City of Knoxville - Public Comments on World's Fair Park

Public Comments on City Owned Assets at World's Fair Park

In April of 2004, Mayor Bill Haslam sought public input to aid in determining the future of city-owned assets at World's Fair Park. Those assets include the Tennessee Amphitheater, Sunsphere, Knoxville Convention & Exhibition Center, Candy Factory and Victorian Houses. Comments were received through June 7, 2004. Below are the comments that were emailed to the City and are under consideration.

The only lasting legacy of Knoxville is World’s Fair Park. Knoxville showed the world what it could do if it set out to do it back in 1982.

The solution to the Sunsphere is easy. Open it up for people to once again use the Level 4 and 8 as Observations gallery’s. Tie that in with the KCC and public tours. You can show the history in a 360 degree panorama unlike any other building in Knoxville.

Levels 5-7 should be turned back into a restaurant, like it was during the fair. Imagine a sleek conference at the KCC, walking out onto the terrace along waters of the world. Over to one of 3 elevators that whisk you up to the top to a wonderful dinner. Or even just some fast food/medium food restaurants, there is nothing there to eat when you attend a function.

The TN Amp, the Victorian Houses, and the Candy Factory should be incorporated to become Knoxville’s arts community. Encouraging local artist exhibits in the Candy Factory as well as maybe some night clubs or other venues.

The houses can serve a variety of functions from art guilds, ect ect ect. Even return one to its former glory as a Victorian and use it as the official city house used for guest to the city.

Regardless, no more development should take place. Leave the green where it is at. Leave the few remaining symbols of Knoxville’s greatest show ever. The thing that put Knoxville on the map. Return them to the mixed use redevelopment that was planned for 1983. With a state of the art convention center, fine dining atop the Sunsphere, and the arts community tied with the TN Amp and the lawn, will make that area of World’s Fair Park a world class venue for the arts.

Just imagine, Knoxville, where history meets the future. Art is the link to our past. The Environment is our future. The sunsphere the constant reminder that the sun is one constant Knoxville has always had

We should utilize the Sunsphere in some way. at the very least an observation deck needs to be open. We can't deny its existence and therefore should embrace it and use it to our advantage.

I am a native Knoxvillian who recently movewde back to the city after being gone for 9 years. I can't believe that we are still talking about what to do with the world's fair park!!! Anyway these are my suggestion.

1.) How about a huge water park facility with the amphitheater as a entertainment venue. I think that whatever is attempted will fail unless activities for children are included. Lots of trees and cool spots and of coarse a "lazy river" water ride.

2.) How about a botanical garden coupled with a large playground for children. Ducks and Dinosaurs with lots of native East Tn plants Etc.

I really love what has been done with the World's Fair Park area so far, especially the opening up of the bridge linking Henley to 11th Street. My friends and I frequently get coffee at the 11th Street Espresso House, and I've been to several events at the KMA. I have a couple of suggestions:

1) The Sunsphere needs to be opened to the public! This could be a real tourist moneymaker, I would think. It could have an observation deck/area, a snack shop of some kind, maybe open it up to groups, like high school proms or wedding receptions. It needs to be utilized!

2) The lawn at the World's Fair Park needs to be opened up for concerts again. In high school I attended many wonderful shows there, it's a great space for some great acts that might not fit any of the indoor venues in town.

3) There should be some kind of sandwich shop or little inexpensive bistro restaurant in one of the old Victorian houses near the Espresso House. Something that was open on the weekends, that the families who go to Fort Kid could use. Or maybe a bakery/ice cream parlor.

I believe that all of the WFP buildings except for the Exhibition Ctr should be placed under an H1 overlay.

The Victorian Houses should have façade easements donated to Knox Heritage and be returned to private ownership for use as gallery, restaurant or residential use only. The western most parking lot (between 11th & former 10th) should be redeveloped into 2 rows of 3 or 4 story rowhouses with one row fronting on each street and vehicular access in between the rows.

The Candy Factory should be restored and become a live/work building for artists with an exhibit space (look at the Hugh McCall Center for the Arts in Charlotte) mixed with restaurants on the main level and upper level where the deck is and outdoor dining on the deck and the main patio. The basement can be left as is as a place for various arts classes.

The TN Amphitheater should be restored and put back into use or completely removed – no storage building should be placed there as previously mentioned.

The Sunsphere should be restored and put back in use with a restaurant bar at the top and bottom.

Additionally, the KMA should have a grand entrance from the north lawn of the WFP.

Knoxville is a beautiful city. As a resident of Oak Ridge traveling to Knoxville the very first landmark that I look for is the Sunsphere as a guide.

I would like to recommend that the Tower become "A Beam of Pride". New York had the Twin Towers and Knoxville has it's own, the Sunsphere. I suggest it becomes a "Revolving Tour Tower during the day and at night it becomes the revolving "Beam of Pride" with lights that will reflect from all the glass panels to form the beautiful sunsphere it is at night. The "Beam of Pride" will be a landmark to be recognized by everyone who comes into Knoxville and to the downtown area not only during the day but especially during the night!

I am a resident of the Ft. Sanders neighborhood and live approximately 6 blocks from Worlds Fair Park. I am keenly interested in its continued redevelopment and improvement. I understand that the City is considering what to do with the assets in the part that it owns. These include the Victorian houses on 11th street, the Sunsphere, the Amphitheater, the Candy Factory, and the old convention center. My comments on each of these are below and, to the extent that they make any sense to anyone other than myself, I hope you will consider them:

1. The Victorian Houses. These should be retained and promoted for viable businesses that could serve the park and neighborhood community. The 11th Street cafe is a good example of such a business. Additional small restaurants or cafes should be considered. Further, the city should consider aiding the businesses that are located in these buildings with common, collective signage similar to that used by commercial real estate developers for shopping centers. Two signs, one on each side of the buildings on 11th and perhaps one on the back looping road between Ft. Kid and the KMA would be useful.

2. Sunsphere. This is an emblem of Knoxville and should be refurbished and retained. Nothing fancy * exterior paint and de-justification. Potential uses include office space and a rentable event hall for catered events with a view. Perhaps an exclusive contract with a caterer for the space could be obtained and the space could be marketed in conjunction with the new convention center.

3. The amphitheater. Talk about demolition by neglect. Assuming that this has not gone too far, the basic structure should be cleaned and repaired for use. If it is prohibitively expensive to repair the canvas and steel cover, that should be removed and a newly designed, modernized cover should be incorporated * perhaps one that allows sight lines from the Sunsphere side. The amphitheater is the perfect size for events and performances of a size that can reasonably be expected.

4. The Candy Factory. Can this be privatized? Perhaps with a dedication of certain floors to public or quasi-public purposes? If structured as a long term (a 30 to 99 year?) lease with city/landlord consent of business plans and modifications (not to be unreasonably withheld), I would think that the private market might well provide a developer with ideas to make use of this large commercial space in the center of the area. Mixed use office/retail/meeting space ought to be considered. But I do think that the best way of accomplishing that is to use a private developer.

5. Old convention center. Can this be retained and, perhaps, subdivided to provide community meeting/auditorium space and, perhaps, small retail? Again, a public/private partnership is probably the most effective way to handle its development. That's it. Just some thoughts from a nearby resident. The work the City has done on the park in the last few years is great. It is part of the jewel that downtown Knoxville can be.

I truly think the Sunsphere and Tenn. Amphitheater have been underused resources which need to be rennovated and utilized on a regular basis. There needs to be an innovative lighting scheme to illuminate the Sunsphere at night. This could be a scheme that varies each month or at least with the seasons. There have been numerous ideas for the interior, but I think there should at least be one area designated as a permanent museum of World's Fair memorabilia. There was a similar display a couple of years ago at the local History Museum which I believe drew good crowds. I continue to think that the right type of restaurant would be successful, but this will take some further research.

I have fond memories of seeing many well-known performers at the Amphitheater during the Fair, and I think this is a great intimate venue. People are coming downtown again for live entertainment, so I certainly think there is a market for people to sit down and listen to outdoor concerts. I can imagine that some local bands like the Lonesome Coyotes would probably fill the place.

The main thing I would suggest is to continue this process of listening to the public as opposed to hiring high-priced consultants. People will generally tell you what will fly if you ask their opinion. I'm a 55 year old native Knoxvillian, and I see this city on the verge of possibly achieving some things which have not been possible since the Fair closed. Let's not let the opportunity slip away.

Saw the brief in the paper about the city determining the future of World's Fair Park. My family and I moved here in the Fall and visited the Park for the first time for the Talahi Plant Sale. We loved the sale and the park. Our children had a wonderful time with the water fountain. Since moving here we've found it difficult to find secular mourning and daytime community activities for the family. We moved here from Davis, California. Davis has a Farmer's Market in the park every Saturday morning and Wednesday late afternoon. There is a fountain for the kids to play in, street musicians, a bicycle powered carousel, a play ground, yummy treats from local bakeries/coffee houses and, of course, the market (selling locally grown organic and conventional fruits, veggies, honey, cheese, nuts, etc.). I think hosting such a farmer's market at the World's Fair Park would be a great way to draw people to the park and to provide a much needed place to entertain families on a weekly basis while supporting good eating habits, local businesses, crafts people and farmers. It's working in Davis, perhaps Knoxville should give it a try.

