NASHVILLE, Tenn. — In a move that may be one of the most unconventional government requests ever issued in Tennessee, the state has released an official RFI—Request for Information—seeking something far more artistic and imaginative than a routine contract bid. Unlike a typical RFP asking for roadway repairs or tech upgrades, this request calls for the delicate, highly specialized revival of one of Tennessee’s most whimsical and beloved works of public art: Red Grooms Fox Trot Carousel. And after nearly 80 years of reporting, WGNS can confidently say—we’ve never seen anything quite like it.
To better understand why this RFI is gaining so much attention, you have to rewind to the late 1980s, a period when Nashville was blooming with growth. It was 1986—the year Starwood Amphitheater opened in Antioch, Union Station was reborn as a grand hotel, and BNA celebrated its new American Airlines hub. John C. Tune Airport took shape as the city’s newest aviation point of pride, and downtown welcomed the tallest skyscraper Tennessee had ever seen—the 31-story Third National Financial Center. Amid all this transformation, another milestone took shape at the Tennessee State Museum: the debut of “Red Grooms: A Retrospective,” showcasing 170 pieces by Nashville-born artist Charles Rogers “Red” Grooms. His sculptures—crafted from wood, fiberglass, fabric, paper, and metal—burst with life, humor, color, and personality, depicting bustling subway cars, storefronts, tugboats, and expressive human characters.
Twelve years later, in 1998, the city welcomed what many consider Grooms’ most enchanting creation: the Red Grooms Fox Trot Carousel. Bright, bold, and unapologetically playful, it looked like something straight out of a traveling carnival—yet it wasn’t temporary or touring. It stood proudly at Riverfront Park, inviting families, tourists, and art lovers alike to ride a masterpiece. For five lively years, thousands enjoyed it—sometimes more than 10,000 riders in a single month.
But the fun came to an abrupt halt when the water taxi on the Cumberland River, which once ferried visitors between the Opryland Hotel and downtown Nashville, ended its service. Adding to the slowdown at the time was the decreased ridership on the General Jackson riverboat. With the loss of that steady flow of tourists, carousel revenue dropped sharply while maintenance costs climbed to a debt that added up to more than $300,000. As ridership to the piece of art declined in the early 2000s, the carousel was ultimately shut down and placed into storage, where it has remained unseen for more than two decades—frozen in time, waiting.
Fast forward more than two decades to November 10, 2025, and the State of Tennessee now believes the carousel’s long slumber should finally end. But its rebirth won’t be simple—and that’s exactly what makes this RFI so unusual. The Tennessee State Museum is seeking far more than a contractor; it’s looking for a true partner capable of restoring a historic art piece, placing it in a new permanent home, telling its story, ensuring public access, and operating it safely for years to come.
The chosen partner must bring not only technical expertise, but also funding, architectural planning, conservation knowledge, cultural interpretation, and long-term stewardship. It’s part museum curation, part engineering project, part tourism development, and part philanthropy—a combination rarely, if ever, seen in a state procurement request.
What’s at stake is more than a carousel—it is a Tennessee icon. Created by one of America’s most celebrated multimedia artists, Red Grooms, the carousel embodies the same electric energy found throughout his vibrant career. Grooms—born in Nashville during the Great Depression—studied at the Art Institute of Chicago and Peabody College, long before it became Vanderbilt’s Peabody College of Education and Human Development. His works, bursting with color and urban personality, made him a central figure in the pop-art movement. And now, the state hopes to breathe life again into one of his largest public installations.
If successful, the revival of the Red Grooms Fox Trot Carousel could be one of the most remarkable cultural restoration projects Tennessee has seen—bringing together history, art, tourism, community, and creativity in a way only Red Grooms could inspire. And all of it begins with an RFI unlike any other.
Today, " Red" Grooms is 88-years-old and still works as an artist. Grooms currently lives in New York City. Scroll down for photos of the Fox Trot Carousel from the Tennessee State Museum in Nashville, TN.
More Details: One of the most intriguing requirements to this Request for Information (RFI) from the State of Tennessee is that the partner must not only restore the carousel but also provide the physical location and architectural structure to house it. The RFI specifies that the carousel needs to be protected from weather and supported by a long-term care plan, meaning the chosen partner must have (or create) an appropriate venue for this massive work of art.
This request opens the door to museums, cultural organizations, tourism venues, entertainment districts, or philanthropic groups with the space and vision to bring the carousel back to life.
The RFI also places a strong emphasis on the storytelling and cultural interpretation surrounding the carousel. The Tennessee State Museum notes that an ideal partner must “embrace the stories and the history of the Carousel,” including the whimsical Red Grooms–designed figures that made it a Nashville attraction in the late 1990s.
The RFI document recounts how the carousel was created in 1995, opened in 1998 at Riverfront Park, then closed in the early 2000s following declining ridership tied to reduced General Jackson tourism—and ultimately transferred to the museum in 2003, where it has remained in storage ever since.
This layered history is central to the project and must be reflected in whatever future home the carousel receives.
Perhaps most unusual for a state-issued request is the expectation that the partner will bring funding and long-term financial support to the effort. The museum explicitly asks respondents to detail their experience in public project funding, capital campaigns, and work with foundations or “friend groups,” indicating that this will be a co-investment rather than a traditional contract.
Combined with the need for operational planning, conservation expertise, architectural considerations, and public programming, the RFI becomes a rare blend of art preservation, public-private partnership, and cultural revitalization. It is, in essence, an invitation to help reimagine and resurrect an iconic Tennessee artwork that has been waiting more than 20 years for its next chapter.
RFI deadline of when the window closes: December 17, 2025
RFI: The Tennessee State Museum is exploring the options of a public-private partnership to successfully plan for the future of the carousel that prioritizes public benefit.
