

(photo thanks to Stephen Hackett, Kroc Center)

What it is now: A community center in progress. The Memphis Kroc Center is being built as part of a series of Salvation Army community centers all over the country that have been funded by the Kroc estate.

Kroc Center in progress, Memphis, Tenn.

Memphis receieved its grant to build the Kroc Center in 2007 and broke ground on the building in March 2010.

What it's going to be: A 100,000 square foot environmentally-sustainable community center accessible to to Memphians of all kinds.

The center is designed to provide Memphians with access to arts, recreation, education and worship space. The building houses class rooms (some soundproof for music lessons), a gym, a fitness center, indoor and outdoor soccer fields, banquet rooms, meeting space, a 300-seat theatre / chapel, playgrounds and small "garages" that bands can use for practice.

Kroc Center, Memphis, Tenn.

One of the center's most unique features is the Multi-Challenge area that presents real-world scenarios and asks teams to solve them using academic and problem solving skills. It's designed for kids, but I have a feeling that the rescue simulations (like one set in a mine shaft) are going to be Memphis' new favorite corporate team building excersize.

There's also an outdoor splash park and an indoor pool with sections for laps and swimming lessons, a lazy river and a water slide that goes outside of the building and ends in the pool.

The future pool at the Kroc Center, Memphis, Tenn.

The Salvation Army is expecting to serve thousands of people every week. To keep it accessible to all, basic membership is free but memberships that allow you to use the gym, pool, fitness rooms and other special areas will be available for a fee.

The future splash park at the Kroc Center, Memphis, Tenn.

When it opens: The Kroc Center is set to open in January of 2013.

For more information on the Memphis Kroc Center and a ton of cool renderings of the final project, go here.

