Philadelphia Spectrum Roof Blowing Off

The arena was off to a hot start but in february of 1968 the roof caved in.

Philadelphia spectrum roof blowing off.

The roof is blowing off minutes before 11 000 spectators had heard what sounded like an approaching freight train as high winds tore off a hefty chunk of the new arena s roof and dumped it into the parking lot. Today with the long process almost complete. High winds ripped a huge chunk of the roof off of the spectrum shortly before an ice capades show and the crowd found themselves staring up into the sky. With sunlight and cold air suddenly pouring through a gaping hole the terrified crowd filed out.

The media reported it as the spectrum roof blowing off but we know the truth. On march 1 1968 wind blew part of the covering off the spectrum s roof during a performance of the ice capades forcing the building to close for a month while mayor tate fought with then philadelphia county district attorney arlen specter over responsibility for the construction of the roof and the damage was repaired. March 1968 the world s biggest kite is launched at the spectrum. Showing a rather remarkable sense of humor the ice capades band began playing into the wild blue yonder.

The roof is blowing off on march 3 1968 the flyers played oakland in an afternoon game at madison square garden before a rangers night game. There was a lot of history at the spectrum from the roof blowing off in the beginning said dave howard of west deptford n j. The spectrum in philadelphia the long time home of the philadelphia flyers and philadelphia 76ers has been in demolition mode for several months now. The spectrum s roof blows off.

Get em next time philly. First stanley cup finals game. Construction began in june of 1966 and was completed in 16 months at a cost of 7 million. May 12 1974 4 1 over the bruins.

But hey it s progress i guess what are you going to. Sadly none of the ice capades performers skating that day were killed. March 1 1968 spectrum roof was blown off forcing the nhl flyers to play the final month of the season on the road and the nba 76ers to play at the palestra and convention hall. All of this chaos springs from an ill wind that blew off the roof of the spectrum and ultimately whipped up a ruinous tempest involving 1 a brash and maybe bankrupt millionaire 2 a 35 year old personal feud between two old line philadelphia giants and 3 a political struggle between a desperately worried democratic mayor and an intense young republican district attorney.

Opened on september 30 1967 the spectrum became home to both the expansion philadelphia flyers of the nhl as well as the philadelphia 76ers of the nba.