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.

At the end of the year, however, following conditions agreed to in court, the mayor announced retroactive pay raises for the unionized workers.

"[8] 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.

[9] 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.