Market Square Arena imploded

INDIANAPOLIS--Silence fell over a crowd gathered at an eastside church Sunday when a chorus of beeper, cell phone and watch chimes began to signal the hour -- 7 a.m. Time to bring down the house.\nLike clockwork, eight explosions rocked Market Square Arena, and the former home of the Indiana Pacers began to fall. As the arena's roof caved in, an entire city block was shrouded in dust.\nHundreds of sleepy-eyed onlookers cheered approval as they waited for a view of the flattened arena. When the dust settled, what they saw was a dramatically altered skyline.\nIt took 800 pounds of explosives and a mere 12 seconds to level the Indiana landmark -- home to Elvis Presley\'s last concert, 25 years of Indiana Pacers basketball and hundreds of concerts and special events.\nNo injuries related to the implosion were reported. \nMayor Bart Peterson was impressed. \n"I wasn't quite prepared for what happened," he said. "The sound, the smoke of the explosion really gets to you. It was awesome." \nHe also said that the demolition would open the entire near eastside of Indianapolis for potential redevelopment. \nBy 6 a.m., those who wanted to watch the implosion had already taken positions at various sites downtown. Some perched atop buildings; others parked and stood on city streets. \nAuthorities posted 50 extra police officers around the safety perimeter. \nFor some, the moment was sad and nostalgic. For others, it was nothing significant. \n"(MSA) lived its life, and it was a cool way to bring it down," said Steve Gibbs, an Indianapolis resident who watched the implosion with his wife Jody, who wore an MSA t-shirt.\nBrett Allen, in town for an electric project, came downtown for the show, and nothing else.\n"I just want to see it blow up," Allen said. "I could care less."\nBuilt in 1974 for $23.9 million, MSA sat empty for a year and a half. The last game there was in 1999, when the Pacers defeated the Utah Jazz.\nThe team has since moved to the new Conseco Fieldhouse.\nMark Loizeaux, president of Controlled Demolitions Inc., of Baltimore, said the destruction of MSA was successful -- only minor damage to surrounding buildings including broken windows was reported, and the rubble fell as planned. The implosion cost the city $567,000, while the entire job will run about $3.5 million.\nThe Associated Press contributed to this report.