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Pro Rodeo Coming
to Knoxville!
South Knox Bubba's Classic
K2K April Fools Troll
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Pro Rodeo Coming
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This is big. There is an
official announcement scheduled for some time next week after a couple of more
details are worked out, but...
A wealthy Nashville businessman in affiliation with the Professional Rodeo
Cowboy's Association (PRCA) and Jack Daniel Distillery is finalizing a deal to
build a world class rodeo arena and rodeo/cowboy destination attraction in
downtown Knoxville.
A large tract of land on Riverside drive near the Dempster's Machine Shop will
be the site of the $43 Million attraction. It will feature the largest rodeo
arena east of the Rockies, designed to accommodate major rodeo events with
seating for 25,000 rodeo fans. It will be a scheduled stop for the worlds
biggest rodeo events such as the Wrangler Pro Rodeo Tour, the Dodge National
Circuit Rodeo.
In addition, it will be a year-round destination attraction featuring the
ProRodeo Hall of Fame East, a rodeo/cowboy museum and hall of fame where fans
can learn about the history of rodeo through exhibits and lectures and meet
their favorite rodeo cowboys during events. The ProRodeo Hall of Fame East will
an extension of the main ProRodeo Hall of Fame in Colorado, and will share
moving exhibits and speakers. Additional plans call for a pedestrian walkway
linking the attraction to the new Downtown Marriot (formerly Hyatt) and
Riverwalk.
According to inside sources, the PRCA has long wanted to establish a more
visible rodeo presence in the East and the South, and has long believed
Knoxville to be ideally located due to its centralized location, access to two
major interstated, nearby theme attractions, and availability of cheap,
undeveloped land on a riverfront setting near downtown, not to mention the
City's willingness to assist with funding the project.
The wealthy Nashville business man involved in the project (who wishes to remain
anonymous until the formal announcement), was previously involved in the bid to
bring the Titans to Nashville but was out hustled by the current Titans
ownership, who had closer political ties in the Nashville city government. He is
planning to retire from his day to day business activitie soon, and has always
been interested in rodeos and cowboys since his youth. He is
spearheading this project as a tribute to rodeo cowboys and to provide an
enjoyable but hopefully profitable hobby in his retirement years.
This is going to be big. Just remember you heard it here first!
A buddy at Metro Pulse sent me this.
He got it in his e-mail when some marketing suit at this rodeo outfit
accidentally sent out this press release a week early. I think someone at KNS
also got it.
---
*** DRAFT - INTERNAL USE ONLY UNTIL RELEASE DATE ***
SLUG: Affiliated Professional Rodeo Investors Linked For Opportunity On Lakeside
Setting In Knoxville.
April 8, 2002, Colorado Springs CO, for Immediate Release: Professional Rodeo
Cowboy Association president Bill King today announced a significant expansion
of the PRCA circuit and revealed plans for a major rodeo arena and theme
attraction in Knoxville, Tennessee. The $43 Million arena, dubbed "Jack
Daniels Riverfront Roundup" is designed to host world-class rodeo events
and will house the ProRodeo Hall of Fame East.
The venture will be PRCA's first entry into developing and managing its own
rodeo arena properties in partnership with private investors. Based on the
success of the Knoxville project, additional PRCA arenas are planned throughout
the U.S. and Canada.
An investor group, headed by Nashville Tennessee business man ****** ******, who
was involved early on in a bid to bring NFL football to Nashville, has purchased
a large tract of riverside property in downtown Knoxville, and has secured
commitments of bond issues and tax abatements to help fund development of the
project. Jack Daniel Distillery, a major rodeo sponsor, is also involved in the
project.
According to Bill King, "For some time the PRCA has wanted to expand the
presence of professional rodeo in the Eastern and Southern U.S. regions.
Knoxville is a natural fit, with it beautiful scenery, ease of access, and
nearby built-in attractions that appeal to the PRCA rodeo demographic. With the
involvement of Mr. *********, our dreams are finally becoming reality. We think
this will be a win-win for the PRCA and the City of Knoxville, and appreciate
Mayor Victor Ashe's diligent efforts to help us put this deal together quickly
and quietly."
The arena will seat 25,000 rodeo fans, enough to accommodate world-class touring
rodeo events and championships such as the Wrangler Pro Rodeo Tour and the Dodge
National Circuit Rodeo. The destination rodeo theme attraction will also be the
future home of the ProRodeo Hall of Fame East, an extension of the ProRodeo Hall
of Fame in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The Tennessee facility will feature
exhibits and activities highlighting rodeo, cowboys, and their place in American
history, and will host art exhibits by Western greats such as Frederic Remington
and Charles M. Russell.
Contact:
Becky Paloma, VP Communications, PRCA National Headquarters, 101 ProRodeo Drive,
Colorado Springs, CO 80919
###
"This is not good news. This is bad news."
"This story keeps getting better and
better . . . does this sound like good public policy? Mayor Ashe, if this is
true, I DON'T appreciate your efforts to put this "deal" together
quickly and quietly. Back door politics."
