By Peyton Posey Kennedy

Known as the birthplace of rock-and-roll legend Elvis Presley, Tupelo, Miss., is moving forward with an estimated $6.3 million expansion project to Presley’s home and grounds that started in April 2011. Funded by the Mississippi Legislature, the City of Tupelo, the Elvis Presley Memorial Foundation, the Tupelo Convention and Visitor’s Bureau (CVB) and the Carpenter Foundation, the parking lot has been doubled adding more spaces for recreational vehicles (RVs), along with the completion of a 125-seat indoor theater, a 75-seat mini amphitheater and an expanded picnic area. In the next phase, a 500-seat amphitheater and multiple sculptures of Elvis are planned, according to the Memorial Foundation.

Once complete, more than 10,000 square feet of space will be added. “We are excited about the project and it will be an excellent addition to the area,” said CVB Director of Sales Linda Elliff. “It will provide an updated and renovated location for off-site events, receptions, live music events and more.” The project is expected to be complete by July 2012 and could double the number of visitors that travel to Tupelo to see Elvis Presley’s birthplace, which totals more than 80,000 people each year. The Elvis Presley Museum offers visitors tours through the singer’s childhood home and church, the latter which features high-tech audio/visual equipment that recreates an actual worship service from the early years of Elvis’ youth.

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