Graceland Attendance Drops In 2010

[Elvis.com]

The Memphis home of the King of Rock 'n' Roll saw a 4 percent drop in attendance from 2009 to 2010. Attendance figures for Graceland released earlier this year in the 2010 annual report of the parent company of Elvis Presley...

Link To Original Article

[vivaelvis]

This is actually great news! It now forces the company to stop standing pat and being so cheap to just settle for getting by. They have got to realize that they have to spend money in order to make money in return.

This one sentence in that article says it all. "The Graceland attraction was opened to the public in the 1980s and lacks many of the amenities and points-of-sale that one would expect from a tourist destination that garners over 500,000 visitors per annum". I've been saying this all along. Let's face it. The immediate Graceland area is not attractive in any way. Even the visitors center is outdated and beyond expansion possibilities. The HH is a rundown even after renovations in 2000 to where renovating it is out of the question. It's too small, lacks space, obvioulsy lacks first class amenities that attracts guest's interest, has a very small pool deck, and doesn't have room for meetings, conventions or weddings. That's where the money making lies. Not in thematic attractions.

Let's hope that this news is a wakeup call to EPE that just getting by won't cut it anymore in this day and age. If Disney ran their operations half=assed like EPE has over the years then they wouldn't be in business today. EPE needs to thank Elvis for his popularity to keep the company afloat.

[Unchained Melody]

Disney's operations and EPE handling Graceland is a little bit different I would think...Sure, they both are tourist attractions, but Graceland is first and foremost a home of what was the greatest entertainer that ever graced this earth IMO.
I do hope anyhow that they do fix it up nicely, I'm sure they got the money to do so, thanks for the update.

[vivaelvis]

Disney's operations and EPE handling Graceland is a little bit different I would think...Sure, they both are tourist attractions, but Graceland is first and foremost a home of what was the greatest entertainer that ever graced this earth IMO.
I do hope anyhow that they do fix it up nicely, I'm sure they got the money to do so, thanks for the update.

Elvis Presley Enterprises Inc. is a corporation like Disney. They are both big businesses but EPE operates like a third tier small business. Poor leadership including Priscilla's involvement since 1982 and cheaply ran is the cause of the lack of today's appeal. All one has to do is take a look at the whole image of the attraction and they will see how cheap it really is to be so expensive to attend.

[KPM]

2010 in the middle of the biggest economic turndown since 1929-did anyone expect anything different about attendance.
We are now in the middle of the 3rd year of a practically jobless recovery-my own brother visits Graceland about once every 3 years-but not the last 3 since he has worked a total of 7 months as a carpet layer since January 2009. When you do not have work-you do not take vacations, nor lead the life you do when fully employed, plus those who are employed have to contend with $3-4 dollar gasolene, airlines now charging for things like each piece of luggage, boarding fees etc to try and make up for the lost revenue because of higher jet fuel and less travelors.
Then factor in the average raise people who are working got in the last 3 years and you have less money to spend on vacations and luxury items.
No one is spending unless they have to-so is this news really surprising?
On the contrary since late 2008 the time for huge expansions is long gone... for the near future.....the wait and see game is what most business's are doing.
Poor leadership by EPE is a total matter of opinion-as is the leadership of Sillerman and the CKX team.
EPE grew steadily for years, as did profits and attractions-they decided to go outside the company in 2005 for what some have said was a reinvigoration of ideas for larger grander scale things-and from that moment forward it has been a steady turmoil of activity to decide how to proceed, how to perform this "reinvigoration" so many ideas, so many things to do-so little decision.
Take a look at the post from 2006-07 where the grand scheme was laid out by someone....and was suppose to be completed within 2 years time-Grand Opening by late 2009.
None of that post came to pass-it is now 2011.
Big does not always mean smart, big does not always mean better, big does not always mean faster as we are finding out.

[KPM]

Heres an excerpt from the Orange County Register Dec, 2010 in Florida about Disney parks in 2010 This shows that since 2008 even Disney is having some problems and is not fully releasing info on its situation. Anytime you censor how you report your figures-it is not because of good news, it is to put a good light on the positive you can report:
Attendance at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure was “modestly better” in late summer compared to the previous year, although the company declined to reveal more specific information.

The Walt Disney Co. recently stopped reporting attendance gains and losses broken out by its Florida and California theme parks in its earnings reports. Instead, the company released only a national attendance average.

That makes it more difficult to gauge the health of the Disneyland Resort — Orange County’s largest private employer with 20,000 workers. The resort includes the two theme parks, three hotels and the Downtown Disney shopping-entertainment district..........

