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Knoxville's Sunsphere


anniekbe

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  • 1 month later...

Looks like we now know the fate of the Sunsphere.

http://www.wate.com/Global/story.asp?S=6010232&nav=0RYv

January 30, 2007

KNOXVILLE (WATE) -- Two Knoxville landmarks have much brighter futures Tuesday after an announcement by Mayor Bill Haslam.

The Sunsphere and its neighbor, the Tennessee Amphitheater, will be renovated without using any taxpayer money.

Haslam's plan is for both facilities to be open again as soon as this fall.

The $1 million previously budgeted to renovate the Sunsphere will be used instead to build sidewalks in three Knoxville communities.

Haslam said the city is ready to sign a contract with Chattanooga developer Kinsey Probasco Hays, also responsible for renovating Market Square and the Candy Factory, to reopen the Sunsphere's observation deck and operate a food service business.

Although the Knoxville Tourism Authority estimated in the past that as many as 80,000 people a year would visit the Sunsphere, the 25-year-old structure and centerpiece of the 1982 World's Fair has been empty for several years.

The development proposal would add an observation area, a restaurant and office space in the Sunsphere, which has a total of five stories.

The Sunsphere's neighbor, the Tennessee Amphitheater, was once the home of countless concerts and stage shows.

But it took public support to help save it from a demolition order in 2002 by former Knoxville Mayor Victor Ashe. The Public Building Authority recommended it be destroyed.

Needed repairs were said to be too costly and crews removed the seats and sound system. The amphitheater hasn't been used since.

It was designed in 1980 and first used during the 1982 World's Fair.

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Yeah, I read about that in the UT newspaper back in the fall. I think the plan also includes converting the Candy Factory on Clinch Ave. into condos or lofts. There are several students who were involved with trying to save these landmarks. The Worlds Fair Park bridges the gap between downtown Knoxville and Fort Sanders/UT campus. Many people want to see the area get a face lift to liven it up.
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I remember last year they planned to tear it down. I'm glad that they decided to renovate them rather than razing the building. They originally wanted to tear the building down because it would be less than half as expensive to tear it down and build new condos than it would be to renovate an old building.
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Nashvol, not sure where you heard that but it'd be extremely hard for me to believe that is true. There is no way a building of that size would be cheaper to raze and build new rather then renovate, especially considering what KPH paid for it. I do know that they are building a new infill section where the beer garden deck used to be the for the World's Fair.
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  • 1 year later...

I am reviving this thread by saying that on July 5, 2007, Level 4, the Fair Observation Level, reopened to give visitors a view of Knoxville. several other levels will be reopened in the near future:

Level 5, the Private dining room and Kitchen, will become a new cafe

Level 6, the Main Restaurant Level, will be an open space leased out for functions.

Level 7, the Upper Restaurant Level, and Level 8, the Mountain View Observation Level, will become the offices for the Knoxville magazing Metro Pulse.

I don't know if there is a Level 1, 2, or 3 in the Sunsphere.

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  • 2 years later...

I'm reviving this thread to post to announce that, "Southern Graces LLC, which operated an event venue and bar in the Sunsphere, has announced that it will close." The owner cites financial burdens related to unfulfilled obligations by Cardinal Enterprises and Kinsey Probasco Hayes have made it necessary to close.

I personally thought it was just a matter of time. I don't believe it's related to the recession. When I was there a few years ago it just seemed weird. Was it open? closed? out of business? The signing seemed confusing. There wasn't much foot traffic to imply that it was open.

I am reviving this thread by saying that on July 5, 2007, Level 4, the Fair Observation Level, reopened to give visitors a view of Knoxville. several other levels will be reopened in the near future:

Level 5, the Private dining room and Kitchen, will become a new cafe

Level 6, the Main Restaurant Level, will be an open space leased out for functions.

Level 7, the Upper Restaurant Level, and Level 8, the Mountain View Observation Level, will become the offices for the Knoxville magazing Metro Pulse.

I don't know if there is a Level 1, 2, or 3 in the Sunsphere.

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