It was one of Atlanta's most iconic landmarks, until it went up in a cloud of dust on a Saturday morning nineteen years ago.
Native Atlantans from the nineties will remember when the Omni Coliseum, the former home of the Atlanta Hawks, was demolished on July 26, 1997. Spectators that gathered to watch 484 pounds of explosives bring the 24-year-old structure crumbling to the ground.
Coincidentally, on the anniversary of the Omni's destruction, leaders of the Mercedes-Benz Stadium construction team gave the Georgia World Congress Center Authority board more specific plans to demolish the Georgia Dome.
The coliseum is credited with helping a resurgence of development in downtown Atlanta. However, rust, leaks and structure instability caused officials to cut its life shorter than what was originally anticipated.
The complex also housed concerts by legendary artists such as Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson and Led Zeppelin.
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