Sign Petition To Rename Memphis Airport

[Brian Quinn]

Please go to the following URL:

http://www.change.org/petitions/the-...tional-airport

Brian

[debtdbruno]

done it...........

[King Of The Whole World]

I signed it and I hope it happens. Tell everyone you know to sign it.

[Jungleroom76]

Done and shared on Facebook!!

This should have been done years ago!!!

TCB!
Mike

[King Of The Whole World]

The guy that started this petition sent an email to EPE, to see if they would try to help get more signatures. I'm sure there will need to be a lot of signatures to make this happen; it needs a little media attention.

[Jimmy1966]

Done it , by the way love the comment 'ELVIS IS MEMPHIS'

[ELVIS_]

they got my vote, only stands to reason to name it after the man that changed the face of music worldwide.

[King Of The Whole World]

I saw this on the Elvis express web site, thought I would share. Marty Lacker wrote the following letter to a city councilman in Memphis. If you haven’t signed the petition please do.


Councilman,
I am compelled to write about this matter, especially in light of the hoopla and the honors
bestowed upon Whitney Houston in New Jersey by the Governor of that state, Mr. Christie. I
write this on behalf of the memory of Elvis Presley.

To give you some background I was with and close to Elvis for twenty years, I was his right
hand man for a number of years and Co-Best Man at his wedding. I also was one of the
leaders of the Memphis Music Industry from the late 60's to the mid 70's when at that time
most in the Memphis Music Industry left for other music cities primarily because the powers
that be here showed the music industry people that they really didn't care about them or
appreciate what the industry did for the city both financially and publicity wise. I kid you not.

I had the pleasure and honor of proposing to then Mayor Loeb that to honor Elvis the city
could at least change the name of Highway 51 to Elvis Presley Blvd. because at the time the
newspapers kept writing stories that people kept suggesting that the airport, the downtown
auditorium or something should be named for him. I can tell you that all the hoopla it was an
embarrassment to Elvis. The Mayor even made the mistake of asking Elvis what he wanted
named after him, that is not an honor if he had to do that in his mind.

In late '71 I was asked by the Mayor to be the speaker to the City Council after the Mayor
proposed the street name in order to get the Council to vote to name the street. I was proud
to do that on behalf of my friend Elvis. It was passed.

I am also proud that in honor of my accomplishments in the music industry back then, I was
recently honored with a Beale Street Blues Note, Memphis' version of the Hollywood Walk Of
Fame in November, 2010. I conceived the idea of The Memphis and Shelby County Music
Commission in '72 and went before the County Commission and got it established. I was its
first Chairman and also was a co-Founder of the Memphis NARAS Chapter (The Grammys).

Enough about me and now the reason I am writing.

There is a campaign now in the worldwide Elvis world by many of Elvis' millions of fans to
have the Memphis Airport named after Elvis just as many other cities have named their
airports for their distinguished late celebrities. Elvis put Memphis on the worldwide map in
the 50's and it has continued through today. The city has realized millions of dollars because
of what Elvis did here and he always called this home as opposed to anywhere else he was.

He touted Memphis to many throughout the country. The millions of people that have visited
Graceland because of him since his death have brought to Memphis not only great
worldwide publicity but hundreds of millions of dollars that they spend in Memphis
businesses as well as the city, county and State realizing millions of tax dollars over the last
35 years. He is a gift to Memphis that keeps on giving.

If the Gov. of New Jersey can order the flags in the State to be flown at half mast for Whitney
Houston, don't you think the Council and the Mayor can see to it that the airport bears Elvis'
name? Whitney was a great singer but she was no Elvis Presley, no artist has been. None of
them had the impact on a city or world as he did. He changed the culture of the world in the
50's.

I turn to you because as I've mentioned before in emails I think you are the most common
sense, competent Council member today and I would love it if you would run for Mayor. I
would greatly appreciate it if you would initiate this matter in the Council and the Mayor by
proposing that this be done by the city. If I can be of help please call on me.
My number is ###-####.

Name it after Elvis and I can assure you that the world will know about the airport and where
it's at.
Respectfully,
Marty Lacker

[King Of The Whole World]

It’s a no go for changing the airports name. Here is the response that was on Elvis-express that Marty Lacker received for writing his letter to the council. I love Marty's reply back to this person. Way to go Marty!!

