8. Pontiac Silverdone, Pontiac, Michigan
Location: Michigan’s Pontiac
1975 is the year.
Building cost: $55.7 million*
Opening in 1975, the Pontiac Silverdome occupied an enormous 199 acres of land. One distinctive feature of the Silverdome was its fiberglass fabric ceiling, which was supported solely by air pressure. This was the first time such a method was applied to a facility of that nature. Up until the early 2000s, a wide variety of sports and non-athletic activities were held at the Silverdome.
Pontiac Silverdone, Michigan, @Pinterest/atlasobscura
When Ford Field opened in 2002, Silverdome was left without a long-term tenant. After eight years of abandonment due to the city’s inability to find a purpose for the 85,000-seat stadium, it was sold in 2009 for $550,000. In contrast, the construction of The Dome cost $55.7 million.
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