I am in favor of spending money to renovate the Tennessee Amphitheater, Sunsphere, Candy Factory and the Victorian homes. These are part of Knoxville's history and deserve to be kept in good repair and fully functional. As for the KCEC, I would like to see if part of this could be turned into retail space while some could be saved for community activities and functions.

The World's Fair Park and its buildings are a tremendous, yet under utilized, asset to the people of Knoxville. My vision is to make the Park a public asset that the public wants to use, and uses frequently. A place for public recreation and public function. I think the Park has the potential to be Knoxville's greatest public asset. That said, I have been very disappointed at the lack of renovations to the Sunsphere and Amphitheater. Why were millions of dollars spent on the convention center, yet 50 feet away the awning around the Sunsphere is filthy. It's a half day pressure washing job which could be done for very little money, yet hasn't been done and makes the whole place look bad. What a turn off. Along the same lines, but more expensive, the Amphitheater... It needs to be fixed. I'm sure that with a little effort we could find a public sponsor to fix it up. It will probably mean naming the Amphitheater for the company that pays to fix it up, but so what, limit the renaming to a certain number of years. We would get a great public space without any additional taxes. Either that or try to get the public to throw more money down there, either way people will not like it, which is probably why nothing has been done.

The grounds of the park look great, but there are very few people using them. How about a recreational center at the Park ...a climbing tower? How about an exercise trail with work-out stations throughout the Park - make a trail around the Great Lawn. Speaking of which, why not put a soccer field (for flats only) on it. I know the master plan calls that the Performance Area, and I can't wait for concerts to return there, but once again, why can't the space be multi-functional? Assigning it a specific role limits its function to something that occurs very seldom. It's all about multi-tasking these days.

The Convention Center should be reviewed for its potential as a multi-functional civic building. To be successful, it must be opened up to greater public use. Perhaps it should become primarily a community center and secondarily a place for conventions. Cities all over the country have built convention centers which occupy a big piece of land that the general public gets very little use out of, costs too much to operate, and are vacant most of the time. They are much like NFL stadiums, except much less profitable. The competition for convention space is tough, and unlike other places, there is no unique attraction for conventions that I can see to draw people to our center. Beyond the general practicality of having conventions there, other chief complaints I've heard about the center are that the management is impossible to work with, the center is over-priced, and the parking is expensive not to mention distant. Charging people for parking is not going to work when there are other places people can (and will) go outside of downtown where parking is free and convenient. In the whole scheme of things free parking is a small subsidy if it mean getting people to use the facility.

If the convention center was a community center, and the UT convention center across the street became the new library, a new civic core could be created by linking the two. See if you can make these things happen.

The City of Louisville, KY use to have Heritage Weekends on the Belvedere, a man made park over the River Front Expressway (I-64) and a parking garage. Each weekend during the summer a different heritage (Hispanic, Irish, Greek, African, etc.) would organize and present foods / items for sell / historical/ethnic music. They also hosted the Blue Grass Festival of the Americas at the same site until the thought of people enjoying the fountains by getting in them turned their PC stomachs. The World Fair Park is a great asset that should be utilized to the utmost. Yes it would be work and require organization, but such commitment by the city would bring in new businesses and the area would be allowed to define itself. While the city could declare a Development Zone and assist a thriving climate instead of micro-managing a fishbowl. Let's give the area a chance to achieve more than any one person or group can dream

Having a front seat view every day of the activity and inactivity within the confines of World's Fair Park, I would have to say that my greatest concern is for the Tennessee Amphitheater. For months, it has been argued back and forth what exactly should be done with it. Based on its current state, it appears to be obvious what the city's stance is. As it sits rusting and unusable, it only continues to deteriorate, and will eventually reach the point at which restoring it will be such an undertaking that any fiscal conservative will have to conclude that it will need to be taken down.

This should not be allowed to happen. The Tennessee Amphitheater is the only architecturally significant remainder of the World's Fair. The Sunsphere is not universally reviled, but even those of us who are fond it as the kitschy emblem of an odd little Fair will never suggest it as a great moment in architecture.

In the redevelopment of the Park, I have watched them pour the sidewalks, dig up the sidewalks, repour the sidewalks; plant the trees, dig up the trees, replant the trees; install the fountain, dig up the fountain, fix the fountain, dig up the fountain, fix the fountain, dig up the fountain, fix the fountain. With this amount of effort spent on perfecting the new parts of the Park, it seems inconceivable that the older parts have been left unmaintained for as long as they have. The fountain now plays "Who Let the Dogs Out" to the entertainment of no one most days at lunchtime. With warmer days coming in the summer, I'm sure it will be more popular, but use and liveliness in the Park would be better served in any case by a concert venue than by a play area for suburban kids. But keep the fountain, keep the lawn, keep the L&N and its Depot; the Victorian Houses and the Candy Factory aren't going anywhere; the Sunspere and the Convention Center are under no threat. I'm sure, however, that there are those who will say that the Tennessee Amphitheater is a rusting, unsafe, padlocked eyesore. It could easily have been kept from becoming one. Though no longer as easily, it should be restored from being one.

Send someone down to Chattanooga to look at what they have done along the waterfront - lots of good stuff there. Bring in solid attractions (too bad Knoxville already let the Smokies leave town and that they brought in the eyesore Women's Basketball Hall of Fame and even put that in a terrible location (though it shouldn't have been built to begin with)). Definitely remove the eyesore known as the Sunsphere and minimize the association (leave it out entirely if possible) with the university. That is the only way Knoxville might develop a personality of its own.

I am a citizen of Knox County and work for the Knoxville school system. I would love to see the renovation of the World's Fair Area. We have lost so much of Knoxville's history due to progress and I think people would be attracted to this area if allowed. The sunshere may be a great place for a restaurant and I'm sure the convention center could be used for a multitude of things.

I understand that economic development is important to downtown, but The Candy Factory is crucial to another important aspect of downtown revitalization... non-profit arts. The rehearsal spaces on the 7th floor are the main place that most area arts organizations use. None of them can afford to rent space, and there is NO rehearsal space planned at the Emporium Building. Drawing people into downtown is certainly accomplished by having a place such as the Candy Factory where the area non-profits hold meetings, rehearsals, and performances. We eat and drink downtown, shop downtown, and park downtown. With city funding for non-profits at an all-time low, is this really the time to kick everyone out of the Candy Factory too? Keep the Candy Factory as it is... a central hub for the non-profit arts organizations that are helping build downtown Knoxville.

I am a graduate student in environmental science at the University of TN-Chattanooga with a concentration in environmental policy/management. My thesis focus is assessing sustainable development and the utilization of efficient land-use schemes in a central business district.

The Tennessee Amphitheater, Sunsphere, Knoxville Convention & Exhibition Center, Candy Factory and Victorian Houses are the areas of main focus in rebuilding, redeveloping, and taking ownership of this particular area. The driving point is to find a way to sustain the past heritage of this area and promote new opportunities for today and for the future. This is the principle in which a lot of central business districts are doing to get people back into old, sometimes dilapidated, and forgotten areas. Some suggests for this area could be to:

1) Capitalize on the surroundings - Look at the key initiatives that made the Worlds Fair in Knoxville popular, such as economic incentives, people/community input, and tourism. A historical perspective to see how this area evolved.

2) Capitalize on UTK- What relationship can be established in this particular to incorporate student activities and campus events. Look at local business offices in the area. The city/county offices in the hotel, the new Convention Center, and the University Center, cater to these groups needs for for input thru surveys, so that there is one known source of contiuous revenue for this goal. Utilize some of the space in the lower lobby of the Hotel and a portion the the building that occupies the Candy Factory to house small restaurants that these companies may want in the area. This can all be incorporated as another after hours area to get people back downtown.

3) Focus on the areas of an area that environmental friendly - An eco-friendly area, such as a playground with an environmental agenda and walking path or a small greenway. 4) Utilize the "Live After Five" and Museum as key events to get people into the area. The can utilize aspects of the community and the government as stakeholders. Again another point to have an area to dine and enjoy the World's Fair Grounds.

I think Knoxville needs an enclosed dog park where dog owners can bring their dogs and turn them loose to run and play. Maybe part of the site could be devoted to this type of use. Many other cities have provided their residents this type of facility. Another possible location for a dog park would be Northshore Park. I'm sure there are many other parks in the city as well where this type of facility would be useful.

I am responding to Knoxville's desire to hear public input about the WFP. I think the Amphitheater, especially, adds a wonderful dimension to the park. I know it will take money to make it safe, but it would be worth it as at adds a bright and airy aspect, plus being a useful venue when operational. The Sunsphere is a part of a lot of business logos that represent Knoxville so it has to be a part of the park. The Candy Factory is an historic building so deserves a valued place - unfortunately it is somewhat of a rabbit warren of halls and rooms which is unfortunate. The interior needs to be opened up. Keep the building but make the space more functional and attractive. Having a wonderful multi-story interior courtyard surrounded by visible levels of shops or businesses would make it a much more pleasing place to shop or take guests. It is hard to even tell what and where the shops currently are; at the very least, a prominent Directory should be available. It doesn't feel "safe" inside as it has a lot of empty and walled spaces. The Victorian Houses are lovely and the concept of their being rented by demonstrating artists is a good one. If the Candy Factory were more of a mecca then the houses would get more business. The park is an incredible location, within such easy walking distance of downtown hotels etc. Since our waterfront is pretty limited already because of businesses located there, the WFP should be a tourist destination.