Dear Mr. Lacker,
Councilman Jim Strickland forwarded your email to him regarding your request to name the
Memphis International Airport for Elvis Presley.

This issue has surfaced from time to time by the many fans of Elvis Presley. The airport is
owned and operated by the Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority and has reviewed the
potential to name the airport for an individual.

There are many people, Elvis Presley, Martin Luther King Jr., Danny Thomas, Fred Smith, E.
W. “Ned” Cook and others, that have had major impacts on Memphis who are worthy to be
considered if it is ever determined that the airport should be named for a person.

The Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority Board of Commissioners have determined that
the airport’s name should remain Memphis International Airport. Elvis Presley and the other
distinguished individuals are recognized in other ways by the airport and the community.

We certainly appreciate the importance of music on Memphis and have a display in each of
our three terminals that showcase three of our notable music icons, Elvis Presley, Isaac
Hays, and BB King. The Airport Authority and the Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau
are in the process of updating the displays to include videos and music of the existing
honorees and will be adding other Memphis Music icons that are not currently included.
Elvis is also featured in our rotunda in the B concourse concession areas.

We appreciate your interest and suggestions.
Best wishes,
Larry

Below Marty Lacker responds to Larry Cox.

Larry,
I understand what you're saying because I've heard it before.

In no way am I demeaning the others you named but nobody in this city has had the impact
on Memphis as Elvis. He put Memphis on the map to 98% of the people worldwide. I don't
know if you were here in the 50's when he emerged from obscurity but he above all made
Memphis known and that is closely followed by the Music that was recorded here.

Fred Smith without a doubt contributed to Memphis with FedEx but I'd venture to say that 97%
of the general public doesn't know who he is nor that Memphis is the HQ of FedEx. 99% don't
know who Ned Cook is and as for Martin Luther King Jr., his only connection to Elvis is that
unfortunately he lost his life here.

As I said in my email to Jim Strickland, if you name the airport for Elvis everyone in the world
will know where it is because on a worldwide basis everyone knows who Elvis is. He's a gift
to Memphis that keeps on giving. I would venture to say that a high percentage of the
600,000 to 700,000 folks who visit Graceland annually gets here via the airport.

I wish you all would reconsider your position on this matter and I do appreciate that you
replied to my email.

Respectfully,
Marty Lacker

[vivaelvis]

It’s a no go for changing the airports name. Here is the response that was on Elvis-express that Marty Lacker received for writing his letter to the council. I love Marty's reply back to this person. Way to go Marty!!

Dear Mr. Lacker,
Councilman Jim Strickland forwarded your email to him regarding your request to name the
Memphis International Airport for Elvis Presley.

This issue has surfaced from time to time by the many fans of Elvis Presley. The airport is
owned and operated by the Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority and has reviewed the
potential to name the airport for an individual.

There are many people, Elvis Presley, Martin Luther King Jr., Danny Thomas, Fred Smith, E.
W. “Ned” Cook and others, that have had major impacts on Memphis who are worthy to be
considered if it is ever determined that the airport should be named for a person.

The Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority Board of Commissioners have determined that
the airport’s name should remain Memphis International Airport. Elvis Presley and the other
distinguished individuals are recognized in other ways by the airport and the community.

We certainly appreciate the importance of music on Memphis and have a display in each of
our three terminals that showcase three of our notable music icons, Elvis Presley, Isaac
Hays, and BB King. The Airport Authority and the Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau
are in the process of updating the displays to include videos and music of the existing
honorees and will be adding other Memphis Music icons that are not currently included.
Elvis is also featured in our rotunda in the B concourse concession areas.

We appreciate your interest and suggestions.
Best wishes,
Larry

Below Marty Lacker responds to Larry Cox.

Larry,
I understand what you're saying because I've heard it before.

In no way am I demeaning the others you named but nobody in this city has had the impact
on Memphis as Elvis. He put Memphis on the map to 98% of the people worldwide. I don't
know if you were here in the 50's when he emerged from obscurity but he above all made
Memphis known and that is closely followed by the Music that was recorded here.

