The only facility in the world to host the Olympics, the Super Bowl and the NCAA Final Four was reduced to rubble this morning (Monday, November 20, 2017).

A little more than 25 years after opening, the Georgia Dome, former home of the Atlanta Falcons and the scene for several historic sporting events, imploded this morning. The adjacent Mercedes-Benz Stadium opened this summer.

In the dome’s place will include a hotel, parking and green space. What will remain is a spot jampacked full of memories.

“As far as the stadium goes, for me it starts with the fans,” Atlanta Falcons head coach Dan Quinn said. “That’s the first thing you remember about a place, the enthusiasm of the fans and a city and what it brings to a stadium. That’s what I think of, the fans, the city and the love they have for the team.”

Groundbreaking on the Georgia Dome began in November 1989 and work was completed in March 1992. When it opened, the Georgia Dome was the largest covered stadium in the world and featured the world’s largest cable-supported fabric roof.

More than 1,400 events took place at the Georgia Dome in its short life span, bringing in 39 million guests.

It’s been the home of the Falcons, Georgia State University football, the annual Peach Bowl and the Southeastern Conference Football Championship. It also temporarily was the home court for the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks in the late 1990s while nearby Phillips Arena was being built.

Additionally, the history of the Georgia Dome is tied to two natural disasters. In January 2006, the Sugar Bowl, usually held in New Orleans, was moved to the Georgia Dome because of damage from Hurricane Katrina.

On March 14, 2008, a men’s college basketball game between Alabama and Mississippi State went into overtime, and it might have been a lifesaver for fans at the dome. A 3-point shot by Crimson Tide guard Mykal Riley forced the extra period, keeping spectators from heading toward the exits. A tornado hit downtown Atlanta a few minutes later. There was extensive damage in the area, including at the Georgia Dome, which forced that game and the rest of the SEC tournament to finish at Georgia Tech’s Alexander Memorial Coliseum.