Problems
One of the problems with the building was that some of the innovations were not successful. The Cor-Ten steel failed to seal itself and instead corroded to the point where there were large holes in the outer structure. chain link fences were installed in a number of locations to keep people from crawling though the wall to see events. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, a growing number of NBA and NHL teams started constructing new arenas with better amenities for their high-end customers, such as luxury boxes, club-level seating, and massive club concourses, in order to increase their revenue streams. Some of these new arenas had as many as 200 luxury boxes, compared to the Omni which had only had 16 luxury boxes and no club level at all, thus putting the Atlanta Hawks at a disadvantage. It also became a disadvantage to the city of Atlanta; until the Georgia Dome was finished in 1992, the Omni served as its largest indoor facility in terms of seating capacity.
Built on a former railroad yard, after construction, the Omni settled more than its designers expected. There were unanticipated stresses in the space frame roof, which often leaked water.
Although the Omni hosted many events, it lost more than its share due to the smaller seating capacity and lack of amenities when compared to newer buildings in other cities. Despite quite enjoyable seating and viewing for the fans, the structure had the outward appearance of looking dated by the early-1990s (although the arena was only 20 years old), so there was a collective effort by many parties to build a replacement. This also stemmed from the desire of Ted Turner to own an NHL franchise; the Atlanta Flames had been sold to Canadian businessmen and relocated to Calgary, Alberta a decade earlier. However, the only way the league would approve an expansion team to him would be with the guarantee of a brand-new arena. On July 26, 1997, the Omni was demolished, and Philips Arena, which was constructed on the former site of the Omni, opened on September 18, 1999.
Read more about this topic: Omni Coliseum
Famous quotes containing the word problems:
“To be a philosopher is not merely to have subtle thoughts, nor even to found a school, but so to love wisdom as to live according to its dictates a life of simplicity, independence, magnanimity, and trust. It is to solve some of the problems of life, not only theoretically, but practically.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“Those great ideas which come to you in your sleep just before you awake in morning, those solutions to the world’s problems which, in the light of day, turn out to be duds of the puniest order, couldn’t they be put to some use, after all?”
—Robert Benchley (1889–1945)
“It’s so easy during those first few months to think that the problems will never end. You feel as if your son will never sleep through the night, will always spit up food after eating, and will never learn to smile—even though you don’t know any adults or even older children who still act this way.”
—Lawrence Kutner (20th century)