Success of the 1982 World's Fair was an example of bipartisanship at its best | Opinion
The 1982 World’s Fair in Knoxville was America’s most successful, authorized international exposition since Chicago’s 1933 “Century of Progress.”
Facts: Knoxville’s World’s Fair had more participating nations (23) and higher attendance (11.4 million visitors) than the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair, San Antonio’s 1968 HemisFair, Spokane’s 1974 fair or New Orleans’ 1984 fair. There have been no U.S. expositions in 38 years.
Opinion: East Tennessee's 184-day extravaganza could not have happened without the extraordinary level of support received from both Republicans and Democrats at every governmental level.
Full disclosure: My view may be biased as I was the president/CEO of the nonprofit corporation that organized and produced the event. I am proud to have been associated with the office-holders and business and labor leaders who stood together to answer the incredulous question: “You’re doing a what … where?”
Hear more Tennessee voices: Get the weekly opinion newsletter for insightful and thought-provoking columns.
Local: When the idea was presented in 1975, ambitious Republican mayor Kyle Testerman accepted the challenge. He wisely appointed two banking/political leaders to lead the exploratory committee: Jake Butcher, owner of East Tennessee’s largest bank and a major Democratic player/fundraiser, and well-known Republican fundraiser/kingmaker Jim Haslam, who was also associated with East Tennessee’s second-biggest bank. While the proposal was being evaluated, upstart Democrat Randy Tyree was elected mayor in a tightly contested run-off. Tyree happily appropriated the fair's leadership mantle. Without both of these mayors, the event would not have transpired.
State: With no love lost between Democratic Gov. Ray Blanton and the fair's leadership, Blanton’s administration provided enough assistance to keep us alive. The governor’s race to determine scandal-plagued Blanton’s successor boiled down to Lamar Alexander, a young Republican from Maryville, or Butcher, the fair’s board chairman, who resigned that position for the race. Haslam took the role of chairman until Alexander won, and they switched roles seamlessly. Despite the complexities, Alexander demonstrated exceptional leadership, working with the Democratic-controlled legislature. Without that support, there would not have been a fair.
National: The application for the fair was initiated under Republican President Gerald Ford and continued under Democratic President Jimmy Carter, who invited the world to participate following the approval of Knoxville’s bid. Newly elected Republican President Ronald Reagan, with the urging of Senate Majority Leader Howard H. Baker Jr. and Knoxville Congressman John Duncan, endorsed the effort, and he personally opened the exposition on May 1, 1982.
Your state. Your stories. Support more reporting like this.
A subscription gives you unlimited access to stories across Tennessee that make a difference in your life and the lives of those around you. Click here to become a subscriber.
This brief summary scarcely details the challenges involved in accomplishing this spectacular six-month occasion. It wasn’t only Knoxville that flourished during 1982’s national recession. Nashville’s Opryland theme park, for example, had its largest attendance ever, with other Tennessee attractions enjoying record visitation, too.
THE LATEST NEWS RIGHT AT YOUR FINGERTIPS
Get the latest local news, sports scores and more directly on your phone. Download the free Knox News mobile app.
One cannot possibly dismiss the fair’s phenomenal impact. Its enduring influence continues to be celebrated and discussed four decades later. Looking back, it’s clear that the fair came to fruition through the time-honored trait of leadership. The political parties’ united front, bolstered by collective private-sector efforts, enabled people to focus their energies on reaching a common goal. Something far more magical, successful and significant was created jointly than could have been done individually or with just some participants. It took everyone, and we did it together.
Bo Roberts, a Nashville-based marketing consultant, is the author of “Forever Young: The Youngest as a World’s Fair President, Editor, Governor’s Cabinet Leader & University Vice President.” He may be reached at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Success of the 1982 World's Fair was bipartisanship at its best
