On this date: Riverfront Stadium demolished in 2002

CINCINNATI — Today marks the 19th anniversary of the demolition of Cincinnati’s Riverfront Stadium.

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On December 29, 2002, it took just 37 seconds for the controlled demo to take down the building that housed the Cincinnati Reds for 32 years and the Bengals for 29 years.

According to the Reds, over 25,000 people watched from both sides of the Ohio River as the stadium imploded.

Riverfront Stadium saw its share of memorable sports moments for both of its tenants during its three-decade run as home of the Reds and Bengals. The stadium hosted the World Series in 1970, 1972, 1975, 1976, 1990 and Major League Baseball’s All Star Game in 1970 and 1988.

Memorable moments from the Bengals tenure include the famed Freezer Bowl on January 10, 1981 when the Bengals beat the San Diego Chargers in the AFC Championship game to advance to Super Bowl XVI. Riverfront also hosted the other AFC Championship that resulted with a Bengals Super Bowl birth. On January 8, 1988, the Bengals beat the Buffalo Bills to advance to Super Bowl XXIII.

The Bengals moved into their current home, Paul Brown Stadium in 2000, while the Reds remained at Riverfront through their 2002 season, ahead of the opening of Great American Ball Park in 2003.

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