"We spent about two and a half weeks drilling about 500 holes," Controlled Demolition Inc. president Mark Loizeaux said on a television news report yesterday. "But after a test blast, we found that we only need about 355 pounds of explosives placed in those 500 holes, connected them all up with blasting caps, and basically just let gravity take over bringing the structure down."

A joint venture involving Washington Sports & Entertainment and the Cordish Co. is behind the development of the 460,000-sf retail and entertainment project that will take the place of the old arena, which occupied the spot for over 30 years. Boulevard at the Capital Centre is expected to debut in the fall of 2003.