1982 World's Fair: Difference between revisions
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[[Image:sunsphere.jpg|right|thumb|150px|The Sunsphere at the center of the Fair]] |
[[Image:sunsphere.jpg|right|thumb|150px|The Sunsphere at the center of the Fair]] |
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The '''1982 World's Fair''' was held in [[Knoxville, Tennessee|Knoxville]], [[Tennessee]] in the [[United States]]. It opened on [[May 1]], [[1982]] and closed on [[October 31]], [[1982]] after receiving over 11 million visitors and was widely considered a lackluster event. With the theme of "Energy Turns the World," the fair was built on the grounds of a dilapidated railroad yard next to downtown Knoxville |
The '''1982 World's Fair''' was held in [[Knoxville, Tennessee|Knoxville]], [[Tennessee]] in the [[United States]]. It opened on [[May 1]], [[1982]] and closed on [[October 31]], [[1982]] after receiving over 11 million visitors and was widely considered a lackluster event. With the theme of "Energy Turns the World," the fair was built on the grounds of a dilapidated railroad yard next to downtown Knoxville and the [[University of Tennessee]]. (In fact, after the fair closed down, trains still ran through at night on the remaining railroad track.) |
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The [[Sunsphere]], a 266-foot steel tower topped with a five-story bronze globe, was built for the 1982 World's Fair. It |
The [[Sunsphere]], a 266-foot steel tower topped with a five-story bronze globe, was built for the 1982 World's Fair. It still stands and remains a symbol for the city of [[Knoxville, Tennessee|Knoxville]]. |
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The fair, run by the [[Knoxville International Energy Exposition]], was widely considered to be a failure because of the lack of follow- |
The fair, run by the [[Knoxville International Energy Exposition]], was widely considered to be a failure because of the lack of follow-up development and the failure of several local banks, mostly due to unrelated fraudulent activities by the banks' owner, [[Jake Butcher]]. The fact that this Fair has been largely forgotten even by residents of [[East Tennessee]] was spoofed in an episode of ''[[The Simpsons]]'' (''[[Bart on the Road]]''), in which Bart, Milhouse, Nelson and Martin take an ill-fated trip to Knoxville under the belief that the World's Fair is still in progress. |
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== Reasons for failure== |
== Reasons for its failure== |
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The biggest problem associated with the fair was probably the fact that local hotels and other accommodations were not allowed to take reservations for rooms during the fair |
The biggest problem associated with the fair was probably the fact that local hotels and other accommodations were not allowed to directly take reservations for rooms during the fair. All room reservations had to be routed through the Knoxville Visitors' Bureau, Knoxvisit. This operation proved to be incredibly bureaucratic and inefficient--bordering on incompetent--and spawned numerous allegations of favoritism and corruption. |
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The Knoxvisit monopoly on accomodations-scheduling was finally ended to allow the properties to make reservations on their own; but by this point the fair was winding down and a very poor reputation had been established, which was impossible to be overcome in the time remaining. |
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| ⚫ | The reputation of the fair was further tarnished when its organizer, local businessman and banker [[Jake Butcher]], was arrested on bank fraud charges in late 1982. His banks would collapse and he would |
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| ⚫ | The reputation of the fair was further tarnished when its organizer, local businessman and banker [[Jake Butcher]], was arrested on bank fraud charges in late 1982. His banks would collapse and he would declare [[bankruptcy|bankruptcy]] the following year. Butcher would plead guilty to the fraud charges in [[1985]]. |
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This was actually the second World's Fair to be held in the state, the first being the [[Tennessee Centennial and International Exposition (1897)|Tennessee Centennial Exposition]] of 1897. |
This was actually the second World's Fair to be held in the state, the first being the [[Tennessee Centennial and International Exposition (1897)|Tennessee Centennial Exposition]] of 1897. |
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Revision as of 08:45, 11 December 2005
The 1982 World's Fair was held in Knoxville, Tennessee in the United States. It opened on May 1, 1982 and closed on October 31, 1982 after receiving over 11 million visitors and was widely considered a lackluster event. With the theme of "Energy Turns the World," the fair was built on the grounds of a dilapidated railroad yard next to downtown Knoxville and the University of Tennessee. (In fact, after the fair closed down, trains still ran through at night on the remaining railroad track.)
The Sunsphere, a 266-foot steel tower topped with a five-story bronze globe, was built for the 1982 World's Fair. It still stands and remains a symbol for the city of Knoxville.
The fair, run by the Knoxville International Energy Exposition, was widely considered to be a failure because of the lack of follow-up development and the failure of several local banks, mostly due to unrelated fraudulent activities by the banks' owner, Jake Butcher. The fact that this Fair has been largely forgotten even by residents of East Tennessee was spoofed in an episode of The Simpsons (Bart on the Road), in which Bart, Milhouse, Nelson and Martin take an ill-fated trip to Knoxville under the belief that the World's Fair is still in progress.
Reasons for its failure
The biggest problem associated with the fair was probably the fact that local hotels and other accommodations were not allowed to directly take reservations for rooms during the fair. All room reservations had to be routed through the Knoxville Visitors' Bureau, Knoxvisit. This operation proved to be incredibly bureaucratic and inefficient--bordering on incompetent--and spawned numerous allegations of favoritism and corruption.
The Knoxvisit monopoly on accomodations-scheduling was finally ended to allow the properties to make reservations on their own; but by this point the fair was winding down and a very poor reputation had been established, which was impossible to be overcome in the time remaining.
The reputation of the fair was further tarnished when its organizer, local businessman and banker Jake Butcher, was arrested on bank fraud charges in late 1982. His banks would collapse and he would declare bankruptcy the following year. Butcher would plead guilty to the fraud charges in 1985.
This was actually the second World's Fair to be held in the state, the first being the Tennessee Centennial Exposition of 1897.