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Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Issue 06, Volume 126

utdailybeacon.com

Good ole Rocky Top Tennessee town renamed Rocky Top to revitilize local economy with multimillion dollar tourist attractions Savannah Gilman Staff Writer (@SavannahGilman) About 30 miles northwest of Knoxville, Rocky Top, Tennessee is officially on the map. The former town of Lake City– home to only 1,800, seized the opportunity to change its name in hopes of stimulating its lacking economy. The song “Rocky Top” written by Felice and Boudleaux Bryant in 1967 has been made famous by UT since the 1970s and is one of Tennessee’s eight state songs. Now, Rocky Top serves as a tourist attraction. With its new title, Rocky Top is to begin a multimillion-dollar project

SEE INSIDE

Keepin’ it fresh: UT Farmer’s Market grows produce, community IN SHORT >>pg. 2

Bar none: Sassy Ann’s remains a UT student rite of passage ARTS & CULTURE >>pg. 3

The Donnie Party: New head basketball coach talks new faces, returning favorites SPORTS >>pg. 6

@UTKDailyBeacon www.utdailybeacon.com

to construct a water park, amusement park, up-scale hotel, country music theater, pirate-themed restaurant, athletic complex and a UT athletics museum. Developers hope to pull tourism into the town, which currently hosts only a few businesses. Chris Phillips, the city recorder for Rocky Top, has been an integral part of promoting the name change and has worked with media outlets on the process as well as with the Tennessee Secretary of State to ensure the name change was approved and then ratified by the town’s city council.

The idea began last fall when the idea was first proposed after Townsend turned down developers. “Lake City was presented with idea last August by investors who believed the community would benefit from the name change,” Phillips said. “With two interstate exits we are a prime location for development.” With the official name change, Phillips said the city is hoping that interested investors will follow though with the plans. “ We ’ v e b e e n

requested to obtain traffic counts, and land is being looked at,” Phillips said, “The city is finished with what it was going to do. We need to make changes and hope investors follow through. “The hope of what this may do for the future generation to attract and keep our youth here.” However, this isn’t the first time the town has changed its name. Until 1936, the small mining town was called Coal Creek, but changed its name to Lake City when the Tennessee Valley Authority constructed a dam a few miles away. Still, the city hopes to capitalize on the

name familiar and dear to Tennessee football fans. County Commissioner Tim Isbel, a member of the project’s Board of Developers, took the proposal to the city council and city chamber, and notes the job opportunities that new tourism could bring to the town. “(Local students) never asked about the rides; they asked about the level education they needed and the job opportunities they would have, and that really shocked me,” Isbel said. “They have a pride in the new name. I saw a police car that had been relabeled to say Rocky Top Tennessee and it had a daunting effect with a different wrapper. “It’s the same with the city, it’s the same place and the same people, but a different wrapper.”

Three things to watch for at SEC Media Days Lopez Nathanael Rutherford looks to step up, bring leadership in final season Contributor, (@Mr_Rutherford)

Every July, the SEC commissioner and conference coaches gather in Alabama to talk SEC football, coaching plans and any changes that have taken place since last season. The event will take place July 14-17 at the Hyatt Regency Birmingham – The Wynfrey Hotel in Hoover, Alabama. Check utdailybeacon. com for live coverage during the conference. In the mean time, Daily Beacon contributor Nathanael Rutherford breaks down the top three things to watch for during media days. Should the NCAA Pay Players? Whether or not college players should be paid via stipends, increased scholarships or pay checks has been up for debate for quite some time. With the football players at Northwestern

University seeking to form a union, the topic has reached new heights. At last year’s SEC Media Days, South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier stated the conference as a whole is willing to pay their players and even had a dollar amount already picked out. A decision has yet to be made, and if last year’s media days are any indication, this topic will be discussed at length once again. Who Will Butch Jones Bring? Every coach brings three players with him to the SEC Media Days, and those players are usually considered to be the leaders of the team for the upcoming season. Last year, the new Tennessee head coach brought along junior Antonio “Tiny” Richardson and seniors Ja’Wuan James and Jacques Smith. Each of them were veterans who looked to play a major role for

the team in 2013. This season, however, the three players joining Coach Jones appear to be more of a mystery. The only obvious player to bring this year’s roster is senior linebacker A.J. Johnson, and it would make sense to bring linebacker/defensive end Curt Maggitt. If Jones decides to bring senior quarterback Justin Worley, that will likely be an indication of who is leading the quarterback race. How Will the SEC Handle Identity Change? The SEC was a quarterback-driven league in 2013, led by players like A.J. McCarron, Aaron Murray, Zach Mettenberger, Connor Shaw and of course, Johnny Manziel. But all five of those quarterbacks have moved on to the NFL, leaving a void of superstar quarterbacks in the SEC, changing the league’s identity. Look for it to return to the gritty image

