Joe Louis Arena

Lore & Background

The Red Wings had been playing at Olympia Stadium since 1927. By the late 1970s, the neighborhood around the Olympia had deteriorated, especially after the 1967 Detroit riot. In 1977, the Red Wings announced a move to a proposed arena in suburban Pontiac, but the city of Detroit countered with a riverfront arena proposal with lower rent and operational control of the arena, Cobo Arena, and parking lots. The Red Wings stayed in Detroit. The arena hosted its first event on December 12, 1979: a college basketball game between the University of Michigan and the University of Detroit. The Red Wings' first game at the Joe was December 27, 1979, a 3–2 loss to the St. Louis Blues; their first win came on December 30, 1979, defeating the New York Islanders 4–2. The 32nd NHL All-Star Game was held there on February 5, 1980, before a then-NHL record crowd of 21,002. The 1987 NHL Entry Draft was held there, though the first NHL Entry Draft in the United States was actually the 1988 draft in Inglewood, California. In 1980, the arena hosted the Republican National Convention that nominated Ronald Reagan. The Red Wings' final game at Joe Louis Arena was on April 9, 2017, a 4–1 win over the New Jersey Devils; the final goal was scored by Anthony Mantha. The last ticketed event was a WWE Live event on July 29, 2017. Demolition of the interior started in early 2019, exterior demolition in June 2019, and was completed by mid-2020. The site was redeveloped as Water Square, with a 25-story residential tower completed in February 2024 and a 600-room JW Marriott hotel expected in January 2027.

In Their Own Story

The November wind off the river cut through the parking lot, but inside, the air was thick and warm, heavy with the smell of hot dogs and the low hum of twenty thousand voices. A Lions fan in a faded navy-and-silver jacket stood near the concourse, a half-eaten bratwurst in one hand, watching the Red Wings warm up on the ice. He wasn't here for the hockey. He was here because it was a Friday, and the Lions game was tomorrow, and in Detroit, you didn't let a single evening of the week go to waste. The arena lights buzzed overhead, casting a cold blue glow over the rink, and somewhere in the stands, a child in a Lions jersey was screaming at a Red Wings player. He smiled. That was Detroit. That was the city. Two teams, two arenas, one unbreakable pride. He finished his bratwurst, checked his phone for the Lions' starting lineup, and headed for the exit. Tomorrow, the gridiron was calling.

Reader's Guide

Joe Louis Arena 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. It was owned by the city of Detroit and operated by Olympia Entertainment, a subsidiary of Ilitch Holdings. The arena housed 86 premium suites. In 2008, the Comerica Bank Legend's Club, a 181-person private seating location, was introduced. The arena hosted college hockey events as part of College Hockey at The Joe, the Great Lakes Invitational, and the Big Ten Conference hockey tournament in 2015 and 2017. The Detroit Pistons used the arena for Game 5 of their 1984 playoff series against the New York Knicks and for 15 games during the 1984–85 season after the Pontiac Silverdome roof collapsed. The Red Wings hosted the Stanley Cup Final six times (1995, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2008, 2009) and clinched two championships there (1997, 2002). The Pittsburgh Penguins won the Stanley Cup at the Joe in 2009. The arena hosted the decisive Game 5 of the 2006 WNBA Finals, where the Detroit Shock won the championship. The Detroit Drive of the Arena Football League played there, winning four ArenaBowls. WWE hosted Survivor Series in 1991, 1999, and 2005. The 1994 U.S. Figure Skating Championships were held there, known for the attack on Nancy Kerrigan. The 2013 Skate America figure skating competition was also held there. The Horizon League men's basketball tournament was held there in 2016 and 2017. The arena was also a concert venue; the first concert was on February 17, 1980, with Max Webster opening for Rush. The last concert was Summer Jamz 20! on July 23, 2017.

Did You Know?

• The arena was named after heavyweight champion Joe Louis, who grew up in Detroit.
• The Red Wings' first win at the Joe was on December 30, 1979, a 4–2 victory over the New York Islanders.
• The 1980 Republican National Convention, which nominated Ronald Reagan, was held at Joe Louis Arena.
• The arena's West Entrance was named the 'Gordie Howe Entrance' in 2006, with a bronze statue of Howe placed inside.
• The final goal in the arena's history was scored by Red Wings forward Anthony Mantha on April 9, 2017.