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Lake City recommends Rocky Top name change, but receives copyright warning

Posted at 6:37 pm November 7, 2013
By John Huotari 5 Comments

Lake City Council Approves Rocky Top Name Change

The Lake City Council votes 4-0 on Thursday to recommend changing the town’s name to Rocky Top, and Rep. John Ragan, right, said he has drafted legislation to approve the rechristening in the state legislature.

LAKE CITY—Just hours before a historic vote to change this town’s name for the second time in less than a century, Lake City Mayor Tim Sharp received a legal letter warning him that a proposal to build a Rocky Top theme park here could violate trademark rights and should be dropped.

But project supporters packed City Hall on Thursday, and the Lake City Council pressed on, voting 4-0 to recommend changing the name of this former coal mining town to Rocky Top. It’s the first step in a project to build a multi-million dollar theme park that could include an interactive Knotty Pine 3-D theater, water park, hotel, and restaurant.

The last-minute letter from an intellectual property attorney in Nashville could have Lake City officials and the park’s investors scrambling to answer legal questions. The notice was “very unexpected,” Sharp said. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Business, Government, Lake City, Lake City, Top Stories Tagged With: Anderson County, Andrew J. Howard, Barry Thacker, Boudleaux Bryant, Brad Coriell, Buck Wilson, Buddy Warren, Coal Creek, Coal Creek Watershed Foundation, David Dezern, Donald Douglas, Felice Bryant, Gary L. Montle, Gary Mullins, House of Bryant, House of Bryant Publications LLC, Lake City, Lake City Council, Louise Nelson, Michael J. Lovely, Rocky Top, Rocky Top Tennessee, Rocky Top Tennessee Marketing and Manufacturing, Shain Vowell, Tennessee General Assembly, theme park, Tim Isbel, Tim Sharp, University of Tennessee Volunteers, Waddey Patterson

Reminder: Lake City Council to vote on Rocky Top name change today

Posted at 10:35 am November 7, 2013
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Information from WYSH Radio

The Lake City Council will meet at 5 p.m. today (Thursday) to discuss and vote on the proposal to change the city’s name to Rocky Top as the first step toward turning the small town into a tourist destination.

Developers have proposed a $20 million first phase of the project that could include attractions like a theater, a water park, and a large restaurant. The name change is widely expected to be approved during today’s meeting.

If it is, the measure will be sent to the General Assembly in Nashville for its approval when the next legislative session begins in January. If state lawmakers sign off on the change, it will be sent back to the City Council for ratification. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Business, Government, Lake City, Lake City, Top Stories Tagged With: Brad Coriell, Buddy Warren, Coal Creek Watershed Foundation, General Assembly, Lake City, Lake City Council, restaurant, Rocky Top, theater, tourist destination, water park

Informational meeting Friday on changing Lake City’s name to Rocky Top

Posted at 10:30 am October 30, 2013
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Anyone interested in learning more about the proposal to change Lake City’s name to Rocky Top can attend an informational meeting and beans and corn bread social on Friday evening in Lake City.

The developers and partners of Rocky Top will be available to answer all questions concerning the project, locations, jobs, and the general impact on the community, said Stephanie Wells, executive director of the Anderson County Tourism Council.

The meeting starts at 6 p.m. Friday at Main Street Baptist Church, located at the corner of Fourth and Main Street in Lake City. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Business, Government, Lake City, Lake City, Top Stories Tagged With: amusement destination, Anderson County Tourism Council, Buddy Warren, Coal Creek, coal mining, Lake City, Lake City Council, restaurant, Rocky Top, Stephanie Wells, Tennessee General Assembly, theaters, water park, WYSH Radio

Lake City has Nov. 1 public meeting on changing name to Rocky Top

Posted at 12:14 pm October 22, 2013
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Information from WYSH Radio

Lake City residents who want more information about a proposal to change their city’s name to Rocky Top as the first step toward the creation of an amusement destination with a water park, restaurant, and theaters tied together by the area’s coal mining history will get a chance to get that information and share their opinions during a public meeting scheduled for Friday, Nov. 1, at 6 p.m. in the Family Life Center of Main Street Baptist Church.

The Lake City Council will consider the name change on Thursday, Nov. 7. If approved, the change would have to be approved by the General Assembly. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Business, Government, Lake City, Lake City, Top Stories Tagged With: Buddy Warren, Coal Creek, coal mining, Lake City, Lake City Council, Main Street Baptist Church, name change, restaurant, Rocky Top, theaters, theme park, water park

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Classifieds

Availability of the draft environmental assessment for off-site depleted uranium manufacturing (DOE/EA-2252)

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) announces the … [Read More...]

Public Notice: NNSA announces no significant impact of Y-12 Development Organization operations at Horizon Center

AVAILABILITY OF THE FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE OFFSITE HOUSING OF THE Y-12 DEVELOPMENT … [Read More...]

ADFAC seeks contractors for five homes

Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties (ADFAC) is a non-profit community based agency, … [Read More...]

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