It has been nearly two decades since anyone stepped foot in Cinergy Field.
Wednesday marks 19 years since Cincinnati's Cinergy Field was imploded to make way for new and better things. It was opened as Riverfront Stadium, was home to both the Cincinnati Reds and Cincinnati Bengals and went down in 37 seconds.
"And this one's gone!" read the headline on the front page of the Dec. 30, 2002, edition of The Enquirer.
"Thirty-two years of Cincinnati history crumbled like a sandcastle in 37 seconds Sunday morning, as a ring of detonations brought down Cinergy Field and two generations of sports memories," wrote The Enquirer's James Pilcher.
Using 1,400 pounds of explosives, the home of many of Cincinnati's sports triumphs was reduced to a pile of concrete and twisted metal. All that was left was 95,000 tons of structural steel, 70 miles of reinforced concrete and 600,000 square feet of masonry in a plie on the riverfront.
"It rounded third and headed headlong into home," the late Joe Nuxhall said at the time.
More:Riverfront Stadium launched best sports era in Cincinnati
Construction of Riverfront Stadium began in 1968 and took less than two years, costing less than $50 million, according to Enquirer reporting. It was renamed Cinergy Field in 1996.
On June 30, 1970, the Cincinnati Reds played the Atlanta Braves for the first game at Riverfront Stadium. On Sept. 20, 1970, the Cincinnati Bengals played on the field for the first time.
In its 32 years, Riverfront Stadium/Cinergy Field was home for Cincinnati sports fans.
The Reds would go on to host their first World Series at the stadium in 1970, with follow-ups in 1972, 1975, 1976 and 1990. The Bengal's infamous Freezer Bowl was held at Riverfront in 1982.
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