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Caroline
Thanks for the breakdown. I was wondering when it would be opening.
April 24, 2012 3:33pm
Whatever
Of course the Salvation Army's track record of homophobia and misogyny doesn't seem to matter the least bit, nor the fact that they're building this in the middle of the only neighborhood in Memphis where queers can safely congregate without threat of death or that poor women can go to have abortions. It doesn't matter that this is a part of a multi-million dollar fairgrounds gentrification project that is occurring while most infrastructure in Black communities across the city is falling apart. All that matters is some esoteric sense of "community" will be created even at the exclusion and displacement of a large portion of the midtown population. Maybe next we can invite Westboro Baptist Church or Operation Rescue to redevelop the Liberty Bowl.
April 24, 2012 4:18pm
Kerry (Admin)
The story was just meant to be an update on what the center is and what services it would offer.
April 24, 2012 4:39pm
Frenchie
Thank you, Whatever. You took (most of) the words right out of my mouth. With all due respect to Kerry, I think it is important to note the Salvation Army has a discriminatory policy against homosexuals; the policy is not casual, but written right into their Position Statements, available online & elsehwere. They do not hire gays as a policy; they ask that homosexuals who do end up working for the Salvation Army to be celebate. This will indeed be a major landmark in our city and it is entirely appropriate for the public to be aware of the priorities and politics of the organizations funding these projects. I would expect the same if the organization behind a major monument like this had a potent and purposeful pro-gay agenda.  
April 24, 2012 5:00pm
Kerry (Admin)
Frenchie - I totally understand. Thanks for contributing your comment - I very much appreciate it.
April 24, 2012 5:10pm
Danzo
The Salv Army is what it has always been, the people who actually help the wino and insane, the  homeless, albeit for religious reasons. Remember this: Very few cities raised the matching funds to get the Mrs. Kroc grant to build and run this monster. We did. Hope it makes up for the loss of the YMCA at U of M.
April 24, 2012 5:52pm
Edie
Whatever is entirely correct. I've been disturbed by the placement of this center, and their policies. It's time to bring awareness to our community, so that as little harm is caused by these rampant homophobes as humanly possible. 
April 25, 2012 6:08am
Cory
Kerry is simply reporting on the progress of the building, people. In no way is she endorsing the SA's policy of discrimination. 
April 25, 2012 10:58am
Jon
There is a lot of rampant and incorrect use of the term "homophobe" (and I'll tack on "misogny" as well) in this comment section. The Salvation Army is a conservative, Chrsitian non-profit organization whose main priority is providing relief. You cannot and should not expect them to allow homosexuals. This does not mean that they are afraid of homosexuals or that they encourage hatefulness. You can disagree with them. You can can think they're nuts. But you need to understand the other side of the argument - in this case, the Salvation Army's side - before you can affect change. To say that you don't want the Salvation Army funding a civil project in that community is using the same argument as people who protest Planned Parenthood - you're judging an entire organization as irredemable based on one or two policies. By that logic, Susan G. Komen Foundation had ever right to take away funds for breast cancer screenings because PP also performs abortions.
April 25, 2012 2:13pm
Johnny Laird
The Salvation Army is not faultless in the way it has & continues to engage with the LGBT community, and like many faith groups is on a journey when it comes to how it relates to human sexuality. That said, many - most - of the comments offered here and simply inaccurate and uninformed. It's not correct that The Salvation Army doesn't emply gay people. It is also not the case that gay employees are required to be celibate. (although I can see how that conclusion could be reached by reading Positional Statements on the current teaching of the Church for its members) The suggestion that The Salvation Army is somehow on a par with Westboro borders on the ridiculous. Peace J  
April 25, 2012 4:11pm
snarky
Who's in favor of a Gay for a Day Swim Party at the new Kroc Center when it opens?
April 25, 2012 6:08pm
Heather
Wow, this is a very one-sided conversation here. As an employee of The Salvation Army (in another state) I can assure you that gay people ARE NOT discriminated against in any way, whether in assistance or employment. We have had more than one gay or lesbian person working in this office. They are accepted and befriended just as any other employee. As a member of The Salvation Army church, I can also assure you that the position statement referenced above ONLY applies to church members, not employees. Below is an excerpt from the position statement on homosexuality. "Scripture forbids sexual intimacy between members of the same sex. The Salvation Army believes, therefore, that Christians whose sexual orientation is primarily or exclusively same-sex are called upon to embrace celibacy as a way of life. There is no scriptural support for same-sex unions as equal to, or as an alternative to, heterosexual marriage.  Likewise, there is no scriptural support for demeaning or mistreating anyone for reason of his or her sexual orientation. The Salvation Army opposes any such abuse." As you can see, the only ones who are "called upon to embrace celibacy" are those who profess to be Christians. If you don't, no worries. The Salvation Army is not here to tell you how to live. That's between you and our Maker.  
April 27, 2012 11:48am
Eric
Instead of blasting the Army for it's "anti-gay" position statement, why not use this as an opportunity to show the Army that gays can be Christians, and that it is possible for the Army to work alongside Christian gays and lesbians to do positive work in the community. Why not use this as an opportunity to break down the wall that separates the Salvation Army from the GLBT community instead of outright rejecting the Army's desire to help in the community where the center is being built. Having said all that: I do believe that the Army needs to change it's tactics in how they deal with the GLBT community. The present method of stabbing gays with scripture isn't working to bring them to Christ. If the Army is really interested in bringing the GLBT community to Christ, it shoudl try the non-judgmental, loving compassionate approach. Opportunity knocks. And I hope that both the GLBT community and the Salvation Army willt ake this opportunity to reach out in love to each other.
April 27, 2012 2:33pm
Andy
I'm looking forward to the Kroc Center opening in Midtown. I think it's going to be a great gathering place for people of all types.
April 27, 2012 8:19pm
Simple
Im just praying that Memphis will rebuild a themepark . This will bring good revenue to the city and put Memphis on the map for a  tourists vacation spot. People can start seeing Memphis as a great place to live instead of a dangerous place to line.
December 31, 2012 11:02am