Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 13 July 2001 — Page 2

PAGE A2

THE INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER

FRIDAY, JULY 13, 2001

GRAND OPENING

Selection From Don Sisk Pontiac, Buick, GMC Financing on Pontiac Montana’s and (iiand Am’s arc 0.0'r tor 36 months. O.O'i Financing on Buick Century is lor 36 months. Qualified Buyers

James (JJ) Johnson 317-299-5555 New & Used Vehicle Consultant Internet Manager I -mail: I MAX' DONSISK.COM

5336 Pike Plaza Road, across from Meijer near Lafayette Square • 299-5555

imise.

STATE FARM LIFE INSURANCE.

Sec your nearest State Farm Agent

today

26 years, 12 seconds and 1 implosion, MSA remembered for what it was

Male l .irm I.ill- li.".11.1111 > 1

MM. \i.nn|>\|.|i,H|!(l|!.

ilatefarm.com'" 'i \ ii !• VIJ'I h IHI.KI, llninc I llfirr: liliiiiilliimloii. Illiniii"-

By RYAN MARSHALL Staff Writer With the ear-shattering, ground-shaking explosions that took the life of a downtown icon, there is no doubt that the memories, and the many thanks, of Market Square Arena, will he on the minds of those deeply embraced by the building. On a calm, clear, but muggy. Sunday morning, the anticipation of something big looms in the air. It was as if people were waiting for the end to come ... the end of a legend. Feelings of nostalgia flow through everyone's veins who witnessed the destruction of a basketball arena, a concert venue, a home to those players and fans that once grew up and lived every day of the heralded arena’s existence. One thing that will always be there will be the memories of the fans and those connected with Market Square Arena on a deeper level. You can listen to the stories that sports fans, and others alike give. “My most memorable event. Game 4 of the 1991 NBA playoffs against the Boston Celtics. Boston and Larry Bird was still the dorrynant team then and the Pacers had split the first two games at Boston and people started to think This team actually has a chance against the mighty Celtics’,’’ says a very nostalgic Conrad Brunner, Pacers writer for the Indianapolis Star. "We lost game three then game four, it was down to the wire and it was the first time the crowd had ever really been into it. The refs couldn’t hear the buzzers and players couldn’t hear the whistles. It was also the classic trash talking of Chuck Person (of the Pacers) and (Larry) Bird:” Market Square Arena and the events were the key components of so many wonderful memories. Of course MSA was the site where Michael Jordan, made his re-debut on national television. Who can also not forget Reggie Miller’s various heroics in the building. It was the last performing spot of Elvis Presley. But ever since the last event held there, in a Pacers exhibition game, against the Utah Jazz, back in Nttfc v : '' yv y i' V- i'li’mM'.

Construction crews have started to clean up and get what’s left of Market Square Arena.

September 1999, the fate of MSA was hanging in the balance. They had meetings to discuss what to do with the building. Some said keep it. but it was, inevitably, decided to take it down. "As nice as this new home is (Conseco Fieldhouse), there is definitely gonna be a part of me that's gonna miss MSA. because you grew up in the building, with the Pacers,” said Brunner. "Up until 1994, the Pacers weren't really the talk of the town like 1U or some other teams.” But MSA was more than a building. Many people who don’t live, in and around MSA, don’t realize that it was a big part of growth, for the near Eastside and downtown sectors of the , - vY /• '

city. It helped revitalize what those parts of the city are today. “(MSA) brought attention back to downtown, back in the ‘70s. It brought people like us down here, with things like the mall, the Colts and everything else. It started what’s here now,” said the store manager of O'Malia Food Store in Lockerbie Marketplace. Work on Market Square Arena started in 1971 and finished in September 1974. During the building’s destruction, it took 12 seconds to bring the 30 million-pound structure down. And finally, it cost the taxpayers $3.5 million for the demolition.

MANUFACTURER’S COUPON EXPIRES 9 2 01

ISO* OFF . When you purchase the Coca-Cola products listed, I in ONE 24-pack, ONE 12-pack, ONE 6-pack of .5 Liter ( non-returnable bottles, or THREE 2-Liter bottles. Offer good on Coca-Cola classic, caffeine free CocaCola classic, diet Coke, cherry Coke, Sprite, diet I Sprite, Fresca, Barq's, Mello Yello, and TAB products. I CONSUMER: Only one coupon per purchase. You pay sales tax and/or deposit I i§ charge. Coupon may not be assigned, transferred or reproduced. Any other use f constitutes fraud. Cash value 1/100 of It. RETAILER: We will reimburse you for I the face value of this coupon, plus 8< handling allowance if you and the consumer have complied with our Coupon Redemption Policy available at the • redemption address. Mail coupons to: Coca-Cola USA, CMS Dept. 49000, One I I Fawcett Drive, Del Rio, Texas 78840. OFFER GOOD ONLY IN AREAS SERVED BY: Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Indiana. I 02001. The CocaCola Company. 'CocaCola'. "diet Coke’, ’cherry Coke’, ’diet “ cherry Coke’, the Dynamic 30441 Ribbon Device, the Contour -■ ““

Bottle design. ‘Sprite’, ’diet Sprite’. ‘BarqV. ‘diet BarqV.’Mello Yello’,

and ‘Fresca’, are registered trademarks c* The CocaCola Company. s'

(8100)0 30441

rwirniniifw ■HM

’

▼