Georgia Dome Puts On Final Show In Implosion

Atlanta’s Georgia Dome was imploded into a pile of rubble Nov. 20, sending clouds of smoke and shrapnel into the sky, but leaving the adjacent Mercedes-Benz Stadium unharmed.   

Curtis Compton / Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP – Georgia Dome Implosion
The dome was home to the Atlanta Falcons and hosted two Super Bowls, the 1996 Olympics and NCAA basketball tournaments.

A 5-story-high industrial curtain protected the outside of the $1.6 billion stadium during the 15-second demolition.

Officials reported the exterior was undamaged, despite having only about 30 yards of clear space between the two buildings. The roughly 71,000-seat Dome, part of the Georgia World Congress Center, opened in 1992 but was replaced by the stadium earlier this year.

Its final concert was in February, when the Winter Jam tour drew 40,990 fans.

But in 2016, two sold-out concerts with Beyoncé, supported by DJ Khaled, combined for more than $11 million in ticket grosses while Guns N’ Roses drew 55,968 fans.

The Georgia Dome also made history in 1996 as a host of Summer Olympic Games events including gymnastics and basketball, three Final Four NCAA basketball tournaments, pro wrestling and other events.