Joe Louis Arena is a
multi-use arena in Detroit. It is the home to the Detroit Red Wings of the
National Hockey League but also plays host to other sports and other events. It
is named after African-American boxer Joe Louis, a former heavyweight champion
who grew up in the city.
Building and size
The Joe Louis Arena was built in Detroit in 1979 as a replacement for the Detroit Olympia arena. It cost $57 million to build at the time, or about $186 million in current dollars. At the time it was built, it seated a little over 19,000 people for hockey games. Subsequent renovations and expansions have brought the hockey seating capacity to a little over 20,000 people. When used for basketball, Joe Louis Arena can seat about 100 more people and for concerts, it can seat about 1,500 more people.
History
Joe Louis Arena, in addition to hosting hundreds of Red Wings games over the year, has also hosted many other notable events. In its first year in operation, it hosted the NHL All-Star Game as well as the 1980 Republican National Convention. It hosted a 1984 NBA playoff game when the Detroit Pistons faced a scheduling contract at their usual venue. It has hosted college hockey games, figure skating events, WNBA women's basketball games and was home to the Detroit Drive of the Arena Football League for several seasons in the 1980s and 1990s. It also has hosted professional indoor soccer and lacrosse teams over the years.
The future
Because of its age -- it is the third-oldest venue in the NHL -- the Joe Louis Arena is living on borrowed time. Detroit city officials have approved a $650 million bond issue to build a new Detroit Events Center near the city's football and baseball stadiums. That project is expected to be finished sometime in 2017, after which the Joe Louis Arena will be demolished and the land will be given to an insurance company that has a bond claim against the city.
Building and size
The Joe Louis Arena was built in Detroit in 1979 as a replacement for the Detroit Olympia arena. It cost $57 million to build at the time, or about $186 million in current dollars. At the time it was built, it seated a little over 19,000 people for hockey games. Subsequent renovations and expansions have brought the hockey seating capacity to a little over 20,000 people. When used for basketball, Joe Louis Arena can seat about 100 more people and for concerts, it can seat about 1,500 more people.
History
Joe Louis Arena, in addition to hosting hundreds of Red Wings games over the year, has also hosted many other notable events. In its first year in operation, it hosted the NHL All-Star Game as well as the 1980 Republican National Convention. It hosted a 1984 NBA playoff game when the Detroit Pistons faced a scheduling contract at their usual venue. It has hosted college hockey games, figure skating events, WNBA women's basketball games and was home to the Detroit Drive of the Arena Football League for several seasons in the 1980s and 1990s. It also has hosted professional indoor soccer and lacrosse teams over the years.
The future
Because of its age -- it is the third-oldest venue in the NHL -- the Joe Louis Arena is living on borrowed time. Detroit city officials have approved a $650 million bond issue to build a new Detroit Events Center near the city's football and baseball stadiums. That project is expected to be finished sometime in 2017, after which the Joe Louis Arena will be demolished and the land will be given to an insurance company that has a bond claim against the city.
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