Crumbling Silverdome Highlighted In Piece About Its Place In Super Bowl History
By Ashley Scoby
@AshleyScoby
Staff from Sports Illustrated's vertical site, the Monday Morning Quarterback, are on a road trip this week, taking a look at the stories from 50 years of Super Bowls. Robert Mays penned a story Wednesday after visiting the crumbling Silverdome, site of Super Bowl XVI.
The story examines the beginning of the 49ers' dominance, which started with their Super Bowl win in Pontiac, Mich. It also details C. Don Davidson's part in originally bringing the stadium to Pontiac, and his dream to develop the Detroit suburb.
The Triple Investment Group purchased the Silverdome (for less than $1 million) in 2009, put it on sale this summer, and no one came forward with a plan to revamp the stadium. The owners decided to demolish, and that process will start sometime in the spring.
Tatters of canvas cover the Silverdome's field now, and the roof - which was considered an innovative stadium characteristic at the time of its construction - has been gone for years after damage from the weather.
Detroit will say goodbye to the Silverdome soon enough, but the MMQB story is a good place to start when reflecting back on the history of the building and its place in Super Bowl lore.