Shelby Farms Park and Greenline

Case Study | Arts & Culture
Shelby Farms Park and Greenline

Fast Facts

  • The $70 million investment in new amenities and improvements in recent years has nearly doubled the park’s economic impact to more than $13 million annually in increased jobs, concessions, visitor spending and tax revenue.
  • Built in 2010, the Shelby Farms Greenline is a nearly 12-mile urban trail connecting neighborhoods from midtown Memphis, East Memphis and Cordova to Shelby Farms Park and to one another.
  • Park improvements have resulted in a 5% increase in property values within
    500 feet of the park and Shelby Farms Greenline for a total of $67 million in property value added.

Shelby Farms Park is one of the largest urban parks in the United States and includes a diverse array of attractions including open pastures, forested areas, an international award-winning playground, equestrian trails, a herd of bison, boat rentals, fishing lakes and the Wolf River. Bike and pedestrian trails connect nearby neighborhoods and allow for active transportation and recreation on the way to
and within the park.

Located in Memphis, Shelby Farms Park spans 4,500 acres and serves nearly one million people who live within a 20-minute drive of the park. Formerly the site of
a prison farm, the public park now draws more than 3 million visitors annually.

The successful revitalization of Shelby Farms Park and Shelby Farms Greenline sparked a wave of city-wide investment in and support for park conservancies,  public trails, connectivity and public realm development.

RELATED RESOURCES

  • Member Exclusive
    Technical Tool

    Milwaukee Parks Foundation Grant Application Guidelines

    Milwaukee Parks Foundation

    Milwaukee Parks Foundation offers grants to grassroots groups seeking to improve parks. Application guidelines and evaluation criteria are outlined.

  • Member Exclusive
    Technical Tool

    Milwaukee Parks Foundation Project Tracker Template

    Milwaukee Parks Foundation

    This project tracker is used by Milwaukee Parks Foundation and Milwaukee County Parks to track progress, funding, and tasks for joint projects.