Joe Louis Arena facts for kids
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The Joe
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Entrance of Joe Louis Arena in December 2015
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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°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 |
| Closed | July 29, 2017 |
| Demolished | 2019–2020 |
| Construction cost | US$57 million ($230 million in 2022 dollars ) |
| Architect | Smith, Hinchman & Grylls |
| General contractor | Barton Malow |
| Tenants | |
| Detroit Red Wings (NHL) (1979–2017) 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 was a famous sports and entertainment building in Downtown Detroit. People often called it "The Joe." It was built in 1979 and cost about $57 million. The arena was right next to Cobo Center by the Detroit River. You could even get there using the Detroit People Mover train.
The arena was named after Joe Louis, a famous heavyweight boxer who grew up in Detroit. For many years, it was the home of the Detroit Red Wings hockey team. It was the second oldest NHL arena until it closed. The city of Detroit owned Joe Louis Arena. A company called Olympia Entertainment managed it.
The Red Wings played their last game at "The Joe" in April 2017. A new arena, Little Caesars Arena, took its place. Joe Louis Arena officially closed in July 2017. Workers started taking it down in early 2019, and the demolition finished by mid-2020. Now, a tall apartment building called the Residences at Water Square stands where "The Joe" used to be.
Contents
The History of Joe Louis Arena
Why a New Arena Was Needed
The Detroit Red Wings played at Olympia Stadium since 1927. But by the late 1970s, the area around Olympia Stadium was getting old. In 1977, the Red Wings thought about moving to a new arena outside Detroit. However, the city of Detroit offered them a great deal. They offered a new arena by the river with much lower rent. The team also got to control the new arena and nearby parking. So, the Red Wings decided to stay in Detroit.
First Games and Big Events
The very first event at Joe Louis Arena was a college basketball game. It happened on December 12, 1979. The University of Michigan played against the University of Detroit Mercy. The Red Wings played their first game there on December 27, 1979. They lost to the St. Louis Blues 3–2. Their first win came a few days later, on December 30, 1979, against the New York Islanders.
In 1980, Joe Louis Arena hosted the 32nd National Hockey League All-Star Game. This game had a record number of fans for an NHL game at the time. It was also the site of the 1987 NHL Entry Draft, where new players were chosen for the NHL. In 1980, a big political event, the 1980 Republican National Convention, was held there. At this event, Ronald Reagan was chosen as the candidate for President of the United States.
Arena Upgrades and Special Features
Over the years, Joe Louis Arena got some cool updates. In 1990, new color screens were added to the scoreboard. These were later replaced by large Sony video screens in 1993. In 2006, even better LED video screens were installed.
On November 22, 2006, a special event happened. The arena's West Entrance was named the "Gordie Howe Entrance." This honored the legendary Red Wings player, Gordie Howe. A bronze statue of him was placed inside the entrance. The arena also had 86 fancy private suites. In 2008, the Comerica Bank Legend's Club opened. This was a special seating area for 181 people.
The End of an Era: Replacement and Demolition
Building a New Home
In 2014, plans were announced for a new sports and entertainment area in Downtown Detroit. This project included building a new arena. This new arena, Little Caesars Arena, opened in 2017. It became the new home for the Red Wings.
After Joe Louis Arena closed, the city and state paid for its demolition. The land where the arena stood was then given to a company called Financial Guaranty Insurance Company. This was part of a deal related to Detroit's financial challenges.
The Final Moments of "The Joe"
The Red Wings played their very last game at Joe Louis Arena on April 9, 2017. They played against the New Jersey Devils. The Red Wings won the game 4–1. The last goal scored in the arena's history was by Red Wings player Riley Sheahan. The very last event held at "The Joe" was a WWE wrestling show on July 29, 2017.
Workers began taking apart the inside of the arena in early 2019. The outside demolition started in June 2019. Because the arena was so close to Huntington Place, it was carefully taken apart piece by piece. It was not imploded (blown up) like some buildings.
Other Exciting Events at Joe Louis Arena
Joe Louis Arena hosted many different sports and entertainment events. It wasn't just for hockey!
Hockey and Basketball Highlights
In 1995, the Detroit Junior Red Wings won a major junior hockey championship there. The arena also hosted college hockey tournaments, like the Great Lakes Invitational.
The Detroit Pistons basketball team played some games at "The Joe" in 1984. Their usual arena was busy or damaged by a snowstorm. In one famous game, Pistons star Isiah Thomas scored many points in the final minutes.
The Red Wings played in the Stanley Cup Finals (the NHL championship) six times at Joe Louis Arena. They won the Stanley Cup there twice, in 1997 and 2002. Only one visiting team, the Pittsburgh Penguins, ever won the Stanley Cup at "The Joe," in 2009.
Other Sports and Entertainment
In 2006, the Detroit Shock women's basketball team won the 2006 WNBA Finals at Joe Louis Arena. Their regular arena was booked for a concert.
The Detroit Drive, an Arena Football League team, also had great success there. They played in six championship games and won four of them at "The Joe."
WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) held many wrestling shows at the arena. These included big pay-per-view events like Survivor Series in 1991, 1999, and 2005.
Joe Louis Arena was also a venue for figure skating. It hosted the 1994 U.S. Figure Skating Championships. It also hosted the 2013 Skate America competition.
The arena was a popular place for concerts. Many famous bands and singers performed there over the years. The very last concert at "The Joe" was Summer Jamz 20! on July 23, 2017.
See also
In Spanish: Joe Louis Arena para niños