I am a patron of the Knoxville Fine Arts and Crafts Center and would like to express my concern over the future of the Candy Factory. My children have attended over fourty workshops over the years at the facility. Through the drama camps, I have seen my introverted shy little boy blossom into an articulate young man who recently won a science fair at his school.

If there is an opportunity to speak directly with Mayor Haslam or anybody else, I would be willing to take off work and meet. I have countless other stories to tell.

I work as a curriculum facilitator for Knox County Schools and see first hand the benefits of such a meaningful program.

I know our budget looks grim, but who can put a price on a good education........

I am a student at the University of Tennessee and I live very close to the World's Fair Park. I love what has been done with the downtown area and all the talk of other improvements. I would really like to see the sunsphere opened. I have always wanted to go to the top as many people that I know have. It would be a great attraction for people in the area and tourists. The idea for a movie screen or movie night in the park is also a great idea. I also loved all the concerts that were held there during the summer. I would definately participate in any of these activities as I am sure many other residents and students would. Thanks for putting all of this effort into making downtown Knoxville a more beautiful and exciting place.

I was around 9 years old when the World's Fair was here, and it was the most wonderful thing I had encountered at that young age. I didn't fully understand much of it, but I knew it was important. Unfortunately, as things often do, the city moved on and left the World's Fair largely forgotten. I remember the sad day when as a freshmen or sophomore at UT the US Pavilion, a rusted, crumbling hulk by then, was torn down and became the usual parking lot. Today the site is better known for fireworks displays and concerts which have now been so long ago, they have nearly faded to memory.

In 2003 I began to take a renewed interest in the World's Fair site, and began discovering where the buildings used to be, and what has become of it since. I must say that I am very pleased with the way the current World's Fair Park looks, and how it's designers have tried to maintain the tradition of the World's Fair in keeping some of the water features and recreating the Court of Flags. Despite these wonderful changes, I would venture to say that most people around the area never give the idea of the World's Fair a second thought when they look at the site. Many who either weren't here in 1982 or were too young to have attended probably don't know much at all about the World's Fair.

In my researching the site, I have found that there are still many indications of the World's Fair left for people to see, but many unfortunately have fallen into a status of "unused space". For example, the UT side of the site is simply a parking lot, and the pathway that used to lead to the "Crown Jewel" of the World's Fair, the Chinese, Egypt, and Peruvian pavilions, is now an overgrown vagrant hang-out. I know the City of Knoxville doesn't officially own some of the spaces that used to be part of the World's Fair grounds, but this disuse has actually preserved some memories and artifacts of the Fair that might have been lost otherwise.

When I read the article in the Daily Beacon, (UT's student newspaper), about Mayor Haslam requesting ideas for the future of the site, I nearly couldn't believe the coincidence. Although I haven't been thinking that much about the site for all that long, I have come to have some very definite ideas about how the World's Fair could be reintroduced to the World's Fair Park. As I mentioned before, there are many new features in the park that are based on some aspects of the World's Fair, but the hallmarks of the Fair risk falling to ruin much as the US Pavilion regrettably did long ago. I understand that restoring the Sunsphere and the Tennessee Amphitheater would be costly, but if this site is to remain the "World's Fair Park", I believe these two buildings are the most important aspect of the site's future. Whatever may be done with these buildings, I feel they must be preserved.

As for other ways to maintain the memory of the World's Fair on the site, I would love to see a World's Fair museum included in the Park, either in the old Convention Center building, (which used to be an important part of the World's Fair itself), or possibly as an entirely new building, constructed in the architectural style of the World's Fair's "pointy tents" that used to be found all over the Fair grounds. Of course if this option were chosen, it would most likely have to be enclosed, but I feel keeping that style of building would serve to remind the people of Knoxville what the World's Fair used to be. If the idea of the museum were ever to come to fruition, I have an interesting artifact I would love to contribute. Some years ago when the museum of art was being built, the tree that was the centerpiece of the Elm Tree Theatre was cut down. Wandering through the site on that day, I happened by the fallen tree and remembered the many cultural attractions I and my family attended under that tree that then lay there before me. Hoping I wasn't breaking any laws, I took a small wedge of the cut wood that came from the tree in memory of what it used to be. I still have that wedge of wood, and would like to one day have a reason to return it to the place that was once its home.

In keeping with this theme, I have thought for some time that it would be very enlightening to have several places around the Fair grounds have some sort of photo display showing what the vantage from that spot would have looked like during the Fair. The article in the Beacon mentioned the Victorian houses on 11th street. This would be a perfect spot for one of these photo memorials. These houses were not just shops during the World's Fair -- some of them were attractions in themselves, not to mention the fact that they overlooked some of the busiest, most vibrant parts of the World's Fair pavilions. With these "photo spots" or else in places of their own, perhaps a type of posthumous "you are here" map, placed at strategic points around the park showing what was on that site during the World's Fair, could be made in the style of the current World's Fair Park maps that are posted at several points.

Lastly, if none of what I have mentioned above ever comes to pass, or even if it does, I think it would be most appropriate to have some area of the park include a tribute to the World's Fair, the City of Knoxville, and all the men and women who worked to make it a shining point of light in this city's history. In keeping with the theme of the area of the park that features the Rachmaninov statue, I thought some simple tribute could be erected depicting the World's Fair emblem of the Flame, (an emblem not displayed anywhere in the park to my knowledge), possibly including a scale replica recreation of the World's Fair Park grounds as it would have looked during the Fair.

As I mentioned, the World's Fair was and is dear to me, and it really saddens me that its memory has been relegated to "local color" books found at Barnes and Noble. People just don't remember, and as a result they don't care. They have lived for over twenty years with the image of the World's Fair Park as an empty, dirty, unpeopled space that no one would really want to come to. Much as the Old City and the Riverfront has been renewed and recreated, this site, the center of Knoxville's role as host of the World for a few months, should be renewed and restored and recreated, and done so in keeping with the tradition that created it -- if not fully then at least in the spirit with which it has already begun to be restored.

Mayor Haslam, I realize that money is always a factor, especially in these times, but if there is a sincere desire to make the World's Fair Park a place, not only for people to come and visit, but as a living memory of why the site is called "World's Fair Park", changes such as those I mentioned should, and almost must, be made. Otherwise the site will always remain a sleeping giant, dreaming of its past glory instead of awakening to a new glory, and a new life.

I have lived in Knoxville for 14 years and have grown up with the great events at the Worlds Fair Park. I loved the Hot summer nights tours from the late 90's and even looked forward to them returning.

My suggestion is not moving Sundown to World Fair, but instead similar to all major towns, having a three day festival of music there. It should showcase local, region and national (usually the headliners) musical acts from all genre's. I would love nothing more than to get excited about this annual festival of music instead of thinking about going to Nashville, Memphis, Atlanta or Charlotte. While most of these towns hold their the first weekend of May, ours could be in the middle of may, or even Memorial day. Regardless, I think that is a definite must for the fair grounds. They look fantastic, we just need the events of old (the July 4th jazz concert with fireworks) and the new events to make it the "must go to" spot. And, it's a LOT closer to campus relatively speaking so even more students would be able to get there.

I'm very excited to see what happens over the next year. Since it's late in this year, we could even have the concert in the middle of August because there is down time between when the students move in and when classes start. That would be a great way to get people excited about the upcoming year. Please use my consideration, as I speak for many fellow students.

My husband and I are very new to the area, but have lived numerous other places, being exposed to many wonderful metropolitan environments. The one thing that Knoxville has the perfect opportunity to do to utilize the buildings down at World's Fair Park is to put together a Science Center. We have been members of or visited them in Seattle, Minneapolis, and Denver. Most of the traffic is drawn out to Sevierville or Pigeon Forge and as family oriented as it is what do kids learn from going there. The location is right, the resources are right, and the ideas are there. If this should become a reality, I would like to be a pioneer contributing factor in bringing it to fruition.

I would like to speak of my direct knowledge of Candy Factory. It already adds to the vitality of downtown Knoxville. It also enhances the surrounding neighborhood. I go there on a regular basis to art classes and also to some business meetings. It always has something going on. Not just one thing but several-enrichment activities of various kinds. People come from the convention center to buy candy or browse and buy at the numerous galleries that are presently housed in the Candy Factory. I have also seen many people there getting information about other parts of town. This is vitality. To have art live in a down town is wonderful! It compliments the museum, convention center, hotels. Art and other experiences are being made available to people of Knoxville in the middle of downtown and at a nominal cost. The city would lose if these services were no longer available or if they were moved to one section of town or another. People of all ages participate here. Various groups also hold meetings here as it is convenient for everyone-both Knoxville and surrounding counties. Perhaps some effort needs to go toward expanding to evening activities for more usage rather than even thinking of doing away with this usage of this historical building. It should not be put in the hands of private people or corporations. It is part of our history, and it continues making our history as it is. Some modernizations of the building would facilitate all that goes on there, however the uniqueness of the original building should not be lost.

