Calkins: Mayor Paul Young on data centers, the Grizzlies future, his favorite place in the city — and why he’s taking a fresh approach to media
Geoff Calkins interviews Memphis Mayor Paul Young on the first episode of the Geoff Calkins Podcast. (Natalie Van Gundy/The Daily Memphian)
Geoff Calkins
Geoff Calkins has been chronicling Memphis and Memphis sports for more than two decades. Calkins has been named the best sports columnist in the country five times by the Associated Press sports editors, but still figures his best columns are about the people who make Memphis what it is.
He talked for nearly an hour.
Why did he decide to launch a 90-day study of data centers?
Who was his favorite of the Core Four Grizzlies?
What will it take for Memphis to get its groove back?
And what’s up with his reelection campaign, anyway?
Nine months after I gave up my daily radio show, I decided to start a weekly podcast. And Memphis Mayor Paul Young agreed to be my first guest.
The podcast also includes two popular characters from my years on the radio — Charles Fishman, with his “Fish on Friday on Tuesday” segment, and John Martin, my former radio sidekick and current colleague at The Daily Memphian.
But you really should take time to listen to the conversation with Young. And I’m not just saying that because I was the one sitting across from him. This is a critical moment for the city, and as Young put it, “I want people to understand I’m not ducking, dodging any question or any issue.”
Here are some snippets from our conversation.
On why he’s making himself more available: “It is intentional for me. ... What I’ve realized is that I have to consistently talk and consistently talk about our position, our perspective and how we’re tackling some of the biggest challenges that we’re dealing with as a city.”
On whether it’s to help his reelection: “It’s not about reelection. I mean, I said the day I got elected that I was going to do a second term because the work we’re doing takes more than four years.”
On what that will take for the city to regain momentum: “In order for us to get that footing back, we need some positive news, we need some watershed moments. We need things like, you know, securing the Memphis Grizzlies for another generation.”
On what remains to be done to secure the NBA franchise, particularly as it concerns the continuing effort to improve Beale Street: “It’s just working through all the particulars. When you’re, say, looking at a lease for the next 20 years, then all these things come into play, and you have to get the words on the paper. And so now it’s, you know, in the legal realm.”
On why he has taken a practical approach to working with data centers and the Memphis Safe Task Force: “There are some realities that have to be acknowledged. It’s the fact that our economy has not been growing. We have an opportunity to inject real capital into our economy. This past year, it was $54 million in taxes between the city and county, the equivalent of 12,000 $300,000 house units in our county. That’s how much, right? One vacant building is now generating like that. That’s major.
“When it comes to the Task Force, we had the highest level of crime that we’ve ever seen since 2006 happening just a year and a half prior. Like, crime is real. ... So you have this duality, these two truths that you have to operate between. And as a mayor and as a leader, you have to make the decisions that you believe are in the best interests of all the people that you serve.”
Young also talked about Mud Island, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the TV show he’s currently rewatching, his favorite place in Memphis and how many games this Grizzlies will win this year. (Hint: It’s a lot.) But you really should listen yourself on Apple, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.
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