LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- It has been a Louisville landmark for decades, and a familiar site along I-65. Now, the Old Cardinal Stadium is becoming a pile of rubble.

“I mean, this is an icon. People are used to be being here,” said Paul Cable, project manager for the stadium demolition.

Piece by piece, the former home of Louisville Cardinal football, minor league baseball, and thousands of other events is coming down.

“The contractor is taking down, incrementally, the stadium with the canopy, and then the seats, and the structure behind it,” said Cable.

IMAGES | Old Cardinal Stadium Demolished

The historic venue opened as Fairgrounds Stadium on Sept. 9, 1956, to an NFL exhibition between the Baltimore Colts and the Philadelphia Eagles. The facility got a new name in 1982 – Cardinal Stadium. When the new U of L stadium was built on campus, the facility got a new nickname: "Old Cardinal Stadium."

In addition to minor league baseball games and U of L football games, it's also played host to the River Bats, countless high school football games, and numerous concerts.

NSYNC, Chicago and the Rolling Stones have all played there. Willie Nelson put on a show there in the mid-90s for a Farm Aid concert.

The demolition is stirring up dusty memories even for Cable.

“I brought my boys up here to a baseball game, and we got to see Three Dog Night, and Herman's Hermits,” he said, admitting his sons did not much care about the 60’s rock stars.

IMAGES | Old Cardinal Stadium, 1956-2019, a last look

A final look at Old Cardinal Stadium, from Dec. 13, 2018.

Nearby, at the Cardinal Hall of Fame Café, fans watched Louisville basketball take on Minnesota surrounded by reminders of the old stadium.

“For me, watching the Cards, it all originated there,” said Norman Jackson.

Jackson said he worked concessions at the stadium for years, and he will hate to see it go.

“It will be weird. It will be sad,” he said.

Others said they have fond memories of the stadium, but it is time to move on.

“It's somewhat nostalgic, but it's time,” said Marty Ernst. “It's well past its useful life, and it's time to do something productive with it.”

There is no final decision about what comes next on the site. For now, the space will be used for the Kentucky State Fair.

“Having this out of the way, let's them expand some of the opportunities for the State Fair, especially for livestock,” said Cable.

Cardinal Stadium stood for 63 years, but it will be history in a matter of weeks. The demolition is to be completed by May 22.

The state sold about 1,000 of the stadium's seats.

The rest will be salvaged by the contractor, and could also later be put up for sale.

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