Alex Carson
An abandoned stadium is not a beautiful sight. When stadiums are constructed, the plan is to create venues for action, excitement and fun. Once neglect and disuse creeps in, the once glorious stadium becomes a shadow of its former self and an object of pity and regret. Below are 20 abandoned stadiums by owners left to rot.
The Sarajevo Olympics Stadium
In 1984, Sarajevo in Yugoslavia hosted the Winter Olympics. The games were successful and everybody was happy at the end of the day. Shortly after the end of the Winter Olympics in Sarajevo, war broke out in the country. This meant the country had more important things to worry about so the Olympic Stadium in Sarajevo was neglected and ultimately abandoned. Today, the once glorious stadium is just a minor tourist attraction.
Rio Olympics
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil hosted the Summer Olympics in 2016. This was the first time a South American country would be hosting Olympic Games so it was a huge event for Brazil and the South American continent. Unfortunately, this event was overshadowed by the Zika virus epidemic and the pollution of the Guanabara Bay. All considered, the Summer Olympics in Rio went relatively well. However, after the games, seven medals remained uncollected in Brazil. In addition, a number of stadiums were left abandoned after the games.
The Silverdome
In 1975, Detroit Pontiac opened the Silverdome with plenty of positive publicity. Back then, the Silverdome was the largest stadium in the NFL so it was a hugely celebrated sporting arena. This stadium served as the Lion’s Place until 2001. However, the Lions left for Ford Field and the Silverdome became deserted and abandoned. This stadium was demolished in 2107,
The Tiger Stadium
The iconic Tiger Stadium was the home of the Detroit Tigers from 1912 to 1999. The Lions even used the stadium for their home matches from 1938 to 1974. In 1975, the state of Michigan declared this stadium a historic site. This stadium was also added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. However, this stadium was demolished in 2009 and the Tigers currently use the Comerica Park for their home games.
The Kingdome
This wonderful stadium had its fair share of problems before it was demolished in March 2000. During its heyday, this stadium hosted home games for Mariners and Seahawks. The stadium was very popular in the 1970s and 1980s. In 1994, a portion of the stadium’s ceiling collapsed during a pre-game warm-up. This incident and a number of other factors led to the abandonment of the Kingdome. This stadium was demolished on March 26, 2000.
The Dongdaemun Stadium
Seoul, South Korea hosted the Olympic Games in 1988. The Dongdaemun Stadium was one of the venues of the games. This stadium was established in 1925 and at the time of the Seoul Olympics in 1988, the stadium was 63 years old. This means that the Dogdaemun was due for modernization. Unfortunately, this stadium was not modernized so it permanently closed its doors to spectators in 2008.
The Astrodome
This stadium is located in Houston, Texas. It opened its doors to the public in 1965 and was described as the “Eighth Wonder of the World” due to its unconventional beauty and style. The Oilers and the Astros used this stadium for their home matches for many years. Today, this stadium is unused and abandoned. To put things in perspective, the Astrodome served as a refuge for displaced people during the Hurricane Katrina.
The Shea Stadium
The New York Mets is an iconic team so it is perfectly logical to expect them to have an outstanding stadium. The Shea Stadium in Queens, New York served as the home of the New York Mets from 1964 to 2008. All good things eventually come to an end. In 2009, the New York Mets moved from the Shea Stadium to Citi Field and the Shea Stadium was demolished.
The Chernobyl Stadium
The people of Pripyat in Chernobyl were passionate soccer fans. Their love for soccer made them contribute money to construct their own soccer stadium. The Chernobyl Stadium was opened shortly before the deadly Chernobyl nuclear disaster. After the nuclear reactors at Chernobyl went off, the whole city was evacuated. Unfortunately, the Chernobyl Stadium became a permanent abandoned project.