[vivaelvis]

August 2, 2011 is a very important day for America snd the rest of the world. That's when the US must have the bailout checks sent out or else risk a default. If that were to happen, it would be the first time ever in this country's history. It looks like Obama is way in over his head. I'm sure Apollo, CKX and EPE are all watching the situation very closely as it would have an immediate impact on tourism from all over the world. From Disneyland to Graceland.

[asian1]

August 2, 2011 is a very important day for America snd the rest of the world. That's when the US must have the bailout checks sent out or else risk a default. If that were to happen, it would be the first time ever in this country's history. It looks like Obama is way in over his head. I'm sure Apollo, CKX and EPE are all watching the situation very closely as it would have an immediate impact on tourism from all over the world. From Disneyland to Graceland.

I agree that "King Obama" is not handling the huge economic mess properly. WIth the hard economic times ahead, I don't thin it would be wise for any business to start investing large amounts of money such as Graceland. I do think that if creative and intelligent people ran Grace;and, they could make respectable business and garner new interest for all things concerning a dynamic performer like Elvis. Creative and innovative ideas do not always come with investing large sums of money. Proper leadership and direction can emanate from anyone.

I don't think Elvis was handled well when he was alive and I don't think he is promoted well now either. I see more brilliant ideas on this message board, from loyal fans, than from the feckless business minds that manage EPE.

[vivaelvis]

I agree that "King Obama" is not handling the huge economic mess properly. WIth the hard economic times ahead, I don't thin it would be wise for any business to start investing large amounts of money such as Graceland. I do think that if creative and intelligent people ran Grace;and, they could make respectable business and garner new interest for all things concerning a dynamic performer like Elvis. Creative and innovative ideas do not always come with investing large sums of money. Proper leadership and direction can emanate from anyone.

I don't think Elvis was handled well when he was alive and I don't think he is promoted well now either. I see more brilliant ideas on this message board, from loyal fans, than from the feckless business minds that manage EPE.

Amen!! I couldn't agree more. In fact, I don't look for massive redevelopment at or around Graceland until the economy is back to full strength and that could be another year or two if not longer. However, business goes on and EPE and CKX/Apollo will do whatever they must to get a new hotel or save money by revamping and possibly expanding the current hotel and upgrade amenities. But, imo, from what's been said, the HH is beyond renovating and putting money into. It would be like putting lipstick on a pig.

[KPM]

As this is not a political forum I will only make one comment-no "bailout checks" are to be sent out by the US on August 2nd 2011
The significance of that date is that the Debt Limit Ceiling for the US must be raised by that date-it is Congress's responsibilty to do this when the limit is reached-the Debt Limit was raised 7 times during the Bush years and theres was little fanfare about doing so.
Some people in Congress do not understand that by trying to use the raising of this ceiling as a bargaining point they are playing with fire-Moodys has already said they are putting the USA on a watch-and that the credit rating for the US (yes countries have credit rating) could be downgraded if the US does not raise the debt ceiling-we would be in technical default......which will send up interest rates on are credit cards, the nations debt, and that would be a catastrophy.
Some of the less informed new Congressmen and women say all we have to do is pay interest on our debt until we work out the problem-every major economic entitiy be it Republican, Democrat or Independent say if the debt limit is not raised-we will see economic Armageddon that will make this downturn seem "pleasant" Obama may not be the culpret here-the former chairman of the Republican party Mr. Steele said recently on Hardball that this limit must be raised-and that he shudders to think of the consequences of not doing so.
All Congress has to do is raise the debt limit, send the bill to Obama and he signs it-easy.
Instead they are taking us to the brink of destruction....saying-it will be okay.
"Every Congress before this last Congressional election -has raised the debt limit when necessary with little opposition-until this year.....???
Bush overspent every year he was president, he entered 2 major wars without paying for them, he gave the upper 2% major tax cuts and lowered corporate tax rates (also unpaid for) which should have given us a economic utopia according to his way of thinking, yet at the end of his presidency we faced the largest recession since 1929???
I think to be fair President Bush did have a little to do with where we are today.

