How much of Oklahoma City's old convention center will be recycled?

Up to 95% of Oklahoma City's former Myriad/Cox Convention Center could be recycled, the wrecker responsible for demolition says.

The facility, which opened in 1972, is built largely out of concrete and metal. Those two materials are recyclable. In fact, Chris Kates, a vice president at Midwest Wrecking, said it is often cheaper to recycle material than dump it in a landfill.

However, combustible material must still be taken to a landfill.

Demolition of the facility began in April, and will finish before the end of the year. Wrecker crews began by hollowing out the inside, and in the coming weeks, will knock down walls. After that, crews will also demolish the parking garage underneath.

"We've had a lot of different groups in here," Kates said. "The city sent some people over. They have a theater. And so, they wanted some rigging and stage rigging and stuff like that. A lot of people wanted seats, so we got a lot of people seats, just all different kinds of mementos."

Kates estimates there will be several hundred tons worth of scrap metal, if not more. A 50-ton pile on the inside of the building near the southwest corner of the building was estimated to be only 5% of the total amount.

Scrap metal will be shipped to smelters nationally, while concrete will be recycled for projects locally.