Twenty years ago, Jack Lupton led a group of civic-minded folks in starting the transformation of Chattanooga, a city then notorious for its smokestacks and struggling industrial base. Partly with funding from his family's Lyndhurst Foundation, a large group of city residents studied the best of other revitalized cities and came up with their own approach.

The result: a thriving, popular destination for tourists, and more importantly, a progressive city no longer at risk of seeing its best and brightest flee for more opportunity elsewhere. And now the inclusive, visioning process pioneered in the downtown projects is being used to redevelop other parts of Chattanooga and to tackle larger civic challenges.

“Mr. Lupton helped Chattanooga focus on what is special about Chattanooga—the riverfront, its arts heritage, downtown, the aquarium,” says Sen. Lamar Alexander, who was governor when revitalization efforts were germinated. “He helped them think bigger. He put his own money in it and has stuck with it—a great model for other philanthropists.”

Business Tennessee Editor David A. Fox sat down with the retired Coca Cola bottling magnate to find lessons for other would-be civic change agents across the state.

Business Tennessee: Where did the idea come from for the Tennessee Aquarium?

Jack Lupton: Lamar Alexander. He said, “Why don't you guys go down and build an aquarium on the river.” I looked at him and said, “What are you talking about?” He said, “Give it some thought.” That's where it came from. That was a magic moment. We took the idea from there and made it happen. I hoped it would get people involved. It attracted everyone's imagination and attention.

BTN: How did Chattanooga move these projects along so quickly?

Lupton: I didn’t really feel like it was quick. But public and private interests are in sync here—that’s definitely been the key. You had to drag some along. Then they got embarrassed that they weren’t part of the bigger plan.

BTN: Why didn’t the downtown redevelopment plan and process become unwieldy?

Lupton: Everybody really pulled together. I wonder why it didn’t get more unwieldy, but people from all walks of life are involved. That’s important.

BTN: More than 15 years after the real planning began to redevelop downtown Chattanooga, what do you think of the city now?

Lupton: I think it’s wonderful. It’s exploded beyond my wildest dreams.

BTN: Has the city’s development affected the retention of talented young people?

Lupton: No doubt about it. I think that has changed all the way around. They now see Chattanooga as the place to be. There’s excitement—new things, new ways.

BTN: Can the redevelopment process in Chattanooga that's been so successful be applied to other towns?

Lupton: Absolutely. You’ve got to have a good idea, then the rest of it kind of comes along. If you don’t have a good idea, it will go only so far and get bogged down. You can’t go off and say let’s build a horse farm down there on the river. That doesn’t work.

BTN: Thanks, Mr. Lupton.