One of the last successful World’s Fairs, the 1982 edition of the event was hosted in Knoxville, Tennessee. It featured the Sunsphere and the Tennessee Amphitheater, both of which have become icons of Knoxville as well as the primary features of World’s Fair Park, which sits on sits on the former fairgrounds of the event.
Featuring a festival lawn, splash pads, a performance area, memorial, lake and various other elements, World’s Fair Park highlights what it can means to utilize existing and new features to create an all-encompassing landmark.
The History of World’s Fair Park
The 1982 World’s Fair attracted over eleven-million visitors and had over twenty international pavilions. The event transformed what had been the abandoned Louisville and Nashville Railroad Yard into the 70-acre site of the first-ever World’s Fair in the South. The Sunsphere was built as the main structure and symbol for the exposition, while other notable structures like the Tennessee Amphitheater and the U.S. Pavilion were highlights of the event. These structures and many others remained in the space long after the event concluded.
Over the years, the site fell into disuse and many of the pavilions were eventually abolished, including the U.S. Pavilion. The Sunsphere sat vacant for years but the development of the Knoxville Museum of Art and the Knoxville Convention Center in spaces that had been utilized by the 1982 World’s Fair helped set the stage for what would become World’s Fair Park.
This transformation of the space didn’t take place all at once. Renovation of World’s Fair Park itself was completed in 2003. Elements such as the Festival Lawn and the Performance Lawn were developed over this time. The observation deck of the Sunsphere was opened in 2007 and it began to see occupancy in the same year. A renovation of the Tennessee Amphitheater was also completed in 2007.
World’s Fair Park has been able to utilize these elements in a way that bridges the past and present of the space for audiences. World’s Fair Park is utilized for recreation, festivals, and performances, but these are just a few of the experiences that have been enabled all across the park.
A World of Sights and Experiences
The Sunsphere and the Amphitheatre are the only two remaining structures from the 1982 World’s Fair and they both provide unique experiences for visitors. The Sunsphere has become an icon of the city, partly because of the 360-degree view of Knoxville that it provides from the Observation Deck on the 4th floor. The Tennessee Amphitheater is now used for concerts and by organizations like the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra and the Tennessee Children’s Dance Ensemble.
Festival Lawn is a multi-purpose lawn that centrally located within the park and is a favorite location for festival promoters. The Court of Flags Fountain is located on the northern end of the lawn. An interactive water play area that operates seasonally along with a playground area that is open year-round are nearby. Not far from it is the Performance Lawn, which is a carefully maintained open area providing a natural amphitheater-like setting where concerts, festivals, parties and other special events can be hosted.
The notoriety of the space enabled the creation of the East Tennessee Veterans Memorial that is located in the northern portion of the park. The memorial contains the names of 6,266 fallen heroes from 35 East Tennessee counties who died in military service in conflicts since World War I. It was dedicated and officially unveiled in 2008.
World’s Fair Park provides visitors with a space that allows them to do anything from interact with a Knoxville landmark to watch a show to simply relax. This variety of activity is directly related to the incredible economic impact that the Park has been able to create for stakeholders and is also the reason it has been embraced by the surrounding community.
The Economic Impact of a Landmark
The Sunsphere can be seen from various places in the city, while maps and guides highlight the location of World’s Fair Park and directs them to the space. This notoriety has allowed it to become a symbol for Knoxville, appearing in postcards, logos for various businesses and even on license plates. The indirect economic impact of this development can be seen across the city.
World’s Fair Park has also generated a great deal of direct revenue. In early 2008, privately owned businesses took up residence on the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth levels of the Sunsphere. The Festival Lawn, Performance Lawn, Amphitheater, and space at Volunteer Landing are all available to rent for events of all types.
The Sunsphere Fund was created with support from the City of Knoxville in 2019 to preserve and maintain this historic structure. Monies from the fund will be utilized for ongoing repairs and maintenance as well as enhancements to the experience on the 4th-floor Observation Deck.
Events and activities regularly take place in the Tennessee Amphitheater and throughout the park. Knoxville Marathon’s finish line has been set up at World’s Fair Park, while a Destination Imagination event drew 12,000 visitors to the park. Festivals on the 4th of July have been known to draw close to 10,000 people. All of this has fueled further additional developments at and around World Fair Park which continues to be reshaped in a positive manner.
The positive influence that iconic structures like the Sunsphere enable can be seen in the culture and economy of an entire city. By embracing this identity in such a profound manner, World Fair Park has been able to highlight what it means to define a legacy that spans the past and future of an entire region.
The Sunsphere and Beyond
Recognized as an essential part of the identity of Knoxville, structures like the Sunsphere and events like the 1982 World’s Fair are unique. World’s Fair Park would look very different without them, if it even existed at all.
Nonetheless, the disrepair that the area and the Sunsphere itself fell into after the event showcases how easily such unique structures and history can be forgotten. World’s Fair Park also highlights what it can mean to utilize such unique elements, no matter their scope or origin, in a positive way. In doing so, it has created a legacy for Knoxville that will continue to positively impact the city and the entire region.
