Crosstown Concourse was honored to be a stop during ACE’s visit and show how The Americas Competitiveness Exchange spent a week in Memphis and they did it right – from the smoky, world-famous pits of the 2026 World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest to the powerful halls of the National Civil Rights Museum, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and so much more. ACE got a true taste of everything that makes this city one of a kind. We’re honored that among all Memphis had to offer, ACE chose to make Crosstown Concourse a stop on their journey and we had a great time showing them what we’re all about.
Who Is ACE?
ACE isn’t your average delegation. It’s the premier economic development, innovation, and entrepreneurial network of the Americas, a high-level initiative of the Organization of American States (OAS). Think: some of the most influential business, innovation, and government leaders across the Western Hemisphere, all in one room (or in this case, one very large, very beautiful building).
Their mission? To explore partnerships that strengthen economies, spark innovation, and build connections that cross borders.
Why Crosstown?
Because what we’ve built here isn’t just a building, it’s a story worth telling.
ACE came to Memphis to see firsthand what happens when a community refuses to let go of something worth saving. We were proud to pull back the curtain and share not just what Crosstown Concourse is, but how it came to be and why it continues to matter.
The tour was led by three of the people who know this place best:
Together, they walked ACE through every layer of the Crosstown story, from the gutsy early days of “why would anyone take this on?” to the thriving vertical urban village it is today.
More Than a Tour
What made this visit special wasn’t just showing off beautiful spaces (though, honestly, it’s hard not to). It was the conversation, the exchange of ideas between leaders who are all, in their own ways, trying to build something better for their communities.
Crosstown Concourse was born from the belief that a place can be a catalyst. That when you invest in a community, really invest, the ripple effects go far beyond four walls. Watching ACE delegates walk our halls, ask questions, and connect those dots in real time? That’s exactly the kind of energy this building was made for.
The Takeaway
We’re a former Sears distribution warehouse turned non-profit cultural hub of a neighborhood. We’re artists and clinicians, students and entrepreneurs, neighbors and newcomers; all under one roof. And apparently, we’re the kind of place that international leaders travel to Memphis to see.
We’ll take it.
To everyone who visited with ACE: thank you for your curiosity, your enthusiasm, and for reminding us that the work we’re doing here resonates well beyond Memphis. The feeling is mutual.
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