Joe Louis Arena
Joe Louis Arena was an arena in Downtown Detroit. Completed in 1979 at a cost of US$57 million as a replacement for Olympia Stadium, it sat adjacent to Cobo Center on the bank of the Detroit River and was accessible by the Joe Louis Arena station on the Detroit People Mover. The venue was named after former heavyweight champion boxer Joe Louis, who grew up in Detroit.
The Joe | |
| Address | 19 Steve Yzerman Drive |
|---|---|
| Location | Detroit, Michigan |
| Coordinates | 42°19′31″N 83°3′5″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 ($239 million in 2023 dollars) |
| Architect | SmithGroupJJR |
| 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) | |
It was the home of the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League and the second oldest NHL venue after Madison Square Garden until the start of the 2017–18 NHL season. Joe Louis Arena was owned by the city of Detroit, and operated by Olympia Entertainment, a subsidiary of team owner Ilitch Holdings.
In April 2017, the Red Wings hosted their final game at Joe Louis Arena; the venue was succeeded by Little Caesars Arena. The arena closed in July 2017. Demolition started in early 2019 and was completed by mid-2020. A 25-story residential tower called the Residences at Water Square opened at the site in February 2024.