The Michigan Daily-Friday, May 14, 1982-Page 3
EXHIBITS SHORT ON SPECTACLE
World's Fair hypes technology
By CHRISTINA ROUVALIS
Special tothe Daily
The 1982 World's Fair, which opened
this month in Knoxville, Tenn., is
receiving mixed review from tourists,
who complain that the exhibition is long
on technology and short on spectacle.
The fair, with it's "Energy turns the
world," theme, showcases 18 inter-
national and 14 domestic pavilions.
Visitors report, however, tht most
exhibits fail to provide "the dazzle ex-
pected from an international festival.
"MANY OF the exhibits just listed
each country's energy consumption and
export rate," said Fred Lane, 25, a
member of the Coast Guard from
Boston. "I don't have kids, but if I did, I
sure wouldn't bring them here."
Several out-of-state tourists said they
felt cheated by the fair, considering th
high cost of accommodations and long
hours spent in travel time for the trip.
"They (the exhibits) go right over
your head," said Dorothy Duby, a
housewife from Saginaw. "Who wants
to see pictures of oil rigs, except maybe
an engineer? I wantged to learn more
about the countries," Duby added.
SOME EXHIBITS, however, drew
praise from spectators for their
elaborate presentations. The
Australian pavilion, featuring live
eucalyptus trees irrigated by a win-
dmill display, attracts an unusually
large crowd.
In the show from Japan, two taling
robots narratecapicture show; while
another robot churns out oil paintings
at the audience's request.
The Chinese exhibit also has been one
of the most popular, with its display of
porcelain carvings and Oriental rugs.
GREG DUDGEON, from Kentucky,
said he was impressed with the fair's
electronic games arcade,- which
premiers several brand-new models.
The most glowing reviews of the fiar
came, not surprisingly, from Knoxville
residents. "Considering this is our little
hick city, we're proud," said Barbara
Pate, a local dweller. She and her
husband have visited the fair every
evening since its May 1 opening, Pate
added.
The fair's attendance has been
somewhat lower than expected. After
an opening day turn-our of 87,000
visitors, attendance has dropped down
T
a
a
T
f
f
f
to a daily average of 40,000 to 5,000 - is abundant and available for as low-as
10,000 less than planners had predicted. $2 a day in lots five blocks from the
The light attendance has prevented fairgrounds. Lines at even the most
many of the crowding problems that popular exhibits are short, withonly a
city planners had anticipated. Parking ten to 15 minute wait.
Knoxville looks for
wasto make a buck
By CHRISTINA ROUVALIS
Special tothe Daily
Now that the tourists have arrived for
Knoxville's World's Fair, natives of this
medium-sized Southern city are
scrambling to makea fast buck.
Teenagers on curbs peddling
backyard space to camping vehicles,
developers hastily construct pre-
fabricated motel units, and men and
women, who only months ago had office
jobs, now sell buttons, belt buckles, and
bumper stickers on the street.
ROBIN GALLYAN, a Knoxville
resident, quit his job as a high
technology sales manager this year to
open up a souvenir stand. "I thought
that if I was ever going to make it, the
time was now," Gallyan said of his
switch to street vending.
There are winners and losers in the
fair's souvenir trade, depending upon
one's location.
Vendors stationed inside the
fairgrounds report high profits, despite
unexpectedly light attendance. Those
selling memorabilia outside the gates,
however, complain of low business.
GALLYAN estimated that his losses
average $1,000 each week. "There's
going to be a lot of broke people by the
end of the summer," he said. "I'm
working 12 to 14 hours a day and
making one-tenth of what I used to.
How long I survive, I don't know."
Another potential bonanza for Knox-
ville entrepreneurs lies in housing. To
accommodate the crowds, public high
schools are renting out gym floors and
- homeowners are converting their lawns
into campgrounds.
Some private homes reportedly have
been rented for as much as $500 a night.
One man who asked to remain
anonymous said his backyard camping
business is good, but not booming.
THE RUSH for profits has caused
problems in Knoxville's suburbs.
Prefabricated units built to capitalize
on the tourist trade have angered many
residents.
David Davis, superintendent- of
grounds for the Tennessee Valley Fair,
said the newly-constructed "tar-paper
shacks" are disturbing the scenic at-
mosphere of his suburban neigh-
borhood. Several court cases currently
are pending over such units, he added.
One motel owner has developed an
ingenious plan for getting rid of his
prefabricated two-story motel when the
fair closes. Tom Jenson, president of
the Country Uptown Motel, said he
plans to reassemble his motel into three
units and relocate them in different
parts of the country.
Even the University of Tennessee's
campus has become a fair money-
maker, said Jamie Maze, a computer
science major. ' The University's
parking lots, Maze said, have been con-
verted into lots for tourists.
Maze said a sign on campus
welcomes tourists to "The University of
Tennessee-parking area of the
World's Fair."
South African divestment
bill passes state House
(Continued from Page 1)
Of complete divestment, Roach said,
"If you eliminate that whole block of
companies from your investment book,
you really limit your options."
Regent Deane Baker (R-Ann Arbor),
who said he had not seen the bill, also
affirmed the University's autonomy on
the matter.
ce civil rights legislation.
TIM FEEMAN of the Young
Workers' Liberation League which is
active in the fight for University
divestment, said he supported the bill's
passage, but not the Soviet Union
amendment.
"It's a totally false picture to throw
the Soviet Union and South Africa
together as being discriminatory," he
"THE UNIVERSITY is autonomous. sai.
It's always been. It has a constitutional
prerogative," Baker said, adding that The bill will go through the state
the Regents have the responsibility for Senate "as soon as possible" and is ex-
expending University funds. pected to receive Senate approval, said
Barbara Eldersveld, an aide to Rep. Eldersveld.
Bullard; said, however, it is within the
state's power to pass such a law. "If Two additional amendments, one
someone wishes to challenge the con- requiring the state government to
stitutionalit of legislation," she said, divest and the other prohibiting univer-
"then they deal with the courts." sities from accepting gifts from the
Supporters of the bill claim it falls companies involved in any divestmtnt,
under the state's police power to enfor- were defeated.
Daily Photo by DEBORAH LEWIS'
No, it's not the Knoxville World's Fair Tower but simply the Ann Arbor Water Tower
on I lyouth Relad. So, that's where they keep the water ,. ,