BERRY GORDY - OLD MOTOWN RECORDS BUILDING DESTROYED

The old Motown Records building in Detroit, Michigan has been demolished to pave the way for a American football stadium car park.

Crowds of people watched documents fly around as the 10-storey building, which contained offices at the height of the company's success in the 1960s, crumbled to the ground.

JAMAINE DICKENS, spokesman for the mayor of Detroit says, "It was knocked down because it was sorely dilapidated."

He also said it was part of a plan to remove "eyesores and symbols of a downtown abandoned" from the city.

Motown Records was founded in 1959 by BERRY GORDY and published hits by several legendary Motown greats including THE JACKSON FIVE, DIANA ROSS, LIONEL RICHIE and MARVIN GAYE.

The company moved from the Motown Center to Los Angeles in 1972 and is now a subsidiary of the Universal Motown Records Group.

The site will now serve as a parking lot for the Super Bowl final next month (FEB06) in Detroit.