[asian1]

As this is not a political forum I will only make one comment-no "bailout checks" are to be sent out by the US on August 2nd 2011
The significance of that date is that the Debt Limit Ceiling for the US must be raised by that date-it is Congress's responsibilty to do this when the limit is reached-the Debt Limit was raised 7 times during the Bush years and theres was little fanfare about doing so.
Some people in Congress do not understand that by trying to use the raising of this ceiling as a bargaining point they are playing with fire-Moodys has already said they are putting the USA on a watch-and that the credit rating for the US (yes countries have credit rating) could be downgraded if the US does not raise the debt ceiling-we would be in technical default......which will send up interest rates on are credit cards, the nations debt, and that would be a catastrophy.
Some of the less informed new Congressmen and women say all we have to do is pay interest on our debt until we work out the problem-every major economic entitiy be it Republican, Democrat or Independent say if the debt limit is not raised-we will see economic Armageddon that will make this downturn seem "pleasant" Obama may not be the culpret here-the former chairman of the Republican party Mr. Steele said recently on Hardball that this limit must be raised-and that he shudders to think of the consequences of not doing so.
All Congress has to do is raise the debt limit, send the bill to Obama and he signs it-easy.
Instead they are taking us to the brink of destruction....saying-it will be okay.
"Every Congress before this last Congressional election -has raised the debt limit when necessary with little opposition-until this year.....???
Bush overspent every year he was president, he entered 2 major wars without paying for them, he gave the upper 2% major tax cuts and lowered corporate tax rates (also unpaid for) which should have given us a economic utopia according to his way of thinking, yet at the end of his presidency we faced the largest recession since 1929???
I think to be fair President Bush did have a little to do with where we are today.

For making one comment on this non- political topic, you certainly expounded the heck out of it - lol.

Hopefully, EPE will be more fiscally prudent and more creative with their ideas for Graceland. Their shorsightednessdoes does not go un noticed on this forum. Perhaps EPE should enlist the aid of some of the members on this board who can easily demonstrate the correct way to promote Elvis.

[KPM]

For making one comment on this non- political topic, you certainly expounded the heck out of it - lol.

Hopefully, EPE will be more fiscally prudent and more creative with their ideas for Graceland. Their shorsightednessdoes does not go un noticed on this forum. Perhaps EPE should enlist the aid of some of the members on this board who can easily demonstrate the correct way to promote Elvis.

Well that one comment took a little space
As far as EPE I will not defend them but will point out what I have for some time-they do not own the music (and that was not their fault)
They do not own the films (also not their fault) these things were decided long before anyone thought Elvis would die so young.
Trinkets were sold ad nauseum while Elvis was alive-Parker marketed most everything he could get EPs face on while he was alive and after he died-Elvis allowed it to happen. The train began long before Priscilla, or EPE were a thought.
Without the music and films-trinkets are whats left.
Everyone has their own ideas of what should be done-including me-but what should be done and what is possible are many times miles apart.
None of us here who "speculate" must actually do cost studies, try to get clearances, try to convince others that the millions which need to be spent to "properly expand Elvis's image" are going to show true worthwhile results, and not the results of "speculation"
That is how any business works. Just because its Elvis, or the Beatles or John Wayne does not change the way the world works.
EPE can not buy the recordings, nor the films-how could Sony or Turner set a price on priceless things-which will always turn a profit since the hard work of real production is over-they do not want to sell them.
EPE did not fail to produce the expansion-they sought a partner, they looked for someone to take it to the next level and they sold 85% interest to that partner in order for the "expertise of bigger business" to do just that. People here posted huge elaborate plans, schemes that were about to happen......once again check out my reposting of one such claim from 2006-07 in the other thread about the new sale to Apollo. the claim gave a time table of everything done in 2 years, Sillerman had plenty of money, 2009 expansion completed!
Well so far that expertise has not rang true-thats a negative statement not because of any negative attitude- because it is true.......I add nothing to.... it it stands alone.
Now if the huge ballyhooed speculative plans that were speculated back when the deal was made had been real-I would not be able to say nearly 7 years later that the "expertise EPE sought in the deal" had not been successful. I would be proclaiming that "WOW the rumors of action in 2006-07 were true....the whole thing was done in 2 years and 2009 indeed it was done"
EPE sought expertise in a partner and since then the partner has held 85% interest and they control the ballgame.
Perhaps this time with Apollo-it will be different, they supposedly have huge pockets also so maybe they can swing a deal to buy the music/films and actually have the creative end of Elvis's legacy-but I would not hold my breath.