Fred Smith without a doubt contributed to Memphis with FedEx but I'd venture to say that 97%
of the general public doesn't know who he is nor that Memphis is the HQ of FedEx. 99% don't
know who Ned Cook is and as for Martin Luther King Jr., his only connection to Elvis is that
unfortunately he lost his life here.

As I said in my email to Jim Strickland, if you name the airport for Elvis everyone in the world
will know where it is because on a worldwide basis everyone knows who Elvis is. He's a gift
to Memphis that keeps on giving. I would venture to say that a high percentage of the
600,000 to 700,000 folks who visit Graceland annually gets here via the airport.

I wish you all would reconsider your position on this matter and I do appreciate that you
replied to my email.

Respectfully,
Marty Lacker

Wow, no grumpiness or name calling this time from Marty? I'm impressed. He does have a point though. It should be named after Elvis. Nobody has done more for Memphis image wise than Elvis did and still continues to do in death. But it will never happen mostly due to race and politics.

There could be an alternative though. How about naming the terminal after Elvis?

[manclad1984]

How do lol

[ZenReputation]

nice to hear this ! Does new name is good / bad ? reply here

[ThreeCornPatches]

Well we lost my friends, they not renaming it because martin luther king and others made memphis also more famous

[debtdbruno]

as we expected......

way to go Marty though, he made valid points there

[Jungleroom76]

It’s a no go for changing the airports name. Here is the response that was on Elvis-express that Marty Lacker received for writing his letter to the council. I love Marty's reply back to this person. Way to go Marty!!

Dear Mr. Lacker,
Councilman Jim Strickland forwarded your email to him regarding your request to name the
Memphis International Airport for Elvis Presley.

This issue has surfaced from time to time by the many fans of Elvis Presley. The airport is
owned and operated by the Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority and has reviewed the
potential to name the airport for an individual.

There are many people, Elvis Presley, Martin Luther King Jr., Danny Thomas, Fred Smith, E.
W. “Ned” Cook and others, that have had major impacts on Memphis who are worthy to be
considered if it is ever determined that the airport should be named for a person.

The Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority Board of Commissioners have determined that
the airport’s name should remain Memphis International Airport. Elvis Presley and the other
distinguished individuals are recognized in other ways by the airport and the community.

We certainly appreciate the importance of music on Memphis and have a display in each of
our three terminals that showcase three of our notable music icons, Elvis Presley, Isaac
Hays, and BB King. The Airport Authority and the Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau
are in the process of updating the displays to include videos and music of the existing
honorees and will be adding other Memphis Music icons that are not currently included.
Elvis is also featured in our rotunda in the B concourse concession areas.

We appreciate your interest and suggestions.
Best wishes,
Larry

Below Marty Lacker responds to Larry Cox.

Larry,
I understand what you're saying because I've heard it before.

In no way am I demeaning the others you named but nobody in this city has had the impact
on Memphis as Elvis. He put Memphis on the map to 98% of the people worldwide. I don't
know if you were here in the 50's when he emerged from obscurity but he above all made
Memphis known and that is closely followed by the Music that was recorded here.

Fred Smith without a doubt contributed to Memphis with FedEx but I'd venture to say that 97%
of the general public doesn't know who he is nor that Memphis is the HQ of FedEx. 99% don't
know who Ned Cook is and as for Martin Luther King Jr., his only connection to Elvis is that
unfortunately he lost his life here.

As I said in my email to Jim Strickland, if you name the airport for Elvis everyone in the world
will know where it is because on a worldwide basis everyone knows who Elvis is. He's a gift
to Memphis that keeps on giving. I would venture to say that a high percentage of the
600,000 to 700,000 folks who visit Graceland annually gets here via the airport.

I wish you all would reconsider your position on this matter and I do appreciate that you
replied to my email.

Respectfully,
Marty Lacker

Definitely an EXCELLENT letter helping Elvis' cause!!

TCB!
Mike

[Jungleroom76]

Well we lost my friends, they not renaming it because martin luther king and others made memphis also more famous

True, but how many of those other people continue to draw in hundreds of thousands of fans to Memphis on a yearly basis???

What a shame...

TCB!
Mike