The Beijing Olympics
Beijing, China hosted the Olympic Games in 2008. This was the second most expensive Olympic Games ever held at the time. It brought plenty of international publicity for China and the organizers were happy with the success of the event. A number of existing stadiums were upgraded for the event and some new ones were constructed. Unfortunately, some of these new stadiums were abandoned after the Olympic Games.
The Nansen Ski Jump
The Nansen Ski Jump training ground is located in Milan, New Hampshire. This stadium (yes, it is actually a stadium) was all the rave in 1936. At that time, it was the training ground for Olympians from the East Coast who would participate in the Olympic ski jump. Unfortunately, the game was taken off the Olympics and the Nansen Ski Jump stadium became another abandoned project.
The Old Wembley Stadium
The Wembley Stadium was the largest stadium in England for a very long time. It was also one of the oldest stadiums in the country. The England national team (The Three Lions) played its home matches at this stadium and passionate supporters of the national team always supported them. However, this stadium did not have modern facilities and this is why it had to make way for the New Wembley Stadium. The Old Wembley opened its doors to the public in 1923 and enjoyed many decades as one of the favorite stadiums in England. This stadium was demolished in 2002.
The Chicago Stadium
The Chicago Stadium is also known as “The Madhouse on Madison”. It was one of the landmarks of Chicago city for many years and all Chicago citizens were proud of the stadium. This stadium was the home of the popular Chicago Bulls from 1967 to 1994. The Chicago Blackhawks also used this stadium from 1929 to 1994. This wonderful stadium was demolished in 1995 and the Chicago Bulls moved to the United Center.
The Athens Olympics Beach Volleyball
In 2004, Athens hosted the Olympic Games and this was a sort of homecoming for the Olympic Torch. This event was a success for other countries that participated in the games. However, Greece finished on 15th place on the overall medal table. This was not what the Greeks expected so most people were not happy with the country’s performance. The next year, (2005) Greece fell into economic recession. As a result, most of the stadiums used for the games were abandoned.
The Giants Stadium
This is a classic case of a once iconic stadium that has now become a parking lot. The Giants Stadium was the home ground of the New York Jets and the New York Giants from 1976 to 2010. In 2010, a new stadium was constructed just 20 feet away from the old one. Demolished in 2010, the Giants Stadium is now a parking lot.
The Orange Bowl
This once-famous stadium was the home of the Dolphins. It was also the home of the Miami Hurricanes for many years. After many years of using this stadium, both teams moved on and the stadium was demolished in May 2008.
The Olympic Park Montreal
This stadium was one of the arenas designated to host the Montreal Olympic Games in 1976. Unfortunately, the event had many internal and external problems. The city of Montreal did not have the cash to host the games so city officials borrowed money to host the Montreal Olympics. This left the city in debt for many years. In addition, a number of countries boycotted the games and this had an adverse effect on the Montreal Olympics. The Montreal Olympic Park was not a success because the retractable roof did not work properly. This stadium was abandoned after the Olympic Games.
The Civic Arena Pittsburgh
This stadium is also called the Mellon Arena. It hosted home games of the Pittsburgh Penguins from 1967 to 2010. The Mellon Arena was an instant hit because of its peculiar igloo shape. However, the stadium also had many problems. It was partially closed in 2011 but it was re-opened after a while. This stadium was finally demolished in 2012 and this marked the end of an era.
The Berlin Olympics
In 1936, Germany hosted the Berlin Olympics. This was the first time the Olympic Games would be aired on television but the games were marred by controversy. German Chancellor, Adolf Hitler, wanted to use the Berlin Olympics to promote racial superiority but he failed woefully as the African American Jesse Owens won four gold medals and outshone his Caucasian competitors. World War 2 broke out just three years after the Berlin Olympics. As a result, almost all the stadiums used for the games were abandoned.
The Roman Colosseum
This sports arena has been abandoned for hundreds of years but some parts of this wonderful edifice are still standing today. The Roman Colosseum hosted gladiators and practitioners of extreme sports. The fact that this stadium is still standing is proof of the engineering ingenuity of the ancient Romans.