[Jungleroom76]

Well that one comment took a little space
As far as EPE I will not defend them but will point out what I have for some time-they do not own the music (and that was not their fault)
They do not own the films (also not their fault) these things were decided long before anyone thought Elvis would die so young.
Trinkets were sold ad nauseum while Elvis was alive-Parker marketed most everything he could get EPs face on while he was alive and after he died-Elvis allowed it to happen. The train began long before Priscilla, or EPE were a thought.
Without the music and films-trinkets are whats left.
Everyone has their own ideas of what should be done-including me-but what should be done and what is possible are many times miles apart.
None of us here who "speculate" must actually do cost studies, try to get clearances, try to convince others that the millions which need to be spent to "properly expand Elvis's image" are going to show true worthwhile results, and not the results of "speculation"
That is how any business works. Just because its Elvis, or the Beatles or John Wayne does not change the way the world works.
EPE can not buy the recordings, nor the films-how could Sony or Turner set a price on priceless things-which will always turn a profit since the hard work of real production is over-they do not want to sell them.
EPE did not fail to produce the expansion-they sought a partner, they looked for someone to take it to the next level and they sold 85% interest to that partner in order for the "expertise of bigger business" to do just that. People here posted huge elaborate plans, schemes that were about to happen......once again check out my reposting of one such claim from 2006-07 in the other thread about the new sale to Apollo. the claim gave a time table of everything done in 2 years, Sillerman had plenty of money, 2009 expansion completed!
Well so far that expertise has not rang true-thats a negative statement not because of any negative attitude- because it is true.......I add nothing to.... it it stands alone.
Now if the huge ballyhooed speculative plans that were speculated back when the deal was made had been real-I would not be able to say nearly 7 years later that the "expertise EPE sought in the deal" had not been successful. I would be proclaiming that "WOW the rumors of action in 2006-07 were true....the whole thing was done in 2 years and 2009 indeed it was done"
EPE sought expertise in a partner and since then the partner has held 85% interest and they control the ballgame.
Perhaps this time with Apollo-it will be different, they supposedly have huge pockets also so maybe they can swing a deal to buy the music/films and actually have the creative end of Elvis's legacy-but I would not hold my breath.

How can anyone follow that???

Well said my friend...well said!!! Now, if only we could go back in time and convince Elvis to get rid of The Colonel and find a manager who would actually look out for his client's best interests instead of his own selfish interests...

TCB!
Mike

[vivaelvis]

Well that one comment took a little space
As far as EPE I will not defend them but will point out what I have for some time-they do not own the music (and that was not their fault)
They do not own the films (also not their fault) these things were decided long before anyone thought Elvis would die so young.
Trinkets were sold ad nauseum while Elvis was alive-Parker marketed most everything he could get EPs face on while he was alive and after he died-Elvis allowed it to happen. The train began long before Priscilla, or EPE were a thought.
Without the music and films-trinkets are whats left.
Everyone has their own ideas of what should be done-including me-but what should be done and what is possible are many times miles apart.
None of us here who "speculate" must actually do cost studies, try to get clearances, try to convince others that the millions which need to be spent to "properly expand Elvis's image" are going to show true worthwhile results, and not the results of "speculation"
That is how any business works. Just because its Elvis, or the Beatles or John Wayne does not change the way the world works.
EPE can not buy the recordings, nor the films-how could Sony or Turner set a price on priceless things-which will always turn a profit since the hard work of real production is over-they do not want to sell them.
EPE did not fail to produce the expansion-they sought a partner, they looked for someone to take it to the next level and they sold 85% interest to that partner in order for the "expertise of bigger business" to do just that. People here posted huge elaborate plans, schemes that were about to happen......once again check out my reposting of one such claim from 2006-07 in the other thread about the new sale to Apollo. the claim gave a time table of everything done in 2 years, Sillerman had plenty of money, 2009 expansion completed!
Well so far that expertise has not rang true-thats a negative statement not because of any negative attitude- because it is true.......I add nothing to.... it it stands alone.
Now if the huge ballyhooed speculative plans that were speculated back when the deal was made had been real-I would not be able to say nearly 7 years later that the "expertise EPE sought in the deal" had not been successful. I would be proclaiming that "WOW the rumors of action in 2006-07 were true....the whole thing was done in 2 years and 2009 indeed it was done"
EPE sought expertise in a partner and since then the partner has held 85% interest and they control the ballgame.
Perhaps this time with Apollo-it will be different, they supposedly have huge pockets also so maybe they can swing a deal to buy the music/films and actually have the creative end of Elvis's legacy-but I would not hold my breath.

While I don't agree with the original poster's speculation about what was going to happen, I do have to give them a pass only because Jack Soden publicly stated on numerous times that the expansion would be done in just a few years time. Below is a video of him talking about what all they planned and when it would be done, but nothing ever materialized. At the 2:20 mark is all about the expansion.



Below is from an article concerning a proposed indoor theme park in Japan that never happened. http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1...-IN-JAPAN.html

Plans are under way to build an $80 million Elvistown USA theme park in Tokyo, an official of Elvis Presley Enterprises Inc. said Tuesday.