The Sunsphere: This veritical landmark has lain fallow too long. I'm glad to hear the city will invest $1 million to return it to its original glory. It's the obvious tourist attraction, on par with the Space Needle in Seattle. Why did we spend millions on consultants and pie in the sky tourist attraction ideas when the answer has been right infront of us all the time? Everyone wants to ascend the Sunsphere.

The Ampitheater: Once when I first moved to Knoxville I came upon an orchestra playing under its white tarps and thought for a moment I was back in San Francisco in Golden Gate Park. Unfortunately, I have never had that experience again, but do think that the ampitherater restored to its full potential could add culture to the park and downtown. I think High School Bands and the Symphony should practice there and I definitely think that outdoor concerts should take place there again. It is a very beautiful setting and one of our best attributes.

The Candy Factory: While I hate to kick out any thriving businesses, I think converting the building to an apartment complex is perhaps the most economically sound idea yet. I can't imagine the maintenance price on that building. It would make beautiful apartments. I would like to see businesses in the lower floors. Please keep the Fine Arts and Crafts Center as it is one of the city's best contributions to its citizens.

The Victorian Houses: Keep them where they are and restore them. If the Candy Factory is made into apartments the 11th St. Cafe will thrive beyond belief.

The Convention Center: Have Victor make monthly donations out of his stipend.

I have lived in Knoxville for one and a half years now, and I am very excited about the redevelopment of the downtown area. As far as the World's Fair Park is concerned, I would definitely like to see the Sun Sphere open to the public. I am sure it would be attractive to many tourists coming to Knoxville. Every single friend we had over from out of town had asked if we could go there. I would also suggest that plays and movies are played in the amfitheater during summer. Some open restaurants would also be nice in the inner side of the area.

Please use the word "restore" when you talk of the Victorian Houses. They are truly beautiful. I am thankful they have been saved and would have been ashamed of Knoxville if they had not. Also, I enjoyed then during the world's fair and still feel a thrill when I see them now.

I would like to make a comment, suggestion, and solution for the Sunsphere and other WFP Buildings.

Last week, I talked briefly to Mr. Rountree with the Public Building Authority about the Sunsphere and the bird problem. He mentioned the mayor was commited to reopening the Sunsphere for visitors. Today, I read the News- Sentinel comments about more birds visit the Sunsphere then people.

My suggestion is to install a bird control system that would eliminate the birds from roosting and nesting on the Sunsphere in a humane, non-lethal, nearly- invisible, self maintaining , and noise free way.

A solution is the Bird Repel (www.birdrepel.net) system. Designed and sold in South Knoxville at Fi-Shock, Inc, this two wire electrified system is a fraction of the cost of other track systems and is installed by a local pest control company. Bird Repel keeps the birds away with a slight shock (like touching a static doorknob).

AS mentioned, I briefly talked to Mr. Rountree but I want to give this information to all interested parties.

Please keep the Bird Repel in mind when solving the bird problem at the Sunsphere. Our installer can provide advice on how to best handle the installation.

Please do keep the Sunsphere, and let's use it. A restaurant, as there was during and following the World's Fair, would be wonderful, but only if there is a provision for free or $1.00 parking while eating there. Our daughter chose that restaurant for her 21st birthday dinner.

We, in South Knoxville, would certainly support a movie theater downtown also. But there again, parking MUST be free, or everyone will choose to drive further to avoid paying for parking.

Noticed your interest in restoring the Sunsphere and I wanted to e-mail you and encourage you to consider to paint the grid the original color of sky blue. The whole purpose of that color was so that it would blend in with the sky! The hideous red and green that is now painted, is too horrid for words!

I would like to comment on the Candy Factory in particular. I have, for the past 6 months attended classes offered at the Candy Factory (pottery). I love the facility and find the class hours, location and the surroundings very wonderful. I would hate to see this arts and community center removed from downtown Knoxville.

I understand that this unique building is in need of renovation, but hope that the City will continue to support the arts and types of classes currently offered at the Candy Factory. This is the type of atmosphere that I think should be associated with downtown Knoxville. Please keep a place for this type of activity in your plans.

I am pleased that the City of Knoxville is making available the opportunity to comment on the disposition of City assets on the World's Fair Park. I strongly favor retention of the Tennessee Amphitheatre, the Sunsphere, and the Candy Factory.

The Amphitheatre structure is a unique outdoor pavilion. This venue provides an excellent opportunity for community groups and for convention activities. There are far too few performance opportunities for youth groups which work very, very hard on their artistic creations, and there is no mid-size outdoor venue for conventions. It is easy to say take it down and to cite costs and benefits, but really only the costs are known-- there has been no real effort to integrate use of this wonderful public facility into the fabric of local performing arts, and no efforts to market the facility for convention use as a break-out area or evening activities area.

The Sunsphere is the most identifiable residual from the World's Fair, of course, and is also the most identifiable landmark from the interstate. The offices of the Knoxville Convention and Visitors Bureau actually worked pretty well in this facility, and certainly no one had any difficulty in finding the structure. Like the Tennessee Amphitheatre, it has been neglected in a rush of new initiatives. Like greenways and parks, the excitement is in the creation. Maintenance and upkeep is not glamorous. The structure provides a wonderful opportunity for viewing the heart of the City and also provides an awesome place from which to watch fireworks. Its exterior could provide nightly laser shows at virtually no cost, drawing tourists and locals to the area. A restaurant on one level would surely be an asset, particularly as more conventions and tourists are brought to the City. These two structures are not old enough to be placed on the national register of historic places, but they represent a part of the City's history that is worth preserving. At Chilhowee Park, only the bandstand is left from the National Conservation Exposition (Knoxville's first world's fair) and the earlier Appalachian Expositions. It would be a shame to have no public structures on the World's Fair site which date from the 1982 World's Fair.

The Littlefield and Steer Candy Company Building also needs to be preserved, but it would seem possible that the transformation of this facility might be by private enterprise. The South's Finest Chocolate Factory would well be expanded, and other activities that can pay an appropriate rent to justify private investment could be added.

I believe that the City is subsidizing marginal businesses in the Victorian houses-- subsidizing in ways that similar subsidies are not provided in other areas of town. If these properties cannot carry their economic weight, I would suggest that they be sold for residential use.

Surely we will not preserve the 5th Avenue Motel and tear down the Sunsphere and the Tennessee Amphitheatre.

I have a comment on what the wonderful city of Knoxville should do about the landmark/monument that we hold here. When you see a picture of the Sunsphere, you automatically know that it has something to do with Knoxville. I think that it is a monument and attracts tourists, and I certainly think that the tourists that come to see it will be dissapointed when they find nothing in it. We were even made fun of by the cartoon television show "The Simpsons". When they decided to visit Knoxville for the wonderful Sunsphere, and came to a huge dissapointment when they found that nothing good or fun was there. I think that we should bring FAMOUS restaraunts up to the Sunsphere. Yes, multiple restaraunts up to the Sunsphere. I also think that there should be an overlook for tourists and local Knoxvillians to enjoy. I am 14 years old, have lived in Knoxville all of my life, have always wanted to see the inside of the Sunsphere, and never have. I think that should change soon.

Knoxville is a very pretty city, however, it is known for its landmarks. Do you want to leur tourists here and let them leave in dissapointment? Me neither, so lets change that quickly, so that Knoxville can keep its reputation for such a wonderful city. My name is Kevin Letsinger, and I am a freshman at Austin-East Magnet High School. Although I am zoned for Central. I see the Sunphere every morning and afternoon and I think that something just as wonderful as the outside should be on the inside of it. Because it doesn't matter what it looks like from the outside, what is in the inside is what counts.

My idea for the Sunsphere at the World's Fair Park is for an event center for events such as weddings, proms, parties, awards banquets, city meetings, etc.

There are other places in the downtown area to hold such events, but where else can you get the allure of a very unique venue, the nostalgia of the 1982 World's Fair and the opportunity to raise money by charging a very competitive, but fair, price for a very special event site that will guarantee the success and the memorability (okay, not a word, but it seems to fit the situation) of any family, city, business or school function.

I just wanted to write to you to say that the fomer south lawn of World's Fair Park used to be the best venue to see a concert. While in school at UT, my friends and I enjoyed seeing bands like The Allman Brothers, Santana, Bela Fleck, Crosby Stills & Nash, and Widespread Panic at the south lawn. Every year we looked forward to summer when we could go to the downtown area to see an outdoor concert.

No one wants to go to Chilhowee park or Marble Springs to see these shows. If the south lawn was used again for concerts it would bring people back to downtown. I know we used to go to the old city once the concert was over.

Nashville, Memphis, Atlanta, and even Chattanooga have their own music festivals every year. In Knoxville we have to go see concerts at Thompson Bowling arena (which has terrible acoustics). When summertime comes, I don't want to sit inside. I want to be outside where you can bring a blanket and sit on the grass to watch a concert. Knoxville use to be one of the great cities where popular bands would be welcomed. Now, we are ignored for bigger and better cities around us. I don't see why we should let this opportunity pass us by. By booking concerts at World's Fair Park, entertainment tax dollars would be collected, people would actually want to come downtown, and the businesses in the area might even make some money.