the SEC was known for before last year’s high-flying season. Auburn’s Nick Marshall and Ole Miss’ Bo Wallace are the most high profile quarterbacks in the 2014 season, but running backs are stealing the show so far this offseason. The talk in Georgia is all about All-SEC running back Todd Gurley, South Carolina is gushing over rising junior Mike Davis, Alabama sports another loaded backfield and the Vols are obsessed with the addition of five-star running back Jalen Hurd to the roster. The players accompanying coaches at the Media Days this summer will likely be smaller in stature than last season, but don’t expect them to bring less attention. Nathanael Rutherford is a rising junior in English. He can be reached at nruther1@vols. utk.edu or followed on Twitter at @Mr_Rutherford.

Dave Barnes contemplates future Chelsea Faulkner Arts and Culture Editor Being funny, charming and talented is not an easy task to accomplish—unless you’re Dave Barnes. A Grammy nominated singersongwriter with eight critically acclaimed albums to his name, Barnes employs an unmatchable wit when speaking to The Daily Beacon about life, love and his new album, “Golden Days.” Barnes will visit Knoxville July 24 to play an acoustic show at The Square Room in Market Square. Daily Beacon: What is your background with the Knoxville area? Dave Barnes: Well, I moved here my junior year of high school and I graduated from Farragut High School. I also spent summers here while I was in college. My family still lives in

the area. DB: Would you consider yourself a UT fan? Barns: From where we moved around so much when I was a kid, I actually follow all of the SEC teams. But my brother and sister both went to UT and my parents go to all the games. DB: Your new album, “Golden Days,” was released earlier this year. How does it compare to past albums and how is it different? Barnes: With every record I make I’m learning new things and hopefully getting better at songwriting. I’m learning, most importantly how to consolidate and simplify. Every record I’ve made as I’ve gotten older has become a little more distilled in my writing and lyricism. There’s a fun, funky Bonnie Raitt type duet that I’m really excited about on this album. This record has got some of those great moments. Also, there is a lot of

maturity. For example with the album’s single, I couldn’t have written that before having kids and getting married. It’s fun having a different perspective where my life is right now. DB: So what can fans expect from your show at The Square Room on July 24? Barnes: The show at The Square Room is part of a songwriter series they are doing. It’s acoustic—just me and a guy that plays piano with me. I love shows that end up being more spontaneous and fun. I don’t have to do everything by the book. DB: Are you excited about coming back to Knoxville to play? Barnes: Oh, yeah. Most definitely. Knoxville is one of my top three favorite places to play. It’s great to come home and see the family too. DB: Who would you consider your greatest musical influences? Barnes: The moods I’m in

always affect what I listen to. I love Mark Cohn and Bruce Hornsby. John Mayer is always super inspiring, Stevie Wonder, Bonnie Raitt. Those are the main ones. DB: Your music tends to be very popular among the collegeaged crowd. Did you originally plan to target that demographic? Barnes: Actually, I think because I started writing in college that it was just natural for people at that age to say, “Hey, I feel that way too!” It’s so funny, I went to speak at Belmont recently about writing music. I’m standing up on stage and here I am in my mid-thirties and college kids and even high school kids are still listening to my music and I think it is just the coolest thing in the world. I feel so fortunate that people still listen to my songs and they are relevant to them. See BARNES on Page 3

‘In many countries, there is far less opportunity for the kind of economic, educational and domestic freedom we complain about on a daily basis.” >>pg. 4 OPINIONS

Patrick MacCoon Sports Editor, @PatrickMacCoon For Brandon Lopez, his love for basketball began when his mother brought him to the YMCA in East Knoxville at the age of four. “She basically threw me on the court so I would have a hobby growing up and I’ve fallen in love with the game ever since,” Lopez said. “Since I was young I’ve had the motivation to get better and compete everyday.” Within a few years Lopez realized that he had a special talent for basketball. In fact, he turned out to be one of the top talents in the Knoxville area and excelled in AAU basketball. In his senior season at Austin-East High School, he averaged 25.6 points, 8.2 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game in 2011. He shot close to 70 percent from the field and shot over 50 percent from three-point range. His hard work wasn’t only on display on the basketball court. He also had a 3.9 GPA his senior year. While he had many scholarship offers from smaller schools, as he was considered undersized at 6-foot-1 and 170-pounds, he passed those up to fulfill a childhood dream of playing for the Tennessee Volunteers, making the team as a walk-on under then first-year head coach Cuonzo Martin. See LOPEZ on Page 5

INSIDE THE DAILY BEACON In Short Arts & Culture Opinions Sports

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