The theme park in Japan is one of four major projects the company is pursuing, Jack Soden, Graceland executive director and chief exective officer of Elvis Presley Enterprises, told the Memphis Rotary Club. The features, including work in Memphis, are expected to be completed by 1994, Soden said.Other projects: expanding and relocating the Graceland museum of Presley memorabilia; developing a fine arts exhibit of Presley portraits from throughout the country and producing a traveling exhibit.

The plans are part of efforts to diversify Elvis Presley Enterprises' interests, Soden said. He would not estimate how much money the projects could mean for the Presley estate, which opened Graceland, Elvis' mansion, to tours in 1982.

Soden said the Elvistown USA project, begun two years ago, was prompted by the singer's immense popularity in Japan. Japanese businessmen approached Graceland officials with several ideas, including building a duplicate of Graceland in Japan, he said.

Financing is being arranged by the Japanese Development Bank.

Here's another article from 1991 on the proposed park in Tokyo that goes further into the details. http://community.seattletimes.nwsour...1&slug=1299329



As we all know, none of that ever materialized. Just like his public talk of a cable tv network back in 1997. The fact of the matter is, Jack Soden has never been the right man for the job. But because he invested millions into opening it, Priscilla never could actually replace him. However, he's now 64 and is planning to retire soon so maybe they will get someone in there who's aggressive, a visionary and who's business savvy.

Here's some photos I took back in November of 2010 when I was back in Memphis. As you can see the Plaza is just not that attractive for such a historical and worldly popular attraction.

[lvelvis]

over the yeras i believe they have bin loosing money first on the products and now on the tours. I would hope that they now realise that many fans due to the economy can't afford to make it evry year. I'm a homebuilder and i have bin lucky to retire at 41 years old and concentrate on my collection even more , this means i will be buying more photo books, cd's dvds , but i won;t be making the trek to memphis every year. Who knows maybe to entice fans and joe public they will open up the upstairs for tours - it might just happen when they get desperate enough .

[vivaelvis]

over the yeras i believe they have bin loosing money first on the products and now on the tours. I would hope that they now realise that many fans due to the economy can't afford to make it evry year. I'm a homebuilder and i have bin lucky to retire at 41 years old and concentrate on my collection even more , this means i will be buying more photo books, cd's dvds , but i won;t be making the trek to memphis every year. Who knows maybe to entice fans and joe public they will open up the upstairs for tours - it might just happen when they get desperate enough .

Actually EPE makes the majority of their millions off of merchandise sales than they do ticket sales to Graceland. Most visitors are from overseas so the US economy doesn't impact them as much as it does us here. Lisa will never allow the upstairs to be open, unfortunately. But it would skyrocket tourism if they did. Sometimes you have to let go of the past (Lisa Marie) to make your company more profitable.

[KPM]

over the yeras i believe they have bin loosing money first on the products and now on the tours. I would hope that they now realise that many fans due to the economy can't afford to make it evry year. I'm a homebuilder and i have bin lucky to retire at 41 years old and concentrate on my collection even more , this means i will be buying more photo books, cd's dvds , but i won;t be making the trek to memphis every year. Who knows maybe to entice fans and joe public they will open up the upstairs for tours - it might just happen when they get desperate enough .

They have continually turned a profit year after year-their attendance figures were only down by about 31,000 compared to 2009 which is slight.
The upstairs will never be opened-I will go on record saying that.

[KPM]

Actually EPE makes the majority of their millions off of merchandise sales than they do ticket sales to Graceland. Most visitors are from overseas so the US economy doesn't impact them as much as it does us here. Lisa will never allow the upstairs to be open, unfortunately. But it would skyrocket tourism if they did. Sometimes you have to let go of the past (Lisa Marie) to make your company more profitable.

The world is in economic downfall-not just the US-we are actually better off than many countries Greece, Spain, Italy etc.....
Slightly insensitive IMO When you are talking about a loved ones death in tragic circumstance-some things are off limits and profit or loss will not change Lisas mind on keeping the upstairs closed. I am very optimistic that she will keep it closed.

[vivaelvis]

The world is in economic downfall-not just the US-we are actually better off than many countries Greece, Spain, Italy etc.....
Slightly insensitive IMO When you are talking about a loved ones death in tragic circumstance-some things are off limits and profit or loss will not change Lisas mind on keeping the upstairs closed. I am very optimistic that she will keep it closed.

So what happens should Lisa pass away or be killed prematurely? Who makes the decision then?

[vivaelvis]

They have continually turned a profit year after year-their attendance figures were only down by about 31,000 compared to 2009 which is slight.
The upstairs will never be opened-I will go on record saying that.

For what it's worth, Graceland was closed down at least 3 different times due to weather inclement in 2010. That would be about 10,000 lost there alone.