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When late December rolls around and people start reflecting on the previous 12 months, it's always tempting to point out how many things have changed. But the truth of that matter is that in Knoxville in the year 2002, a heck of a lot did change. This was the year Knox County got a new county executive, UT got a new president, and the Chamber Partnership got a new head. It was the year historic preservation went from being advocated only by the few to being, well, trendy. It was the year Mayor Victor Ashe went preservationist and also began to take on lame-duck qualities. It was the year the convention center opened and the city and county apparently gave up (at least for now) on the elusive dream of building a glorious new "destination attraction" downtown. It was the year historically Republican Knox County voted for a Democrat governor. It was the year Tennessee's voters approved a milestone lottery referendum.

This is not to say, of course, that everything changed. Economic times were tough at the beginning of the year and tough at the end. Knox County started and finished the year with the same controversial sheriff. Knoxville continued to abuse its environment more than most American cities its size and continued to sprawl more than most American cities its size. With the opening of the convention center, it became obvious that the city has a long way to go to fill it. Tennessee started the year with a regressive tax system and ended the year with an even more regressive tax system.

Nevertheless, it seems as if Knoxville and Knox County are in a transition. Looking ahead, there seem to be a few obvious watersheds in front of us. Next year, Knoxville will elect a new mayor for the first time since 1987. The University of Tennessee will begin to be shaped by its new president and will begin to be affected by the scholarship program that will probably come out of Tennessee's lottery. A heralded master plan will be ironed out that should help downtown develop as a residential area. Knox County could well decide what to do with the three acres of downtown that it purchased and cleared several years ago for a Justice Center.

So if 2002 is the year of transition, perhaps 2003 will be the year in which we figure out what we are transitioning into. We can only hope.

December 18, 2002 * Vol. 12, No. 51
© 2002 Metro Pulse