Would like to see the amphitheatre touched up and spruced up a little for Saturday in the Park concerts with local talents and bands and KSO.

Would really like to see the Sunsphere re-opened and as much of a Tourist Attraction as it could be put to use such as a revolving restaurant or the such.

Really think the Library would be a waste as it is not far from the current library to a great one at U.T. Sprucing up the existing ones scattered throughout town would make more sense to me.

Our non-profit group Project Management - East TN Chapter has been given free space in the Candy Factory. As we are a professional association with not much budget, I tremendously appreciate the City allowing us the opportunity to have a "home." We are now able to conduct professional project management seminars, hold our board meetings, and have a place to keep our materials. I consider the City allowing us this space to be one of the best things they have done.

Allowing the Candy Factory to be used by groups in the community is wonderful. Please do not change it.

My comments are mostly in regard to the Sunsphere. It needs to be turned back into something that everyone would like to and could enjoy. I think that turning it back to a restaurant would be a terrific idea. I also think that many tourists as well as Knoxville residents would agree. There are many things that the Sunsphere could be turned into, but I don't think that any of them would draw the same number of people as a nice restaurant.

I have also enjoyed a number of concerts at the Tennessee Ampitheathre, and part of it's magic was that it was not a huge auditorium or coliseum. It will be greatly missed.

Just please don't let anything turn into a Starbucks!!

I am for new or updated projects as long as taxes or wheel taxes are not involved. The taxes are high enough and it is had enough with gas prices, house payments, food prices, insurance, car payments, wheel taxes, Federal Government taxes. It seems we are being taxed to death and I really feel sorry for the minimum wage earners and the fixed income people they have no chance at all to live on their income it is pay taxes or lose your house. Pay taxes and starve to death. All this while the Government is living high on the revenue they collect from tax payers and working people. I am also tired of everyone using the excuse of the schools and teachers need a raise. They get money from the State, Federal Government, the County Government, the City Government, and still yet the parents have to pay out the kazoo for school supplies, events or what ever they decide to do this week. The working class needs a break! We can't pay everything and live. My sister has to live on $600.00 dollars a month when our Government is sending billions of dollars to the foreign countries. Charity begins at home and that is what the working class is becoming, CHARITY CASES. Thanks for hearing me out. We need a tax cut.

I think the sunsphere should continue to have an observation deck for visitors and have an affordable restaurant. I would eat there all the time for the view.

Knoxville should use the world's fair park to host large concert venues similar to that of the past. In the Past acts such as Buddy Guy, Hootie and the Blowfish, Widespread Panic, Santanna, the Allman Brothers, and Dave Matthews have all played on the south lawn. Knoxville, unlike other cities does not have a major area to host outdoor festivals, events, etc. As can be seen by the success of other cities such as Memphis, Nashville, and Atlanta, large revenues can be created by securing good live entertainment. Another good example of a successful outdoor festival occurs in Maryville at the foothills fall festival. If it works for a city of 25,000 people why not Knoxville?

I have been traveling for years to festivals of rival cities and would like to keep the revenue in the Knoxville area.

I am writing in regards to the revitilization of the Sunsphere. I submitted a proposal (although poorly prepared) yesterday as my daughter and I finally had to opportunity to see "what's up there". We were however, asked to also complete this form.

After seeing the Sunsphere, I am even more convinced that my daughter's idea of a Butterfly House or butterfly conservatory could work. First of all, it would be a tourist destination which would generate it's own revenue. Certainly someone like the Knoxville Zoo, Ijams Nature Center or University of Tennessee could get behind a project such as this. Perhaps the Stokely Foundation or even Pilot Corp (nudge, nudge) could see the beauty of bringing one of East Tennessee most beautiful creatures into the spotlight.

Just think of the educational value that a facility such as this could bring to our area. Schools could have class trips to the Butterfly House and learn how these creatures impact our area. Perhaps UT could use a floor to study different breeds and mating habits and how they relate to the Smoky Mountains. How about the local garden clubs hosting teas in the small cafe that could be incorporated. The ideas are endless.

I realize that there could be stuctural problems to overcome regarding the interior design But, what brings butterflies around...the sun...so why not the sunsphere to attract the butterflies. Visually, it could be incorporated. Perhaps the interior could be divided up into different continents and as you move from section to section you contact butterflies from different parts of the world, of course dedicating .at least one section to our "natives". As I said, a small cafe for refreshments, but nothing like a full meal, could be offered and of course, a gift shop would be a must. The lighting seems to be good for what butterflies like.

And as far as the butterflies, they don't eat much and they surely don't take up much space. I understand that there are strict rules for acquiring, keeping and disposing of butterflies obtained from outside of the United States but I feel that is just a small part of this. I am also aware that they they may not be bred (based on information we received from the Butterfly House, Sioux Falls, SD). Again, I don't think that should stop us from considering this.

Finally, think how nice it would be to soar high above the clouds of Knoxville with the butterflies. The effect of watching them with the endless view behind them will really give the imagination something to think about. It's a truly original idea for this area and I urge you to consider this proposal. I am willing to help in anyway, whether it be to research start up costs or just getting brochures etc sent to us to start looking into this. We even went so far to mention it to a few people while out and about yesterday and no one seemed to hate the idea (at least not to my face!). So, how about it Knoxville, let's consider a Butterfly House for our new downtown attraction. It would really capture the essence of the new World's Fair Park.

I appreciate your time and consideration regarding this and I just ask that you let me know if you think this idea won't fly. I won't be offended, but I don't want to waste time if you have good reasons why it won't work.

Unfortunately, Thursday I missed the tour of the Candy Factory, Victorian Houses and the Convention Center. However, I think the City should keep the Candy Factory building and the Victorian houses, but should sell the convention center if the opportunity even arises. I do not think the Center will ever be a financial asset to the City, but always a burden for the taxpayers.

I did get to take the tour of the sunsphere and enjoyed the view. It is my understanding that it can be operated at a low cost to the taxpayers and may even break-even if a fee of $1.00 or $2.00 were charged to go the observation deck and the other floors rented out for private parties. It is also probably too expensive to tear down and it seems fit with the parks surroundings. I would support the policy of spending funds for maintaining the sunsphere and opening it to the public.

I think the Amphitheater should be torn down. Spending 2.5 million to repair the theater is waste of taxpayer money and could be better utilized for other programs. Even, if repaired it does seem to fit in the park surroundings and would still be an eye sore.

The city should not in the entertainment business. Private business and religious organizations offer a wide variety of concerts and theatrical productions. The city should not compete with these private groups.

Also special concerts can be held on the lawn south of the candy factory. There are also concerts held at Market Square which is within walking distance of the Worlds Fair Park.

Please tear the Amphitheater down and get rid of one of the Cities many white elephants.

Candy Factory. I've purchased things from the Chocolate store in the past and enjoyed seeing the art galleries and the other floors. I plan to visit the art galleries again to buy items. I'm also interested in taking art classes.

To utilize the facility more, consider having vending machines or possibly some type as casual restaurant on the top floor. Open up the area and put in larger windows on the side overlooking the park/garden area. Create a roof top garden / vista area with an access from the top floor.

Consider linking the Museum of Art and the Candy Factory to the World's Fair Park area by building a walkway, elevator/stair structure over the rail road tracks.

Victorian Houses. This was the first time I've visited any of the Victorian houses. If the Victorian houses don't have wheel chair access, they should be modified. It appears the homes need some exterior work and paint. A wheel chair access is also needed from the street (World's Fair Park Drive) to the homes. This could be a zig-zag concrete ramp which is nicely landscaped. It could be located near the existing stairs.

The vacant house could be renovated and used to sell souvenir items such as clothing, post cards, stationary, note cards, pictures depicting city points of interest. It could sell plants during the Dogwood Festival. It could also carry books about Tennessee and Knoxville's history, prominent families, and historical buildings. This may already be available at the McClung Museum; I haven't visited it yet. I was disappointed in the Museum of Art and it's gift shop when I visited some months ago.

Consider moving the Visitors Center located in the Candy Factory to the empty home. Knoxville Convention and Exhibition Center. Consider replacing the glass windows with doors on the front of the lower level facing the park area. This would allow for people to move freely from the building to the park and allow venues to utilize both areas.

Tennessee Amphitheatre. This structure should be repaired and be brought up to today's standards for lighting and sound or demolished and replaced with something similar. I would prefer to see it restored and upgraded. Personally, I don't think the "open air" quality of the structure is an issue as someone said during the Tuesday tour. Most people will dress appropriately for a function in such a venue. If the work included adding a speaker/sound system so people located throughout the park could hear music, crowds could be larger. Adding well placed portable, large screens would give people sitting distant from the stage a visual show. If this could be connected with activities occurring at Market Square, such as the Shakespeare event more people could be accommodated. In other words, people could hear and see what is occurring at a location distant from them. Sunsphere. This structure should be renovated and reopened. This would be a nice venue for a restaurant. It would be nice to have one or both of the observation floors remain for observation. The establishment could be as casual as a Starbucks, Schlotzsky's, or Atlanta Bread Company. It could be more upscale such as Ruby Tuesday, Aubrey's, or Silver Spoon.

