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Keith McCord ReportingWhat weighs 19 tons and takes three huge construction cranes to lift into position?
Hint: it was a big part of the nightly Olympic Medals ceremonies in 2002. Yep, it's the Hoberman Arch, and it's finally in its permanent home. The arch will rest on the southeast side of the Rice-Eccles Stadium as one of the fixtures of the Olympic Cauldron Park. It's been in storage since the games ended. Today huge construction cranes put it in place.
Fraser Bullock, SLOC Pres. & CEO: “And this is not a small undertaking. The size and the complexity of the structure, and the lighting that we're going to have at night, it's going to be a gorgeous addition to this Olympic Cauldron Legacy Park."
The Hoberman Arch was featured nightly during the medals ceremonies for the Olympic and Paralympic games. It is 36 feet high and 72 feet wide and made out of 4,000 individual pieces. It was quite the attraction when it opened and closed during the games.
It will now play a big role at the Olympic Cauldron Park. It'll be surrounded by a moat and each night a light show.
As the arch was moved into position today, Bullock, and University of Utah President Bernie Machen announced that the Olympic Cauldron Park would have its grand opening on August 22nd. The cauldron will burn once again and the movie theatre will premier a 9-minute film with images of the games.
Bernie Machen, University of Utah President: "The visitor's center is fabulous. We are hopeful that teachers will bring their classes up here in the fall and winter months, and we're hoping that the general public will take advantage of what we think is a great public event for the state of Utah."
SLOC is giving the university 50-thousand dollars to help get the park started; and there's a 750-thousand dollar fund to permanently maintain the cauldron.
Again, the Olympic Cauldron Park, will officially open August 22nd!
