NBC6.net - March 13, 2008

Orange Bowl Goes Green

POSTED: 4:18 pm EDT March 12, 2008
UPDATED: 4:49 pm EDT March 13, 2008

MIAMI -- The glory days of the Orange Bowl have come and gone. But, even as the OB is torn down, it continues to score eco-friendly points.

"This is a historic facility," explains Kelly Penton, Director of Communications for the City of Miami. "So, in addition to commemorating the past through the salvaging effort, we're also looking to the future."

That means that whatever wasn't auctioned off -- from the seats to the water fountains and even urinals -- have been taken out. Whatever can be recycled, will be.

"There's a massive amount of material within such a large facility," said Penton while standing inside the bowl. "So, it's part of our responsibility, part of the plan, to take a lot of those materials and recycle them."

So far, more than 100,000 pounds of seats -- where the crowds once cheered -- have been handed off to Michigan. There, the backs and bottoms will be ground up, melted down and unceremoniously turned into...septic tanks!

More than 30 containers full of aluminum from the bleachers and supports have been passed out of state. They could one day wind up as beverage cans in the hands of sports fans.

An estimated 5,000 tons of steel will be removed from the OB and melted in Medley. They could be reincarnated into auto parts, bridges, building structures...you name it!

There's also the concrete, asphalt, AC units and more.

"There's also the proper disposal of any hazardous materials: the freon from the AC, the light fixtures, the bulbs," Penson said. "Everything is segregated so it's disposed of properly."

But, some components will continue to call Miami home. The sod from the football field has already touched down in Overtown, replanted on a baseball diamond. The light towers will shine over other city facilities. The palm trees will hold onto their home field advantage by being replanted, one day, at the new Marlins stadium.

It's a fitting tribute to the legacy of the Miami landmark.

P.S. – It's not too late to buy a souvenir of the OB. For more information, go to OrangeBowlStadium.com.