It might be nice to have tables and seating "pits" on the observation floors to allow for people to have desserts / snacks and coffee there.

Miscellaneous.

Park. The grassy area behind the amphitheatre should be landscaped into a garden setting with trees, flowers, and another water feature. Bird feeders for song birds and hummingbirds should be maintained throughout the park area. Squirrel feeders would be nice too.

Parking. Consider constructing low cost / no cost additional multi-level parking near the World's Fair Park, perhaps under the above ground roads towards Blackstock and Tulip Ave. Create a walkway from the parking facility to the Park and have it run along or near the creek.

Clubs and Organization. The city should keep a list (data base) of clubs and organizations in order to ask them to participate in scheduled events. For example I'm an officer for a square dance club. There are many square dance clubs in the area and we all enjoy doing exhibitions. Having events that spotlight local organizations helps citizens to learn about what's available and it lets people share their interests and talents. As a newcomer to Knoxville, there doesn't seem to be a way of finding out about local clubs and organizations easily. The Dallas newspaper prints a "Things to Do" section in their Friday paper in a section similar to the New-Sentinel's "Preview." This listed anything that was happening that weekend, plus it allowed organizations to be listed on an ongoing basis. Any and every kind of theater, arts, sport, hobby, club or organization was listed. This helped new people relocating to Dallas and visitors locate organizations of interest.

Railroad tracks. If the railroad tracks running through the World's Fair Park area are no longer used, the tracks should be removed. If the tracks are active, how often are they used? Could the trains be rerouted. Would it be possible to share the line and use it to bring people in from outlying parking areas.

Knoxville needs to be thinking about a light rail system to reduce car traffic and pollution.

Greenway. Long term, the city should find a way to link the World's Fair Park green area to Volunteer Landing.

Special Events. During the Dogwood Festival and possible monthly (1st Sat) from Mar-Nov and/or when the convention center is used, create a special Trolley route to Historical Homes. Homes to be included: Armstrong-Lockett House (Crescent Bend), Bleak House, Mabry-Hazen House, Marble Springs, & Ramsey House Plantation. Include a discount coupon in the Lifestyle Book to promote the tour.

I have one question that I would like to receive some clarification on. There was a company that wanted to add fiber optics to the Sunsphere about 1-2 years ago why did the city decline there offer also if it is a land mark to our city why is it so dark at night should it not be lit up. That is are land mark have more pride for it!!!!!!

CANDY FACTORY

The present operation of the Candy Factory seems to be providing a valuable public service. Teaching health to over 80% of Knox County school students and several adjacent counties is invaluable. The educational impact that is served in this facility would be sacrificed and/or reduced in scope if the classes had to find another location. Other floors serve the cultural and art world as well as providing a shopping venue for the convention center guests. In addition, the top floor community meeting room is free for any non-profit or minority group.

Taking this facility away from the school kids, the non-profits and the minority groups would be counterproductive. These are very strong reasons for the city to continue managing the building in the same way it has for the last 20 years. The Candy Factory should not be under the management of a for-profit organization.

VICTORIAN HOUSES

These houses have historic value and as such were incorporated into The 1982 World’s Fair. Today all but one continues to play an important role in the daily lives of locals and are an added attraction to visitors to our city. Additionally, they provide a buffer between the commercial and residential areas of Fort Sanders. The houses should be better maintained and if the cost cannot be included in the present city budget, let the occupants do their own capital fund campaign to fix up the spaces. In return the rent could be lowered to compensate them for their work and the city could guarantee a longer contract or even give the buildings to those who will agree to maintain them.

KNOXVILLE CONVENTION AND EXHIBITION CENTER

SMG at present has 3 ½ years remaining in a 5-year operation contract. When the present contract expires the city should consider another use for the old convention center. One such use would be to allow the Holiday Inn to build a two-story parking garage in the facility to serve the new convention center. The parking garage wouldn’t have to take up all of the space and could split the high-bay area in half with all of the upper half used for parking and up to half of the lower level used for small local events. The low bay area which is under the Holiday Inn should be returned to the Holiday Inn and allow them to use it for hospitality rooms for convention guests and/or hotel events.

TENNESSEE AMPHITHEATER

The present estimate to "fix" the steel arch supports should be re-checked with the original 1982 engineers or at least consult with Birdair who still builds these structures and was involved in the original project. (Birdair can be contacted at 1-800-622-2246.) Birdair also might be able to assume the liability necessary to clean up and patch the structural beams without replacing them in their entirety. It would seem logical that the original builders could put their engineering stamp on a "fix" of the present beam assembly at a much lower cost than a firm that did not engineer the structure. The Tennessee Amphitheater is a historic structure and one of only a few such structures in the world. The Myer Music Bowl of Melbourne Australia is another tension fabric structure which is recognized world-wide. A Melbourne architect stated , "It is a tribute to all those involved in the original project, that the building has stood the test of time and was able to be refurbished to continue as one of the icons of Melbourne". It is ludicrous to believe Victor Ashe actually gave the order to tear down The Amphitheater without informing anyone on City Council. It is also ludicrous to believe a 22-year-old tension steel building cannot be repaired in a logical manner just as the 100 year-old Gay Street Bridge was.

During the years The Amphitheater was managed by the city, it served many valuable public uses. The existing seating was sufficient for these small outdoor concerts, graduation exercises, church services, and various other private and public functions. The suggestion to enclose the theater was made by promoters who want to profit from a few large concerts each year.   There are 52 weekends in the year so what would the now higher cost Amphitheater do the remaining weekends after these promoted concerts are finished? To change the building and enclose it would destroy the historic value and serve no economical purpose.

The lower level, if refurbished, could also serve as a World’s Fair exhibit area and museum for The Sunsphere.

Finally, the Amphitheater was a gift to the City of Knoxville by the State of Tennessee. To not use the space in the intended manner would be a dishonor to the State of Tennessee and it would be breaking the trust between the city and the state.

THE SUNSPHERE

The Sunsphere has a magical draw to the public. To not understand that this icon is recognized worldwide would be a blunder of epic proportions on the part of the city. Because of this proven visitor draw, The Sunsphere should be used exclusively as a tourist destination attraction.

Since 1983 a steady stream of restaurant operators have tried to formulate a workable plan to use The Sunsphere as a dining venue. The most recent attempt was by SMG who presently operates our new convention center.   Some logistics obstacles include moving food between floors, extra personnel required to serve on multi-levels, removal of garbage, and the major problem of guest parking.

In addition, the tenant would be responsible for management of the three elevators. This, in and of itself, is a daunting task: dealing with up to 100,000 visitors a year (300 or more a day) who only want to go up to the 4th floor Observation Deck. The restaurant operator would have to bear the added payroll cost of three full-time elevator operators.

If so many restaurant operators have tried for so long (22 years), doesn’t it make sense to forget the restaurant option and go on to what does work and just use The Sunsphere as a destination attraction.

What would it take to reopen ONLY The Sunsphere Observation Deck? Not $2,000,000; not even the $1,000,000 which the mayor has included in his new budget to "fix" The Sunsphere. The same engineering firm that designed The Sunsphere back in 1981, that did the $2,000,000 estimate in 2003 for PBA, also estimated a 4th floor quick fix estimate for me in 2004. Community Tectonics estimated that the Observation Deck can be operating for as little as $102,000 and the repairs could be made in less than a month allowing The Sunsphere to reopen in time for this tourist season.

SUMMARY:

I produced a 11-page report on the Sunsphere and the dynamic role and economic impact it has had on downtown Knoxville. My report was sharerd with the Knoxville Touirism and Sports Corp on March 23th and was planned to be sent to the Mayor. When I advised the Mayor of this information he e-mailed me on Feburary 12 asking me to sent it to Bill Lyons. In response to my e-mail May 2th on the Budget report, the Mayor sent me a second e-mail on May 4 advising me to send him and Bill Lyons a copy.   My report has sizable documentation that will require hundreds of copies. This is the reason I asked for an audiance with the Mayor.

I really enjoyed spending time in and around the World's Fair Park complex. I specifically liked watching concerts and shows, as well as sitting and fellowshipping with friends at the 11th Street Expresso house.

The artist markets and other facilities are an important feature of the park, while I think some of the space could be put to better use. Low attendance any time I have been inside the Candy Factory leads me to think that a higher and better use might be made of the whole space. I do advocate preserving the Candy Factory, especially the gallery and Chocolate store. Some of the Victorian houses space might be better used to bring people in, but I would keep the coffeehouse in place!

Should the Victorian houses and the Candy Factory be redeveloped as commercial ventures, or should they remain arts-related to continue the World's Fair Park's status as our only arts district?

Why can't the city find a way to make it both? A commercially successful arts district. I works in other cities. Maybe a mix of arts and non-arts ventures?

Do you want a restaurant in the Sunsphere?
It would be OK. Not a national chain

How much would you be willing to pay to ride the elevator to the observation tower?
couple bucks, but maybe it could be refunded if I eat in the restaurant or buy in the gift shop while I'm up there.

What would you want to do once you got up there? Eat? Drink? Shop? Learn?
yes to all

In addition to being one of our city's major tourist attractions, the World's Fair Park is downtown's back yard, a great place to play.

