The unofficial online home for fans of the Western Michigan University Broncos. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

I didn't think it was in that bad of shape. It is totally unusable.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/29...34321.html

Yeah the roof collapsed about 2 years ago when the owners couldn't pay the bills anymore, and nothing was done about it.

Odd to see something not that old, that was such a center piece be in such a condition.

Was fortunate to travel to there when Watervliet HS played in a state Championship game when I taught there in '79(?). Got on to the field and in the locker rooms. Strange to see it in this condition.

I never cared for the Silverdome. The place just had no character.

Commercial buildings do have a useful life. And when they are a single purpose structure, it is limited. I am constantly amazed at how many stadiums/arenas built in my lifetime are already being torn down. Granted, I'm not young anymore, but still.......

(05-01-2014 08:52 AM)Broncobelt Wrote:  I never cared for the Silverdome. The place just had no character.

Commercial buildings do have a useful life. And when they are a single purpose structure, it is limited. I am constantly amazed at how many stadiums/arenas built in my lifetime are already being torn down. Granted, I'm not young anymore, but still.......

And this gets me to think why I am against publicly funded venues as such. I understand all the benies of employment, tax base, yada yada. But so many of these are as you reference, one trick ponies. Someone or something else comes around and BAM, gone. Someone is left holding the bag and if it was publicly funded I would argue the tax payer catches that 2nd edge as the pendulum swings back.

I think in the SD situation it was a part of the exodus from downtown Detroit. I didnt realize it was built or opened up in '75. It made sense then but history too often repeats itself and lessons should be learned. Running from a problem doesnt fix it, just delays the inevitable which usually comes back with compound interest.

My memory of the Dome is Wrestlemania III in 1987. At the time the 93,000 + was the record for an indoor event, not broken until 2010.

Google Wrestlemania III and watch Vince McMahan do the warmup as the camera scans the interior. Quite impressive.

(05-01-2014 12:26 PM)gobaseline Wrote:  It made sense then

How so?

(05-01-2014 08:52 AM)Broncobelt Wrote:  I never cared for the Silverdome. The place just had no character.

Commercial buildings do have a useful life. And when they are a single purpose structure, it is limited. I am constantly amazed at how many stadiums/arenas built in my lifetime are already being torn down. Granted, I'm not young anymore, but still.......

Correct, no character. However, there really was not a bad seat in the place. I even once had seats in the upper deck behind the end zone and they were not bad.

I saw the WHO there in the festival seating concert and that was awful. I got there late and had to sit almost perpendicular to the stage and had an AC unit blowing cold air on me.

One other additional complaint, men's room had too few places to let the beer out.

(05-01-2014 02:33 PM)Charm City Bronco Wrote:  

(05-01-2014 12:26 PM)gobaseline Wrote:  It made sense then

How so?

The outgoing tide of urban flight.

Taxpayer funding of billionaires never made sense and never will.

Wow, WrestleMania III at the Silverdome. And I thought my seats at the 2008 NCAA regional at Ford Field sucked.

Went to many games and concerts there, football, basketball, NCAA regional, soccer. Hard to imagine it's condemned. Saw Danny and the Miracles win the regional there, we thought we had a bad draw at the time. Beat KSU and Richmond, we had the best regional by far.

WOW. Think I'm done.

I did see Pistons and Lakers in 1988 for the Finals!

Nose bleed level, but still had good seats! And there was like 40k at that game! A basketball game!

Had a great time... not sure when I'll be at an NBA Finals again -- I don't have that kind of money.

Remember one year when a Pistons game got rained out?

Blaha on court with an umbrella telling viewers "the roof is seriously leaking" -- I think that was the same year the Dome lost its roof in a storm the first time.

I had season tickets that year. Next to the "Silver Fox" and not too far from BobSeger. (Real fans know his name is really one).

The rain was from condensation. I also was supposed to go to the famous "roof collapse" game in 87 when it came crashing down the day of a game. They finished the season in the Joe, and our season tickets were transferred over there. Much better place for a basketball game, even better than the Palace IMO.

I went to all three games that 88 finals, then the family figured out that I snookered them, there was always one ticket and I made myself available for each game while they all traded games!!! Muuuaaaahhh.

Good memories, Who Concert twice, Stones, working there for charity manning the concessions, I never thought it would end up this way. Sad.

Thought that an eventual refurbishing would take place, make it more appealing and modern.