Pontiac Silverdome, Multi-purpose stadium in Pontiac, United States
The Pontiac Silverdome was a multipurpose stadium in Pontiac, Michigan, with a fiberglass fabric roof held up by air pressure. The facility had three tiers of blue seats around an artificial turf field and could hold more than 80,000 spectators.
The structure served as home to the Detroit Lions of the National Football League from 1975 to 2002. The team left the venue for the newly built Ford Field in downtown Detroit.
The visit of Pope John Paul II in 1987 brought 93,682 people into the venue, setting the attendance record. This religious celebration turned the sports facility into a gathering place for Catholic believers from across the region for one day.
The facility had 93 executive suites and a club restaurant for guests with special needs. Access to different areas was provided through ramps and elevators inside the building.
After years of standing empty, the former sports stadium sold at auction in 2009 for 550,000 dollars. This price represented about one percent of the original construction costs and showed the sharp decline in value of the facility.
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