From the Memphis Commercial-Appeal:
[b][b]Sports bar getting new partnersBy Jane Roberts
May 4, 2005[/b]Anyone driving by the sports bar The Field in the past five days probably has wondered along with the rest of Downtown about the giant question mark out front.
While many of the details of what’s going on at 340 Beale are still a secret, John Elkington said Tuesday that new owner John Calipari, the University of Memphis basketball coach, has attracted some celebrity partners.
“Calipari’s brought in John Daly and Mike Miller,” said Elkington, head of Performa Entertainment, which manages Beale Street.
“It’s always been a tough location over there, but now we have some very experienced operators who are well-capitalized.”
Daly, a local PGA champion, and Miller, of the Grizzlies, are expected to sign the paperwork soon, said Joe Weiss, former president of Back Yard Burgers.
“We’ll have some more owners and news to announce soon,” he said, “including a new name.”
The name The Field was taken down last week and replaced with the question mark.
“We want people to come in and ask what’s going on,” Weiss said. “We want to cause some talk on the street.”
The club, which Calipari assistant Steve Smith opened with partners in spring 2003, was the first sports bar Downtown.
It now is in the midst of a $300,000 renovation as the owners turn it into a “nicer dance club than what Beale is used to,” Weiss said. “We’re putting in a VIP area upstairs.”
The downstairs, which still will have a “sports bar feel,” is getting a dance floor and bandstand.[/b]