MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Tom Lee Park is one of 18 finalists across North and South America for the Urban Land Institute’s (ULI) prestigious Americas Awards for Excellence.

“Tom Lee Park signifies a turning point in the city’s relationship with its riverfront, with an emphasis on inclusivity, restorative ecology, equity and opportunity,” ULI wrote on its website. “It catalyzes the reunification of river and city by transforming a significant piece of the riverfront into a signature park where community life can flourish along the water’s edge and attracts 1 million visitors annually.”

The finalists include 16 projects from the United States, one from Canada and one from Chile. Among them are two other parks.

ULI is the world’s oldest and largest network of real estate and land use experts. Since 1979, it has presented awards to projects that represent “the highest standards of achievement in the development industry.” Its mission is to “shape the future of the built environment for transformative impact in communities worldwide.”

Tom Lee Park has earned multiple honors, including a general design honor award from the American Society of Landscape Architects, the highest urban design honor award from the American Institute of Architects New York, and more.

Memphis River Park Partnership acting CEO, Art Davis, expressed his pride for Tom Lee Park's international recognition for design, public space management and vision. 

“Most of all, we’re proud of how the community has embraced the park as common ground for every Memphian, because that has always been our overarching objective," Davis said.