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Tearing Down Olympic Facilities
Crews are in the process of tearing down the temporary Olympic facilities in Salt Lake.
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(Mar. 18, 2002)------Work of tearing down is going on at each venue. But perhaps it is most obvious downtown, at the Olympic Medals Plaza.
Olympics Specialist Shelley Osterloh can see it all changing from our roof.
This is a view the whole world has seen: The spectacular building wraps that set the stage for the Olympic Medals Plaza.
One by one, each will dissappear, and Salt Lake will look like it used to.
The E-Center marquee now boasts advertising again, and workers peeled off the Olympic Rings.
The security fencing and netting are all gone.
By the end of the week, Olympic venue road signs
will vanish-- most are down already.
At the Olympic Medals Plaza, a crew of about 200 are stripping away the Olympic netting and dismantling the scaffolding.
The giant spot lights are coming down.
The nine thousand seats removed from the stadium.
Shelley Osterloh/Eyewitness News: THE STAGE AND MUCH OF THE EQUIPMENT WAS RENTED FOR THE OLYMPICS, AND WILL BE RETURNED. BUT SLOC HAS YET TO DECIDE WHAT TO DO WITH THE HOBBERMAN ARCH THAT OPENED EACH NIGHT TO REVEAL ENTERTAINMENT AND MEDAL WINNERS.
Nor has the committee decided just what to do with the half dozen giant building wraps that adorn the city.
They will all be down by end of April. The ones on the Wyndam Hotel and the Church Office Building will be the first to go.
Security remains around venues to protect property from souvenir hunters.
Russell LeBarron/SLOC Security: I KNOW SLOC HAS A LOT OF MONEY INVESTED IN THINGS THAT THEY CAN RESELL. I'M SURE YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THAT. THEN A LOT OF PRIVATE CONTRACTORS DON'T WANT THEIR MATERIAL WALKING AWAY.
Everyone knew it was inevitable, but tearing down has been difficult for those who've worked so hard to transform a parking lot into a world class stage. But they say they will cherish the memories.
Jean Marie Morrissey/SLOC/ General Manager, Olympic Medals Plaza: I'VE WORKED ON THE MEDALS PLAZA FOR A YEAR AND HALF, THROUGH THE DESIGN PHASE, THE OPERATIONAL PHASES. IT'S VERY SAD FOR IT TO BE TORN DOWN. WE ARE ALL VERY SAD. IT'S BEEN A GREAT VENUE.
Scott Bennion/SLOC Security: THE OVERALL FEELING THAT YOU GET WHEN THE WORLD COMES TOGETHER FOR EVENTS LIKE THIS, ESPECIALLY NOW, IT'S NICE TO SHARE THOSE MEMORIES WITH OTHER PEOPLE AND FRIENDS.
Now if you want to buy some of SLOC's banners, flags, furnitures, appliances, etc., remember this date: April 22nd is when SLOC will hold its public sale.
