Thomas Gounley

TGOUNLEY@NEWS-LEADER.COM

Springfield-based Bass Pro Shops has posted a video tour of its future store in the Memphis pyramid, the sixth-largest pyramid in the world.

The store, which has been in the works for years, is expected to open in May, according to local media reports. The company recently held a job fair in Memphis as it looks to fill more than 600 full and part-time jobs.

In a 2012 news release about the planned location, Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris, characteristically, told a fishing tale.

"I remember trying to make up my mind about putting our store in the Pyramid," Morris said. "I was on the Mississippi River fishing with my buddies Bill Dance and Jack Emmitt and said if we catch a big catfish it's meant to be — it's an omen. Sure enough, with about one hour to go, Jack got a bite and caught this catfish in the shadow of the Pyramid and I said it's a deal — we're gonna do it!"

The Pyramid Arena opened in 1991 as a 20,142-seat event center and is about 32 stories tall — slightly taller than the Statue of Liberty. Originally owned and operated jointly by the city of Memphis and Shelby County, it was for a time the home court for the National Basketball Association's Memphis Grizzlies, as well as the University of Memphis men's basketball program.

Both teams left for the newly built FedExForum in 2004, leaving the facility largely unused. The county later sold its stake in it to the city.

"This Bass Pro Shops location will feature the biggest assortment of waterfowl-related gear of any Bass Pro Shops location, huge freshwater aquariums and the world's largest freestanding elevator," the company said when posting the video.