Joe Louis Arena
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Joe Louis Arena, nicknamed Hockeytown, The Joe, and JLA, is a hockey arena located at 600 Civic Center Drive in Detroit, Michigan. It is the home of the National Hockey League franchise, the Detroit Red Wings. Completed in 1979 at a cost of $57 million, Joe Louis Arena is named after boxer and former heavyweight champion, Joe Louis, who grew up in Detroit.
Joe Louis Arena is owned by the city of Detroit and operated by Olympia Entertainment, Inc., an Ilitch Holdings, Inc.-owned company. JLA replaced Olympia Stadium. It sits adjacent to Cobo Hall on the bank of the Detroit River and is accessible through its own stations on the Detroit People Mover.
The Red Wings have been very successful since the move to JLA, winning three Stanley Cups (with two of them, 1997 and 2002, taking place with the Cup clinching victory at JLA). Budd Lynch is the arena's public address announcer.
Joe Louis Arena hosts college hockey events as part of College Hockey at The Joe and Great Lakes Invitational. It also played host to the 1980 Republican National Convention. Most recently, WWE held their 19th annual Survivor Series on November 27, 2005.
Several plans for a replacement arena have been raised for years; presently, JLA is considered somewhat outdated due to its lack of luxury boxes and other revenue-generating amenities. In addition, some proposals for the expansion of Cobo Hall have required JLA to be demolished. No firm plan for a replacement is in place.
Statistics
- Built: 1979.
- Construction Cost: $57 million.
- Seating Capacity: 20,058 (including suites); 20,338 for end-stage concerts and 21,152 for center-stage concerts.
- Dimensions: 328 x 550 x 85 (ft), approximately 12 million ft³ (340,000 m³).
- Home Team: Detroit Red Wings (NHL).
- Former Teams: Detroit Rockers (NPSL) 1996-2001, Detroit Pistons (NBA) for one playoff game in 1984 because of venue unavailability, and 15 games in 1985 after the roof collapsed at the Pontiac Silverdome, Detroit Jr. Red Wings (OHL) 1991-1995, Detroit Drive (AFL) 1988-1993, Detroit Shock (WNBA) for one playoff game in 2004 when The Palace of Auburn Hills was unavailable because of a concert.
- Opening event: December 12, 1979, basketball game between the University of Michigan and the University of Detroit.
- Opening hockey event: December 15, 1979, the Detroit Red Wings versus the St. Louis Blues.
- Other events: concerts, John Hancock (Insurance) Champions On Ice, three NCAA Frozen Four college hockey finals, college basketball, others.
- Championships: Detroit Red Wings (1997, 1998 & 2002), Detroit Rockers (1991).
- Site of Survivor Series 1991, Survivor Series 1999, and Survivor Series 2005, as well as Vengeance 2002.
- Site of WCW Halloween Havoc in 1994 and 1995.
- Site of the annual Great Lakes Invitational, in college hockey.
| Current arenas in the National Hockey League | ||
| Eastern Conference | Western Conference | |
|---|---|---|
| Air Canada Centre | BankAtlantic Center | Bell Centre | Continental Airlines Arena | HSBC Arena | Madison Square Garden | Mellon Arena | Nassau Coliseum | Philips Arena | RBC Center | St. Pete Times Forum | Scotiabank Place | TD Banknorth Garden | Verizon Center | Wachovia Center | American Airlines Center | Arrowhead Pond | Gaylord Entertainment Center | GM Place | Glendale Arena | HP Pavilion | Joe Louis Arena | Nationwide Arena | Pengrowth Saddledome | Pepsi Center | Rexall Place | Savvis Center | Staples Center | United Center | Xcel Energy Center | |
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