How do you want visitors to experience it?
as an exicitng starting place to explore our city - not a place to start and stay and then miss the rest of Ktown

How do we want to use it?
concerts, festivals, gatherings great and small are great.

The World's Fair was a major event in the history of Knoxville. Certainly some of what little is left of it should be preserved as a symbol of this honorable distinction.

Sunsphere: This is the icon and needs to remain. Please put it to a fitting use and have it accessible to the public/tourist/visitor.

Tennessee Amphitheater: I enjoyed many events under this tent. It has a wonderful atmosphere in the park and with the waterscape below. I do not know what it would take to put it back into operations, but if it could, it is a great park facility.

Victorian Houses: These form a wonderful historic complex of Victorian houses, representing what is now largely lost in the greater Fort Sanders neighborhood. If it is an inconvenient city property to operate, perhaps these houses should be sold with deed covenants to protect their historic appearances. This would make for a very desirable residential neighborhood - with the adjacent parks and Art Museum.

Candy Factory: This historic factory building served a useful public purpose. If it is an inconvenient city property to operate, perhaps it should be sold with deed covenants to protect its historic appearance. Find a developer to establish commercial or condominium units - this would sell!

Knoxville Convention & Exhibition Center: Do not know enough about this facility. Does it support itself? Would it serve as a supplement to the new Convention Center? Or would it be best disposed of to the hotel complex?

Above all the park needs to be appreciated and utilized to the fullest.

After living, working and organizing in Manhattan, and then coming to live and love living in Knoxville eight years ago, I have come to believe and almost feel driven to create, a really accessible Children's Museum for all of not only Knoxville's children, but its children in the counties as well.

Knoxville would benefit greatly both economically, sociologically and politically, from a thriving, vibrant, community-driven, downtown. Sure the city needs to make money and no doubt, we must have business driven economic ventures, capitol improvement and room for eminent domain when it comes to redevelopment, but we have a saying in New York, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." This holds true especially for the World's Fair Park, Fort Kidd, the Victorian Houses and the Candy Factory/KMA. That site, if carefully and thoughtfully planned with an eye to the future, and embracing true multi-cultural driven concepts and practices, would potentially draw to downtown, the vibrant colors of people it so desperatly needs there.

Once upon a time, the Laurel Theatre and others hosted an International Festival on the grounds of the Worlds' Fair Park. The city needs to bring this back! Then one could truly see Knoxville's rich cultural heritage. Unfortunatly, to the pedestrian on the street, Knoxville's downtown is home only to a homogenous, white, southern culture, and a business one at that, save the occassional writer type wandering in and out of the 11th street expresso house, which by the way is one of the best and truly home-based business down there. I also have danced for many years in the once beautiful dance studio on the 7th floor of the the Candy Factory. Bringing up NYC again, letting go of a perfectly good dance space where the symphony, the ballet, the opera and post modern dance companies practice, is well, just simple, and not very forward-thinking..PUT in a dance floor!

The Victorian homes work, don't fix them. Of course, you do have to fix the lights, taxes must be paid, utilities kept on, insurance, etc... I understand the complexities of economic development. But if the city, in its infinite creative capacities, given to it by the greatness of minds )read men and women of truely inspired intuition and depth> who will create such an action plan, then keeping those buildings arts related seems like a feat, already done--the plans just need to be drawn up. So, here is my modest proposal: Put the Children's Muesum right across the street from the KMA: kind of like mother, son, keep the 11th street expresso house and make the back yard accessible to small concert venues, read: Revenue for the city. Keep the Candy Factory mixed use with art galleries and high-priced shopping boutiques, read let some shop keepers pay rent; keep the KMA affiliate health gallery in there. Put a high-end sprung wood floor for god's sake, into the 7th floor dance studio and put yourself on the map as a city who supports the arts! Get HGTV to sponsor it. As a matter of fact, get some editing facilities of some key TV studios in there--editing facitlities like downtown areas...keep Tennessee Stage and any others who are not going over to the arts emporium, in the Candy Factory and rent out the rest of the spaces to unique small businesses who want a downtown location--find a common theme--

The final key issues to getting, bringing and keeping a diverse and I say diverse population to downtown, is making it fun and accesible to those people in the city who are not european american. For instance, nearly 300 people attended a "Rivers of Babylon" Arabic festival at the Sacred Heart church last year..get in touch with them; have some arabic music night downtown, have some Israeli musicians do an evening of music, host an indian event-- call up the Hindu community center out west and offer to co-host Charanjit Lal who will be here in Mid-May, for a concert downtown; call up the Sikh community--3HO of Knoxville-- and do a meditation for peace and world religions; reach out to the African American community by offering free bus passes to get there--most black families living in urban knoxville don't drive and won't come out unless is something that relates to their culture--guess how many folks came out for the "Wailers" at sundown two weeks ago? Reach out to the indegent populations who are on public assistance, just out of jail, getting their lives together, and in recovery. They are citizens in need of culture and family time, too. And it must be cheap! But they've got cash just like everyone else. Remember knoxville is host to over five prominant social service agencies which serve thousands of indegent people in AoD recovery.

Lastly, look into your own soul and the colloborative soul of Knoxville. What is there? Ask yourself, how do we serve our neighbors and communities nicely? How do we serve each other? Our children? How do we keep each other up? How do we be real in these terrible times of war and vast economic depressions in the third and fourth worlds? How do we keep sight of the larger picture, keep ourselves beautiful, keep Knoxville beautiful and keep each other in the sight of holiness? You know the answer; it's already there. And time and space but a concept to fold life into. Be real; put some kind of deep forsight forward, instead of shallow greed and superficial thinking. In other words, Mayor(s), do your home-house work and then the work, will get done.

First off:

Hotels, hotels, hotels. These alone are not prosperous, but it is where all the patrons need to stay who come to Knoxville for all the convention center oriented events. Next, or in additon to, tear down that candy factory. I am in the arts and love that old building beyond words but it is a hazard and is going to cause some major disaster someday. Mark my word, I have rehearsed quite a bit in there and it hasn't looked good for many years.

The Victorian homes: as I can tell, only about half of them are in operation right now. The others sit abandoned and uncared for. I really don't want this to be what visitors see when the tour our art community. Get them all working perhaps in conjunction with one another. Let them all be conjoined as working galleries and art related retail shops similiar to the Factory in Franklin.

The KMA is a great facility but is, at present, being choked to death by the perpetual weeds of the Victorian Homes and Candy Factory.

I like the idea of a movie theatre, a new amphitheater (please ask theatre people their opinions of what Knoxville needs before building), a childrens museum like the old one on the fairgrounds on Magnolia, a restaurant (perhaps a Hard Rock Cafe' or something of that gimmick) inside the Sunsphere, maybe a water park.

I guess I am saying: make this a village like location for people who are visiting so that they can say that there stay was even as good as the reason they came to Knoxville.

What knoxville needs is an affordable performance space for theatre and other art activities. The Tennessee Amphitheatre at one time was used for that purpose. Shakespeare in the Park_ Tennessee Stage Company, Knox Opera Company _ Sound of Music, Theatre Knoxville - Spoon River Anthology, Knox Symphony_Fourth of July Concert, Knox Recreation Band Concerts. And I'm sure there are countless other examples. The art community still needs that space for performance and despite its drawbacks the amphitheatre's price was right. Give Knoxville a place to show off our local talent.

I am a concerned citizen and live in Fourth and Gill. I just wanted to share some thoughts with regard to the Sunsphere, Candy Factory and Victorian Houses at World's Fair Park. I would like to see them renovated/updated (not demolished) to house small retail businesses that would suit the historic area and appeal to in-town guests using the Convention center and staying at downtown hotels and residents of the downtown area and surrounding residential communities. It seems to me that with the new convention center (and it's parking garage) and all the recent activity on Market Square, Gay Street, The Old City and surrounding downtown communities, World's Fair park is a much more viable location for a small business than it was just a couple short years ago.

The Sunsphere could have a lookout level. Perhaps a restaurant/bar? Retail space? Conference room (to be let out by the convention center?)

The Candy Factory, in addition to its current residents (arts/crafts, etc.) could hold office/retail space, perhaps a deli (or some type of place for in-town guests/local patrons to get a bite to eat).

I think the coffee shop in the one Victorian is an ideal business for that type of space.

I would like to see the site remain or become an Arts and Cultural district.

The Candy Factory - tourist info, rehearsal and performance space for theatre and dance, a "before and after the theatre" coffee shop.

The Sunsphere - a restaurant

The amphitheater - a theater! I've enjoyed concerts there and Shakespeare. I would like to do that again. This structure would be better utilized if it could be renovated into an all-weather theatre.

Knoxville NEEDS an affordable public performance arts space. There are several "homeless" theatre companies that could share a building each producing 1 or 2 shows a year in it. Shared scene shop and storage on site would be grand, as well.

Perhaps the Amphitheater should remain an outdoor venue and the old convention center house an indoor 250-300 seat venue

Victorian houses - shops for local artists and crafts people - a la Berea, KY

In 1982 I was the first trumpeter with the Sing Tennessee-Opryland Musical at the Ampitheater. I enjoyed going up to the restaurant in the Sunsphere. I hope it could be reopened as a restaurant or nightclub. Possibly it could be used as a catering house for private parties as Cipriani has been using the Rainbow Room(top of the GE Building/Rockerfeller Center) here in New York City.

