Mary Milz/Eyewitness News
Indianapolis - The former home of the Indianapolis Colts, now a heap of concrete and metal, is getting smaller by the day. Crews are removing the debris to make way for the convention center expansion, which will nearly double the size of the facility.
Project Manager Tom Scheele said more than three quarters of the dome is gone.
"We've been removing about 3,000 tons a day in trucks, running about 100 to 150 trucks a day," Scheele said.
The northwest corner, adjacent to the Convention Center, was the first to be cleared so construction could begin on the expansion.
"It's always been - how do we get the debris out of the way so we can start work in [that corner] and race to that end for the new entrance," Scheele said.
While he said demolition is on schedule, the stadium authority has had to dip into the contingency fund.
Lori Dunlap, deputy director of the Stadium Authority, said they paid Sabre Demolition an extra $2.3 million "related to some unexpected concrete found along the railroad tracks and a little asbestos abatement found in the existing dome. And we also had them do some recycling and reuse of items that cost money now but will save us later."
She said even with the extra demolition costs, there's still about $10 million left in the contingency fund which should cover the $275 million project.
"With a three to five percent contingency we should be fine," she said.
Bill Benner with the Indianapolis Convention and Visitors Association was among those touring the demolition site.
Benner pointed south and said, "This will be the exhibit halls and on the back side the meeting space and central corridor."
Benner is keeping close tabs on the progress.
"I think we're already well into selling the expanded space and booking groups into the future as far out as 10, 11 and 12 years," he said.
For now though it's all about clearing the way for construction. The expansion is scheduled to be finished in late 2010.
