Demolition
Although the Spectrum formally closed on October 31, 2009, demolition of the structure did not begin for more than a year with internal work commencing on November 8, 2010. Two weeks later a public "wrecking ball ceremony" attended by some of the athletes who made the building famous such as Hockey Hall of Famers Bernie Parent and Bob Clarke of the Flyers and Hall of Famer Julius Erving of the 76ers, was held in the adjacent parking lot "H" on November 23, 2010 to formally begin its external demolition. However unlike Veterans Stadium, its onetime neighbor which had been located immediately across Pattison Avenue from the Spectrum before it was imploded on March 21, 2004, the almost half year process of demolishing the then 44-year old arena, done without the use of explosives, was completed in May 2011.
A 300-room hotel is planned to eventually be built on the demolished Spectrum's site (which is now occupied by a parking lot) as an adjunct to the Xfinity Live! project the first portion of which was opened in April, 2012, at the SW corner of 11th Street and Pattison Avenue.
Read more about this topic: Spectrum (arena)