If you don't know, the Terrace on the Park, from the 1964 World's Fair here in Queens ,NY, has been used as a catering house and has been successful, as well as being a tourist attraction.

My suggestion is to have a observation deck like the Sears Tower in Chicago. You could have a museum and use the top as a place to look out all over Knoxville with the back wall having scenes depicting current and past events of Knoxville. You could use some of the space for a gift shop with Knoxville souveniers and maybe candy from the candy factory. Also have a restaurant for visitors to be able to eat in. The possibilities are endless. But we are always looking for ways to market our city and why not let the main attraction at the World's Fair be our symbol and help market some of our other fine attractions to visitors.

I manage the TVA Historic Collection. To date, we have over 35,000 artifacts with an estimated appraised value of $10 million. A large percentage of the collection includes "Smithsonian-quality" items that represent the history and accomplishments of TVA. Many of these items have been restored to their original condition - by a former Smithsonian restoration contractor.

Due to budget cuts, TVA has decided to discontinue programmatic funding. The collection will be packed up and centralized, until further notice. Some items may go on display at the TVA offices in Knoxville and Chattanooga. Many items are currently on display in Muscle Shoals. We are now looking for an appropriate venue to display these one-of-a-kind pieces. I have attached a few images which represent the high-level quality of our collection. People have referred to this collection as "Knoxville's best kept secret." Located on the concourse level of the TVA West Tower, very few people have seen our facility. For the past five years, the program has focused most of its efforts on outreach, including educational programming, exhibits, tours, research, and consultation.

It seems to me that the Sunsphere would be an excellent venue for these items. In addition to being very historic, with direct ties to the Tennessee Valley, our pieces are also very aesthetic and sculptural. The Sunsphere would allow the City to showcase these unique items. I think this "option" has the potential of being permanent, but, it also could be a temporary exhibit. In fact, a TVA exhibit in the Sunsphere would greatly complement any programming regarding the 60th commemoration of the Manhattan Project. The Sunsphere would be an excellent "hub" or educational venue that allows visitors to view this important part of our regional history - and how it connected with Oak Ridge. In addition to exhibits, we also have ready-made educational programs, including VandeGraf generators and, a new, 300,000 volt Tesla Coil. This machine creates man-made lightning. Also, we have access to over one million photographs, which, if scanned, could be made available to the general public. We have also converted over 500 movies to both vhs and dv format. Consequently, if a "temporary" exhibit is more appealing than a "permanent" display, I'd suggest that the Sunspshere, or at least one level, become a venue for changing exhibits! It could be a "City Gallery" that brings in any number of exhibits - from UT, Oak Ridge, area museums, or nation-wide traveling exhibits. This would add an ever-changing excitement to the Sunsphere, bringing people back time and again.

When I look at the Sunshpere, it looks like a golf ball sitting on top of a tee. Now the city of Knoxville is faced with a problem on what to do with it. Why not put a positive spin on it? We have a icon that is not replicated anywhere else in the world, or least to my knowledge.

Why not make it represent Golf in some positive way, like the Knoxville, TN Hall of fame for either professional or amateur golf,or both if the name has not been already taken.

I am not a golf player, but I do like to watch professional golfing tournaments on t.v.

By having a national icon representing an active sport, people would come to see a museum of a sport like golf. There are other golfing museums in the U.S., and this may be a way to compete for people that like to see something relating to Golf. Perhaps a special annual golfing tournament for Knoxville could be devised.

The sun sphere should either be left to stand as it is or bulldozed to the ground. Spending any money on it is a waste of taxpayer money. The adage, "you cannot make a silk purse out of a pig's ear" is applicable.

I am glad the mayor wants to improve the Worlds Fair Park by restoring the Sunsphere. I don't mind some of our tax increase going to pay for that (as well as downtown improvements.) I always enjoyed concerts at the Tennessee Amphitheater. I hope it can also be restored to is original condition and used again, along with the Sunsphere.

I am currently a business student at the University of Tennessee. On the final day of class, our school newspaper, The Daily Beacon, ran an article discussing the Sunsphere and its potential. As a resident of the Fort Sanders Neighborhood, I frequent the World's Fair Park often...it is quite beautiful. I cannot help but wish, however, that the Sunsphere were open to the public with perhaps a coffeeshop/bakery in the dome. It would be a wonderful place to study and socialize. Plus, were it large enough, it could be utilized for meetings. The Cultural Attractions Committee with UT, which I chair, is constantly looking for different and interesting places for meeting locations; the Sunsphere would be an excellent option.

Whatever the city chooses to do with Knoxville's most renowned landmark, I certainly hope that the public will have easy access. The downtown area has really developed beautifully in the past few years of my residency here; the Sunsphere's eventual re-opening would only further increase the Knoxville appeal.

Candy Factory - Please continue the present uses of the Candy Factory. It is a great facility for residents to explore the arts. It is also a natural fit for the area since the KMA is located next door. It is also a great facility for community activities, such as meetings, etc. The building does need to be repaired and our tax dollars should be invested in the building because it is such a great asset. PLEASE do not give this property away for other uses such as large scale retail or housing development.

Tennessee Amphitheater - This structure should be removed and replaced with a modern "shell" structure for entertainment or just left for open space.

Sunsphere - This facility should be opened as soon as possible as a tourist attraction and restuarant.

Victorian Houses - I think the buildings need a facelift, but I think the uses are appropriate. I do think that one or more houses could be renovated and showcased as a period house and open for public tours.

Connvention Center - This is a wonderful facility but apparently needs to be used more often by convention groups. No particular comment here other than that the convention advertising should be increased to attract more groups.

I would like to suggest the renovation of the Sunsphere, Victorians, and Candy Factory. The amphitheater should be demolished and converted into more green space. That is a nice space between the water and fountains. I think the base of the sunsphere should be the home of a knoville tourist information site. I would try to get a business to share the cost of the renovations (maybe with a cheap rent in return, but don't get suckered into a horrible deal!). If there are no takers on the sunsphere, I think it should get taken down too. Sorry , but it looks like leftover junk from the world's fair, and if it is just going to sit there and rot, then take it down! I think it is great that the victorians are there are used by artists. Even the condemned one should get fixed up. Could Knox Heritage help with the renovations? Would you be able to get volunteers to help with the renovations? I think there would be people willing to give there time if they knew it was going to help the city. They are too precious of a resource to tear down. Same with the Candy factory. It is a unique space that enhances the appeal of the city. Is there a way to issue a bond to help pay for it? It is important to keep the rents reasonable for those spaces so that it will attract more artists.

Our most distinctive landmark is inaccessible, unused, and falling into ruin. Since she was first able to talk, my 6 year old daughter has always noticed the "Big Gold Ball" in the sky, and has asked if she could go up in the Big Gold Ball. It should renovated and opened tothe public. If not, it should come down so that it doesn't stand as an everyday symbol of the vision we once had, but chose not to perpetuate.

I would like to comment on the future use and preservation of the Susphere. I like the structure and enjoyed going up inside several years ago and more recently to see officials at the PBA. I agree it is a symbol of our City (like it or not) and would suggest it be combined with a nice restaurant, cocktail bar and public viewing deck, even if the City has to structure a very favorable lease to make that possible. I would also like to see the outside structure lit up at night so as to reflect seasonal events and colors. This would be similar to the way the Empire State Building is lighted by NYC. Examples would be red & green during Christmas, blue and white during Hanukkah, pink and white or green during the Dogwood Festival, orange during the fall or at least UT home games, with a Jack-O-Lantern face on Halloween, yellow on Easter, red, white & blue during the 4th of July, etc. I recall someone actually suggested this a couple of years ago (Bandit lites??) and said they were going to launch an effort to raise the funding, but I have not heard or read anything else. This would also be a natural fit with the Christmas trees over the roof tops all downtown. The main point, I think, is that rather than hide or not build up the Sunsphere, I believe we should embrace it as a local icon and enhance its community appeal by this highlighting effort.

I think the amphitheatre needs to remain. I grew up going there for a lot of outdoor concerts and the like and it is a good asset to the community. I would put some money into it to renovate it. The Sunsphere needs to be used for a small public office, something people can go to for work and community service. I realize that there is not much square footage, but surely there is a small department that can go up there.

lastly, a large scale rendering posted at the corner of Lower Drive and Cumberland (below the Hill) showed the convention center, amphitheatre and sunsphere in the context of the completed project with a large outdoor lawn to be used for larger outdoor concerts. This is a good plan. Build it.

I would be in favor of a modest tax increase to make and maintain public places for citizens to use. In the long run, such things will attract busnesses and residents and make the city more money.

The World's Fair park amphitheatre would be an excellent venue for specialized entertainment that would be of interest to a smaller segment of the population, perhaps along the lines of the amphitheatre as it is managed at the Chautauqua Institution in New York state (http://www.ciweb.org/). With our warm weather climate, many small events, ranging from comedians, to lecturers, to musicians and dancers could be scheduled throughout most of the year and help turn downtown into a cultural mecca and a leading southern city.