MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Warmer weather means more people heading to downtown Memphis.
Visitors like Danielle Feinberg, who is touring Beale Street with her children from New York City, are taking their own precautions.
“I don’t think we would come here at night, so I think we would stay in the daytime,” Feinberg said. “We probably wouldn’t walk around at night too much.”
Paul Young of the Downtown Commission is working with police and the City to keep it safe.
“We are looking at the future, we’re thinking about how we can do things to make downtown brighter in terms of the lights lighting in downtown which also enhances safety,” Young said.
Young also said there are more than 250 events planned this year, and all of them are in the downtown area. Majority of them are free to the public.
“We want to make sure that when you come out here, you’re able to have a good time, you’re able to be safe,” he said. “We’re committed to working with MPD to help ensure that.”
Young also said that they have a blue suede brigade.
“The blue suede brigade, we have over 30 men and women who walk around downtown and wear the blue shirts,” he said. “They are the friendly faces, but they are also our eyes and ears on the street.”
Downtown leaders have made the headlines after people began to wonder what they are doing to keep downtown crime at a minimum. Young said extended security hours and an entrance fee on Beale helped with problems over this weekend.
“Crowds continues to come, the rain did slow down the crowd, but it was a good time, good energy,” Young said. “Obviously the game took place at 2:30 p.m., so a lot of the crowd downtown was there during the day, and it was a very festive time.”
However, that took a turn after a person traveling with the Minnesota Timberwolves was robbed on Saturday.
“What happened, the previous week was an isolated incident, and I will consider this to be the same based on the limited details that I know of,” Young said. “So, I think people can still come downtown and have a great time.”
There have been no arrests in the Beale Street shooting or in the robbery of the person traveling with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