"It sounds like a big operation. If it hold 25,000 people and you divide that by 4 for parking spaces, it will need 6,250 parking spaces. Plus parking for the workers, performers, support peoples, (any semi-trucks? ). Can Riverside Dive and the other related streets handle such traffic? May the city use the new parking garage for free downtown parking with shuttle service? I hope the wealthy business man make good profit on his hobby. What happens if it is not profitable? What will be its successor?"
"Can't you have the rodeos at the coliseum or at Neyland stadium? This town is going to be crazy on Saturdays when a football game, a convention, a coliseum event and a rodeo are all going on at the same time....And lastly, how will the loud speakers effect the tranquillity of near by residents (psst, even Island Home)."
"Planetariums and rodeos...... What do
the chamber and the city have against a nice (potentially cultured and classy)
city near the Smokies? Does everything have to be littered with tourist glitter
and cheese? "
"Jeez, why don't you change your screen name to Imasnob?"
"In retrospect, this was a poorly written post. What I meant to say is that
the folks who like rodeos or planetariums or anything else are not of any lower
"class" than anyone else. It's why Baskin Robbins has 31 flavors...
not everyone likes the same thing."
"The only meaning I received from [the other person's post] was the idea
that Knoxville could be quite complete and classy without a big tourist
attraction. I detected no snobbery or any implication that folks that attend
rodeos and planetariums are "low class". Is it possible that the fact
that PBA benefits from being involved in large projects colors your perceptions?
"The rodeo might not be such a bad thing. It would likely attract the type
of tourists that are inhabiting Sevier County. That would give us a better shot
at becoming the sort of tourist destination we crave. Really, since Knoxville
doesn't know what it wants to be why not give in and go with they want to give
us-horseshit or another Dixie Stampede."
"Many folks see rodeo as an inhumane
'sport' much like hunting. I'm not against economic development, just against
animal cruelty."
"Uh...guys...before we get into a pissin' match as to whether this rodeo
thing is a potential bonanza or just more tourist bullshit or debate the merits
of the SPCA vs the USDA stop and ponder another ramification of this proposal
(be it real, bogus or otherwise). The "Dempster Property on the
riverfront" referred to is smack-dab in the middle of the Old Sevier
neighborhood. Home to, among other things, several K2K subscribers - [some
person], [another person] and [that person] ([this person's] property on
[that street], I believe,
backs up to the Dempster property...) While I don't profess to know what
prompted [the other person's] comment that this proposal is a "disaster" I'd say
that from the perspective of Old Sevier remaining a residential neighborhood her
assessment is pretty much correct."
"Wait, wait. The original post said Riverside Drive. That's on the north
side of the river adjacent to the new bridge. The property behind [that person] used to
be owned by Texaco. I don't know where the Dempster machine shop used to be.
More info appreciated."
"It would be stupid to put tourist traps over here. Knoxville need
residents and businesses (high paying and long term to stabilize) I don't like
harm being done to animals either. Besides Knoxville is more MONSTER TRUCK
mentality/UT games and what can one get for free."
(In response to another poster who asked the first poster why this is such bad
news): because there is a neighborhood ABOVE the location indicated that would
likely be negatively affected by the noise. because current access roads (mostly
new) do not appear to me to have been designed to facilitate the arrival or
departure of 20 - 70 thousand folks on a regular basis. because knoxpatch has
neither a serious history with rodeo nor any apparent serious affinity for rodeo
so the locals (especially in that area) will likely know damn near nothing about
the events or static displays. it makes as much sense as a museum of the
settling of the upper peninsula of michigan or perhaps one dedicated to the
lifestyle of the Hopi Indians, worthy concepts perhaps but, with little or no
connection to this area. However (comma) if someone is willing to do this with
their own money, and they are willing to work in good faith to insure that the
neighborhood and/or the environment is not damaged, then what the hell, tell the
good luck and get back to work.
"Or how about the fact that this rumor states that we are all pitching in
money on this venture although we have never heard of it"
"Re: This is going to be big. Just remember you heard it here first! - You
also heard it on April Fool's Day."
(More chumming by SKB:) "No, this is legit. You can check it out yourself
here [some stupid link to the PRCA official website]. Go to the "Ed Knocke
(Dallas Morning News)" link and read the "PRCA Expansion Rumors
Persist" item. Nothing specific, but this is what he's talking about."
"Well, sucker that I am, I tried to follow the link, but gave up--no Knocke
columns to be found, tho I did find the reference to Knocke. Anyway, rodeo and
Knoxville would seem to be a perfect fit. Bulldogging is appropriate for a city
whose mayor styles himself as a bulldog. And we have lots of horses' asses and
tons of bullshit and horseshit. Plus the cowboys and clowns. And we've all been
roped and throwed many a time. Not to mention saddled with you name it. Still
and all, I'm ready to ride! Yippe Ty Yi Yo!
"Not another **!@** word about the so-called rodeo unless or until somebody
confirms that this story has a single grain of truth to it! Geez, you guys sure
can spend a lot of time getting worked up about a rumor that most likely is an
April Fool's joke."
"The time-honored procedure for April
Fools jokes is that you 'fes up on April 2nd and laugh at all the folks who fell
for it. Enough already."
South
Knox Bubba in the News...
"They really should have been wary. It was, after all,
the first day of April. But still a bunch of k2kers were ticked off over an
announcement titled "Big time Pro Rodeo coming to Knoxville!"