(New Haven-WTNH, May 26, 2004 10:15 PM) _ The New Haven Coliseum has been closed for some time. The future of the site still uncertain.

Landmark or not, the city wants to knock it down and start over but fans feel the building is worth being saved.

The city says it's only a few weeks away from cementing what's going to happen to the space.

The residents we talked with though would like the cement here to stay and they want the coliseum back.

Lakisha Dear says,"It's fun it's in the center of everything so I don't have to drive."

Lakisha Dear loves living downtown but she lives in the shadow of the aging coliseum.

Dear says,"Now it doesn't look in the best shape. When I was smaller it was the place to be. Wrestling and everything. I just think they should fix it up."

Lakisha is not alone. The coliseum has been closed for about 2 years. Since then you may have seen signs like this around New Haven posted by coliseum supporters.

Kevin Tennyson says,"It's very upsetting because the building was a fully functioning sports and entertainment facility and they just went and closed it."

The city says it was losing hundreds and thousands of dollars operating the coliseum that venues in other cities like Bridgeport were beating it out for business.

Gary Ferdinand, New Haven, says,"It's ridiculous because there was absolutely no public input whatsoever on the whole subject of them closing the building."

While it's still up in the air who will pay $6 million to demolish the coliseum, it seems more and more likely that it will happen.

The city says it's only a few weeks away from figuring out exactly what will go in its place.

The city says it could be a space for art complimenting the non profit artspace a block away or the relocation of Longwharf Theater.

Maybe even more apartments or restaurants.

But for Lakisha Dear there's no substitute for the coliseum.

"I don't think they should put any more apartments or theaters. They should turn it back into a coliseum somewhere they can have different events."

A city spokesperson agrees that this is a vital part of downtown New Haven and says whatever goes in this space will be an improvement as long as it doesn't lose money.