Ongoing demolition of the James Brown Arena raised some eyebrows Thursday after three sides of the giant structure twisted and buckled when a fourth was pulled down.
Many in the area heard a boom which coliseum officials insisted was the planned removal of a wall. Coliseum Authority Chairman Brad Usry said the process was deliberate.
“It was just a planned demolition. They took a corner down, and (the building) collapsed like it was supposed to,” Usry said.
Usry said the process hadn’t put the public in danger from falling steel or concrete or clouds of dust.
Internal demolition has been underway for a few months in preparation for demolition of the building’s concrete and steel shell.
The demolition contractor is under a tight deadline to demolish the structure by the end of February. The new arena will be built at the same site.
Watch Thomson Wrecking officials drop the roof at James Brown Arena Thursday in this video:
