Sinkhole Swallows Part Of Tennessee Stadium

Originally just a few feet wide, a sinkhole has grown to 40 feet deep at a Tennessee football stadium since first discovered a few weeks ago. Located on the edge of the football field at Austin Peay State University, crews were working to fill in the small hole — only to find that it was only getting larger. Which is certainly a setback for the stadium's $19 million renovation. Fortunately the school claims it will be ready in time for the football team's first game this September, though we're not entirely sure we want to be there for the first game.

APSU spokesman Bill Persinger told local station WSMV that the limestone underneath the stadium is "porous and disintegrates from rain over centuries," which results in sinkholes. "They're actually a main feature on our campus. The center of campus has what we call the bowls, which we've landscaped around as the sinkholes have been re-mediated years ago."

The good news? Despite the interruption of the stadium's renovation, there are funds budgeted for sinkholes at this particular school, according to Superintendent of Bell & Associates Construction Mike Jenkins. At this point, the sinkhole will be filled in with alternating rock and concrete layers, plus subgrade asphalt, which will likely be done within the next week.

Still, images of the sinkhole remind us of The Dark Knight Rises when Bane blows up a football stadium. We not the only ones.

Shudder.

Image: College Sports Only/Twitter