Southern Graces to reopen Sunsphere (Knoxville News Sentinel, 04/13/07)
Southern Graces Catering & Events of Knoxville has signed a sublease for two floors within the Sunsphere, developers Brian Conley of Knoxville-based Cardinal Enterprises and Jon Kinsey of Chattanooga-based Kinsey Probasco Hays announced today.
Southern Graces plans to launch its Sunsphere operation in September. The “Café Floor” will be open to the public and serve lunch and snacks and provide bar service in the evening, Southern Graces president Bob Sukenik said in a statement.
The “Event Floor” will provide catering services for a variety of business and social events.
This is great news for Knoxville, as its most recognizable landmark will finally become functional again. I can’t wait for my kids to be able to travel up into it and take a look out like I did, 25 years ago.
Also in today’s News Sentinel, columnist Sam Venable relates a story someone sent him about some long-ago World’s Fair souvenirs:
Because next month marks the silver anniversary of the 1982 World’s Fair, the following message from Bill Waldrop of Tellico Village is quite timely:
“I have in my wine cellar (aka basement garage) a six-pack of World’s Fair beer I’ve been saving for a special occasion. Do you think it is significant that the cans have swollen into a profile shaped like Phil Fulmer?”
This is funny because I think my dad still has a couple of 6-packs of World’s Fair beer stored in our basement. I think we should take it out and open it on May 1st, and see what’s become of it.
Ick.
I am glad, however, than another media person recognizes the 25th Anniversary of the World’s Fair opening is less than 18 days away.
April 13, 2007
From the Knoxville News Sentinel:
A new proposal for rekindling life into the Sunsphere at World’s Fair Park includes an observation deck, a restaurant, special events space and offices for a Knoxville public relations firm.
Kinsey Probasco Hays & Associates, the Chattanooga development company that is redeveloping the Candy Factory, will present its tentative plan to City Council at a work session to be held at 5 p.m. Thursday in the Main Assembly Room of the City County Building.
I think this is a great prospect for recreating the Sunsphere as a downtown anchor. New people to the city that have no idea what to do naturally gravitate toward the towering gold icon as some sort of destination, and being such a visual eye-catcher they are disappointed when finding not only that you can’t do anything inside it, but that people once could and just aren’t allowed to. It’s not like it’s a solid structure that’s completely inaccessible.
The fourth-floor observation deck would be open to the public.
Southern Graces would run a restaurant on the fifth floor, as well as manage special events on the sixth floor.
Robert A. Sukenik, president of Southern Graces, said the restaurant would be open for lunch — serving primarily salads, sandwiches and deserts — and could be converted to serve cocktails and hors d’oeuvres in the early evening.
What a great way to end an evening after a trip to the theatre or a restaurant in the Old City or Market Square, with a drink looking out over the Knoxville skyline and the riverfront.
City Council won’t vote at tomorrow’s workshop but would have to approve the deal.
Let’s go, folks, do the right thing for once.
August 23, 2006
Here are links to some blog and newspaper articles in the recent past regarding the Sunsphere and the need for its reuse and revitalization. Making the Sunsphere a functional part of the World’s Fair Park and Convention Center is a vital component to the image of downtown Knoxville.
As my dad always said, “Make yourself useful instead of ornamental.”
Victor at “Knoxville Blog“ makes an excellent case for saving the Sunsphere, as does Fred Brown in a Knoxville News Sentinel article from 2005.
The articles are a bit dated, as progress has been made (however slight) in thinking about getting the Sunsphere back in operation, but the sentiments expressed are still completely valid.
July 31, 2006
