Plans for the Sunsphere?

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.