Blank Newspaper's  Top 10 Knoxville Events of the decade (2000-2009) 10. Knoxville Center slows down Knoxville Center, formerly known as East Towne Mall, had it’s hey day in the early nineties so it’s fitting that in the early 10’s its demise has all but occurred. One by one out parcels dropped; Just For Feet, Circuit City, Tires America, Dillards. Simon Property Group, who owns the mall, is trying things to turn it around, like Rejuvenation Station. East Town became a place to kick back and watch TV’s provided by Sears. Oh and the Knox County Clerk has had an office where you can get drivers license and tag renewals for years. But that’s about it. Only time will tell if "the other mall" will make it. 9. The development of Turkey Creek West Knoxville was in need of some sort of monument to commemorate everything that is West Knoxville. They take great pride in maintaining the West way of life, and somehow someway they have kept it up thus far. With that being said, it would seem justified that Turkey Creek be acknowledged as a success. It is in Farragut, where it belongs, and remains contained and sheltered in it’s own little bubble safe from any potential interaction with differing cultures in the city. If anything it was the biggest slap in the face/wake up call to Oak Ridge, showing that even in an area where the necessity for large retail/commercial development doesn’t exist it can still blow up and take off like wildfire. Create the need, and no matter how pointless or excessive, the public will eat it up. Love it, hate it, do what you will, but there’s no denying the revenue being generated inside the ever-expanding boundaries of Turkey Creek. 8. I 40 Smart Fix finishes ahead of schedule Praise the Lord! There is something worthwhile about TDOT, and an actual accomplishment to go along with it! Lets not even worry about the necessity and priority of totally rebuilding the section of I-40 from just east of downtown to Rutledge Pk. What matters is that the Tennessee Dept. of Transportation facilitated the completion of a massive project on time, in budget, and up to code. It even looks pretty! 7. Rebirth of Tennessee and Bijou Theatres The Bijou Theatre was just a few steps away from sinking into foreclosure when two businessmen saved it. Then Mayor Bill Haslam and John J. Duncan Jr. scrounged up a little over two million dollars to restore the venue and in June of 2006, the Bijou was reopened. Instead of focusing on Theater acts, AC Entertainment got involved and began managing the venue, bringing with it cutting edge music. The Tennessee closed in 2003 for renovations that would bring it back to its original glory. Now the immaculate building is the official State theater of the state of Tennessee. 6. The growth of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame TWBHOF features the world's largest basketball. The Baden Ball measures 30-feet tall and weighs 10 tons. Upon opening in 1999 the "Hall" as it is known has become a testament of time over the decade. It has hosted thousands of visitors and has been home to many events from Chamber of Commerce gatherings to charity parties. The big basketball adds to the downtown skyline and as time goes by TWBHOF will continue to be an asset not only to the sport of women’s basketball but to the City of Knoxville too. 5. Sundown in the City It was by shear circumstance that AC Entertainment randomly decided to just throw two free outdoor concerts in the summer of 1997, and with no outside effort or any kind of assistance or sponsorship see what comes of it. It was almost as if they just laid it out there and let the people make it into whatever they wanted it to be. Three years later Regal Entertainment Group stepped in to help, due to the fact that Sundown In The City was taking on a life of its own. Ten years later. . . Same format, same vibe, same Sundown, just with 15,000+ people and a line up that rivals any free concert series on the globe. 4. Pat Summitt becomes winningest coach ever When you think of Tennessee athletics, the first thing that comes into mind is football. But not far behind that thought is women’s basketball. That’s not something that every university can say, and it is something that we should all be proud of. Over the years, Pat Summitt has earned hundreds of accolades and nearly two handfuls of national titles. But on March 22, 2005, she reached basketball immortality. With a win over Purdue in the second round of the NCAA tournament, she was in the catbird seat for wins by a college coach. The win was number 880. That’s right, her eight hundred eightieth victory. She passed former men’s North Carolina coach Dean Smith on that day and has done more of the same since. In the 2008-2009 season, Summitt recorded her 1,000th win. And as far as her efforts off the court, she boasts a 100% graduation rate for student athletes who have completed their eligibility. 3. Downtown Revival There are several keys ingredients to making a city’s downtown thrive. Many of them have been addressed previously in this list. The resurrection of the Tennessee and Bijou Theatres played a large part in the city’s rebirth. Sundown in the City also helped immensely in getting both young and old people downtown. A great deal of credit also goes to Market Square and in particular the West family. Though all times were not ideal for the West’s in the past decade, they had a huge hand in getting people to come to the center of the city. Shops, restaurants and music venues now litter Market Square, giving us all a reason to go back. 2. Firing of Philip Fulmer It was a sad day for some, and a great day for others, but no matter where you stood, you were affected when Philip Fulmer stepped away from the Tennessee football program. Fulmer spent 13 seasons as an assistant at UT before taking over as head coach. He was the Godfather of Tennessee football, and since he left, Vol fans have ridden an emotional roller coaster. Lane Kiffin brought enthusiasm back to the fledgling program with an incredibly dull personality. He started more fires than he was able to put out, and in the end, he left Tennessee high and dry. Kiffin’s actions were certainly something Vol fans were not used to, and certainly the polar opposite of what they were used to with Fulmer. Say what you will about him, but Philip Fulmer gave the Vols a national championship, and we should be forever grateful for that. 1. The Hiring of Bruce Pearl On March 28, 2005, Bruce Pearl was named as the new head coach at Tennessee. At the time, noone really knew how to take Tennessee basketball seriously. That is, except for the new coach. From standing on lunch room tables to taking pizza to students waiting in line for tickets, Pearl proved that Tennessee made a great coaching choice for their men’s basketball team. Before Pearl, Tennessee basketball fans had been searching for another "real" coach for what seemed like forever. What they got was a charismatic, energetic and positive role model for the University. And his x’s and o’s aren’t too shabby either. For the first time since Ray Mears, Tennessee has a basketball program it can be proud of consistently, and even in diversity, Pearl has made every Tennessee basketball fan feel lucky to have him at least once.