By Joe Ulery
9/24/2008
More than 24 years after it opened its doors, the RCA dome began its slow demise to demolition.
Wednesday morning at 10:47, former Indianapolis mayor Bill Hudnut gave the command to turn off the 16 fans keeping the dome roof inflated.
→ WIBC VIDEO: TIME-LAPSE OF ROOF DEFLATION
→ WIBC VIDEO: JAKE AND TERRI'S VANTAGE POINTS
Many described the event as bittersweet. Bitter because they're sad to see the dome go and sweet because Indianapolis now has Lucas Oil Stadium.
Crews are now cutting away the 250-ton dome roof. Once it's removed, they'll continue to prepare the dome for its implosion.
Only the upper half of the dome will be imploded. The blast is not expected to be as dramatic as when Market Square Arena fell.
Once the rubble of the dome is gone, work will begin on a $ 275 million expansion of the Convention Center.
Stadium and Convention Building Authority photo
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