(New Haven-WTNH, Jan. 12, 2005 10:10 PM) _ The New Haven coliseum, once a venue for concerts and sporting events, now sits vacant and may one day be demolished.

Still the fight to save the landmark goes on in the Elm city.

• by News Channel 8's Michael Herzenberg

Now it's being used to hang billboards and that's all. The mayor's office says the Coliseum stands in the way of progress and it wants to tear it down.

The New Haven Coliseum stands at I-95's entrance to downtown, rusting and closed since 2002.

It's hard to find people on the street who think the 10,000 seat arena built in '72 is worth saving

Kevin Tennyson says,"I'd love to see the building reopened as a sports and entertainment venue."

Coliseum Defenders are abundant at this last of nine public hearings where the city pitches its demolition and revitalization plan.

Kevin Tennyson says,"But they could certainly use it as a homeless shelter, used car lot. There's a lot of different things they could do with it."

But New Haven's Executive staff says the cost to save the building would be too great. The mayor wants to pay $6 million to tear it down and then build a 300 room hotel and conference center and a new home for Long Wharf theater.

Henry Fernandez, Economic Defender, says,"It's an ugly building. It's a failed building. It needs to come down so that this city can move forward."

But two years after it closed the coliseum still stands and its defenders stand with it.

Kevin Tennyson says,"I don't think we're losing any battle yet because the battle's just begun. It's a long way to go."

A long way? Well, maybe 6 weeks. On February 22nd the aldermen are expected to vote on the demolition and redevelopment plan.

If approved the city would start tearing down the Coliseum next summer.

Demolition could take a year.