Joe Louis Arena
| The Joe | |
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| Address | 19 Steve Yzerman Drive |
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| Location | Detroit, Michigan |
| Coordinates | 42°19′31″N 83°3′5″W / 42.32528°N 83.05139°WCoordinates: 42°19′31″N 83°3′5″W / 42.32528°N 83.05139°W |
| Owner | City of Detroit |
| Operator | Olympia Entertainment |
| Capacity |
Ice hockey: 19,275 (1979–1989) 19,875 (1989–1996) 19,983 (1996–2000) 19,995 (2000–2001) 20,058 (2001–2003) 20,066 (2003–2014) 20,027 (2014–2017) Basketball: 20,153 Concerts: 21,666 |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | May 16, 1977 |
| Opened | December 12, 1979 |
| Construction cost | US$57 million ($188 million in 2017 dollars) |
| Architect | SmithGroupJJR |
| General contractor | Barton Malow |
| Tenants | |
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Detroit Red Wings (NHL) (1979–present) Detroit Pistons (NBA) (1985) Detroit Drive (AFL) (1988–1993) Detroit Turbos (MILL) (1989–1994) Detroit Compuware Ambassadors (OHL) (1991–92) Detroit Junior Red Wings (OHL) (1992–1995) Detroit Rockers (NPSL) (1996–2000) |
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Joe Louis Arena is a multi-purpose arena located in Detroit, Michigan. It is the home of the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League. Completed in 1979 at a cost of $57 million, the venue is named after former heavyweight champion boxer Joe Louis, who grew up in Detroit. Only one other NHL arena, Madison Square Garden, is without a corporate sponsorship name. The second oldest NHL venue after Madison Square Garden, Joe Louis Arena is owned by the city of Detroit, and operated by Olympia Entertainment, a subsidiary of Ilitch Holdings. Built as a replacement for the Detroit Olympia, it sits adjacent to Cobo Center on the bank of the Detroit River and is accessible via the Joe Louis Arena station on the Detroit People Mover.
Joe Louis Arena replaced the Detroit Olympia, where the Detroit Red Wings had played since 1927. The neighborhood around the Olympia had gradually deteriorated, especially after the 1967 Detroit riot. After two murders took place near the Olympia, Red Wings owner Bruce Norris seriously considered moving to a proposed arena in suburban Pontiac. However, the city of Detroit countered with a proposal for a new riverfront arena at one-third of the rent Pontiac was offering. The package also gave the Red Wings operational control of both the arena, nearby Cobo Arena and nearby lots.
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