When Elephants Fly
- jbormann0
- Mar 3
- 2 min read
Most demolition projects start with a fairly straightforward plan.
Remove the structure.
Manage the traffic.
Keep the crew safe.
Pretty standard stuff.
But every once in a while, a project shows up on the schedule that makes everyone pause and say:
“Wait… we’re removing what?”
Recently, our team helped with a project in Marquette, Iowa connected to the redevelopment of the local riverfront casino. The job involved dismantling the enclosed skywalk that crossed Highway 18 and connected the riverboat casino to its land-side building.
Taking down the skywalk was the expected part of the project.
The unexpected part?
Before the skywalk could come down… we had to remove a giant pink elephant.
Yes, really.
The Pink Elephant Problem
For many years, the land-side building attached to the casino was home to the Pink Elephant Restaurant, a local landmark that many visitors to the riverboat casino will remember.
Mounted to the building was the restaurant’s signature feature — a large pink elephant that had become a recognizable part of the Marquette riverfront.
When plans moved forward to remove the skywalk as part of the casino’s transition to a new land-based gaming facility, that elephant suddenly became part of the demolition scope.
Which meant our crew found themselves doing something you don’t typically see on a construction schedule:
Removing a pink elephant.
It’s safe to say that’s not something most operators expect when they climb into the cab in the morning.
Part of a Bigger Change
The removal of the skywalk is one step in a larger redevelopment happening in Marquette.
After operating for nearly three decades as a riverboat casino on the Mississippi River, the gaming operation is moving into a new land-based casino facility, bringing the entertainment complex fully onto shore.
As that transition happens, some of the older structures that supported the original riverboat setup — including the skywalk and the building it connected to — are coming down.
And along with them, a few familiar landmarks.
Including one very pink elephant.
Still the Same Fundamentals
Even though this project was outside the norm of the work we typically do, the fundamentals remain the same.
Careful planning.
Experienced operators.
Safe execution.
Whether we’re moving earth, building infrastructure, or occasionally removing novelty architecture, the goal is always the same — get the job done safely and professionally.
Comments