Knoxville, Tennessee: The Sunsphere

I rode to Knoxville on an IronButt motorcycle ride (1000+ miles in < 24 hours) but I had to make time for the Sunsphere! Free parking is close by, and the observation deck is open and free all day long! There's lots of info about the Fair on colorful displays, also historical info on the city and Tennessee in general. Extra special for me since my last visit was 1982!

My daughter held her wedding reception in the now closed Sunsphere. It held a restaurant open to the public until June, 2010. The restaurant is now closed and so far no plans have been made to do anything else with it. It made a unique place for a wedding reception. I am sure the city will come up with something, but with the economy being the way it is, it may take a while.

The Sunsphere reopened to the public on July 5th. Earlier today, my wife packed some salads in the cooler and we took our son downtown for a picnic in World's Fair Park and a ride up to the observation deck of the Sunsphere. I was happy to see it all cleaned up and looking nice. They had the air-conditioning cranked up, which was great on a hot day. Afterward we got a dark chocolate-covered pretzel rod for dessert at The South's Finest Chocolate Factory.

Mayor Bill Haslam announced that the city would open the fourth floor observation deck of the Sunsphere to the public beginning Thursday, July 5, 2007. There is no admission charge and the observation deck can be accessed from elevators at the base of the Sunsphere and at the convention center level. It's open daily from 9 a.m. until 10 p.m.

The Sunsphere looks like it will be reopened to the public! The city council recently voted to renovate the big gold ball and the amphitheater, another hold over from the 1982 World's Fair. It could be finished as soon as the Fall of 2007 (although that's not likely).