User blog comment:GhostX108/RWBY Volume 2 (One of the earliest speculations/@comment-3146930-20140202152941/@comment-23790511-20140202210549

Blowing up a tournament seems too crude and simplistic if you ask me. It seems more logical that while most hunters are gathered at the tournament, wherever it may be held, Roman and his posse will break into Beacon for nefarious shenanigans. I think that glowing tower may hold some significance to that purpose.