Kyle Testerman
Encyclopedia
Kyle C. Testerman was mayor
of Knoxville, Tennessee
from 1972 to 1975, and again from 1984 to 1987. Testerman is a Republican
.
when he first ran for mayor in 1971, against incumbent Leonard Rogers. A major issue in the campaign was the selling of liquor by the drink, something which was at the time illegal in Knoxville. Rogers was opposed to it, but Testerman argued that liquor by the drink was necessary to attract business
and tourism
to Knoxville. After winning the election, Testerman brought a liquor by the drink referendum
to the voters, who approved it two-to-one.
With the opening of West Town Mall
in 1974, business began to drain out of the downtown
Knoxville area. The city began to look for redevelopment opportunities, and at the request of the Downtown Knoxville Association, Testerman appointed an advisory committee to conduct a study on the possibility of hosting the 1982 World's Fair
. The committee found it to be feasible, but Testerman was not able to oversee the project as mayor, as he was voted out of office in favor of Randy Tyree
in 1975.
A possible contribution to Testerman’s loss to Tyree was dissatisfaction with his handling of garbage workers in 1974. Testerman fired around three hundred workers in July of that year after they went on strike
because of disputes about wages and overtime pay. At the end of the year, however, following conditions agreed to in court, the mayor announced retroactive pay raises for the unionized workers.
. As Testerman summarized the problem, “It was wonderful and grand -- then BAM, the lights went out, the music stopped playing and the ladies stopped singing and then they said what are we going to do on the site?”
One particular problem was a large, steel and glass pavilion which was built to be a model of solar efficiency but which did not work correctly and for which the city had no use after the Fair was over. Testerman, acting for the city, ended up winning the $12.4 million structure at auction
for $950,000, thus reclaiming land which had belonged to Knoxville to begin with. The building was a “liability,” Testerman told reporters, but it was on “a nice piece of land.” Further work or redevelopment on the site was delayed during Testerman’s term, partly due to his doubts about a large-scale redevelopment plan, and partly due to the entanglements of Jake Butcher
, a would-be World’s Fair site redeveloper who was convicted of bank fraud
.
In 1986, with County Executive
Dwight Kessel, Testerman formed the Knoxville Coalition for the Homeless to conduct studies about homelessness, an endemic problem in the area.
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Knoxville, Tennessee
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
from 1972 to 1975, and again from 1984 to 1987. Testerman is a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
.
First term
Testerman was a Knoxville lawyer and businessman and a member of the Knoxville City CouncilCity council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
when he first ran for mayor in 1971, against incumbent Leonard Rogers. A major issue in the campaign was the selling of liquor by the drink, something which was at the time illegal in Knoxville. Rogers was opposed to it, but Testerman argued that liquor by the drink was necessary to attract business
Business
A business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
and tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
to Knoxville. After winning the election, Testerman brought a liquor by the drink referendum
Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
to the voters, who approved it two-to-one.
With the opening of West Town Mall
West Town Mall
West Town Mall is an upscale shopping mall located in Knoxville, Tennessee, United States. Opened in August 1972, this one-level mall is located in the western portion of Knoxville in the West Hills community. West Town Mall is located along Interstates 40/75 and Kingston Pike...
in 1974, business began to drain out of the downtown
Downtown
Downtown is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's core or central business district ....
Knoxville area. The city began to look for redevelopment opportunities, and at the request of the Downtown Knoxville Association, Testerman appointed an advisory committee to conduct a study on the possibility of hosting the 1982 World's Fair
1982 World's Fair
The 1982 World's Fair, formally known as the Knoxville International Energy Exposition, was held in Knoxville, Tennessee, in the United States. The theme of the exposition was "Energy Turns the World."...
. The committee found it to be feasible, but Testerman was not able to oversee the project as mayor, as he was voted out of office in favor of Randy Tyree
Randy Tyree
Randall "Randy" Tyree is a Tennessee politician who served as mayor of Knoxville from 1976 to 1983 and was the Democratic candidate for Governor in 1982.-Biography:...
in 1975.
A possible contribution to Testerman’s loss to Tyree was dissatisfaction with his handling of garbage workers in 1974. Testerman fired around three hundred workers in July of that year after they went on strike
Strike action
Strike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
because of disputes about wages and overtime pay. At the end of the year, however, following conditions agreed to in court, the mayor announced retroactive pay raises for the unionized workers.
Second term
In 1984, Testerman again became mayor of Knoxville. The World’s Fair over, the city was now deeply in debt and involved in discussions about what to do with the site of the Fair and the structures left over from it, which were still owned by the federal governmentFederal government
The federal government is the common government of a federation. The structure of federal governments varies from institution to institution. Based on a broad definition of a basic federal political system, there are two or more levels of government that exist within an established territory and...
. As Testerman summarized the problem, “It was wonderful and grand -- then BAM, the lights went out, the music stopped playing and the ladies stopped singing and then they said what are we going to do on the site?”
One particular problem was a large, steel and glass pavilion which was built to be a model of solar efficiency but which did not work correctly and for which the city had no use after the Fair was over. Testerman, acting for the city, ended up winning the $12.4 million structure at auction
Auction
An auction is a process of buying and selling goods or services by offering them up for bid, taking bids, and then selling the item to the highest bidder...
for $950,000, thus reclaiming land which had belonged to Knoxville to begin with. The building was a “liability,” Testerman told reporters, but it was on “a nice piece of land.” Further work or redevelopment on the site was delayed during Testerman’s term, partly due to his doubts about a large-scale redevelopment plan, and partly due to the entanglements of Jake Butcher
Jake Butcher
Jacob Franklin "Jake" Butcher was a U.S. banker and politician who built a financial empire in East Tennessee, was the Democratic Party nominee for governor of Tennessee in 1978 and the primary promoter of the 1982 World's Fair in Knoxville, Tennessee, and who lost his business and his personal...
, a would-be World’s Fair site redeveloper who was convicted of bank fraud
Bank fraud
Bank fraud is the use of fraudulent means to obtain money, assets, or other property owned or held by a financial institution, or to obtain money from depositors by fraudulently representing to be a bank or financial institution. In many instances, bank fraud is a criminal offense...
.
In 1986, with County Executive
County executive
A county executive is the head of the executive branch of government in a county. This position is common in the United States.The executive may be an elected or an appointed position...
Dwight Kessel, Testerman formed the Knoxville Coalition for the Homeless to conduct studies about homelessness, an endemic problem in the area.