Cobo Hall

Lore & Background

The facility and its attached arena initially cost $56 million. It was designed by the Detroit architectural firm Giffels & Rossetti and took four years to complete. Louis Rossetti was the chief architect. The facility is on the site where Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac, a French colonist, first set foot and landed on the banks of the river in July 1701 and claimed the area for France in the name of King Louis XIV. The first convention at the facility was the 43rd Auto Industry Dinner on October 17, 1960, at which President Dwight D. Eisenhower was the keynote speaker. In 1989, a renovation was completed to expand its size to 2,400,000 square feet (220,000 m2). Joe Louis Arena, named after boxer and former heavyweight champion Joe Louis, was built adjacent to the facility. It served as the home of the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League from 1979 until its closure in 2017 when the team moved to Little Caesars Arena. Demolition of the arena began in 2019. In 2009, the then mayor, Kenneth Cockrel Jr., vetoed the Detroit City Council's resolution against the expansion of the facility. Shortly after, the facility came under ownership and operation, through a 30-year capital lease, of the Detroit Regional Convention Facility Authority (DRCFA). The five-member Authority Board consists of one representative from each of five government agencies – the City of Detroit, State of Michigan and the three Metro Detroit counties of Wayne, Oakland and Macomb. Consensus agreement from the authority is needed for all decisions, and it has become a model for regional cooperation in Southeast Michigan. In October 2010, the DRCFA awarded a management contract to SMG, which merged with AEG Facilities to form ASM Global in 2019. It extended the contract for three years in September 2013 and again in June 2017. In 2015, a five-year, $279 million renovation was completed, including a new atrium, ballroom, and meeting spaces, constructed mainly within the former Cobo Arena building. In 2017, in the wake of the 50th anniversary of the 1967 Detroit riot, the then mayor, Mike Duggan, proposed that Cobo Center be renamed due to modern reappraisals of Cobo's tenure as mayor.

Reader's Guide

Huntington Place is 2,400,000-square-foot (220,000 m2) in size and has 723,000 square feet (67,200 m2) of exhibition space, with 623,000 square feet (57,900 m2) contiguous. It previously featured an arena, Cobo Arena, which hosted various concerts, sporting events, and other events. In 2015, the facility completed a renovation that repurposed the Cobo Arena space, adding additional meeting halls, a glass atrium with a view of the Detroit riverfront, and the 40,000-square-foot (3,700 m2) Grand Riverview Ballroom. It is served by the Detroit People Mover with its own station. Huntington Place has several large, attached parking garages, as well as parking on the roof of the facility, and direct access to the Lodge Freeway. The facility is located along the Detroit International Riverfront, and within walking distance of several downtown hotels.

Did You Know?

• Cobo Arena was the home court of the Detroit Pistons from 1961 to 1978.
• Martin Luther King Jr. delivered the original version of his 'I Have a Dream' speech at Cobo Arena on June 23, 1963.
• The facility was renamed Huntington Place in December 2021 after Huntington Bancshares acquired TCF.

Origins and Early Success in Fort Wayne

Before becoming a Detroit icon, the franchise began as a semi-professional company team sponsored by Fred Zollner, owner of a foundry manufacturing engine pistons. Founded in 1937 in Fort Wayne, Indiana, the Zollner Pistons transitioned to professional status in 1941 upon joining the National Basketball League. This era marked significant early dominance, with the club securing NBL championships in 1944 and 1945, alongside victories in the World Professional Basketball Tournament for three consecutive years starting in 1944. In 1948, the team joined the rival Basketball Association of America, eventually becoming a charter member when the two leagues merged to form the NBA in 1949. Notably, Zollner played a pivotal role in this merger, reportedly brokering the deal at his own kitchen table. Despite these early triumphs, the franchise faced dark clouds during the mid-1950s with serious allegations of point-shaving and game-fixing involving players and gamblers. These controversies culminated in a suspicious collapse during Game 7 of the 1955 NBA Finals against the Syracuse Nationals, where the Pistons squandered a commanding lead to lose on a final free throw.

The Move to Detroit and Decades of Struggle

In 1957, recognizing that Fort Wayne was too small to sustain an NBA franchise financially, owner Fred Zollner relocated the team to Detroit, a major automotive hub where professional basketball had been absent for a decade. The name 'Pistons' remained fitting given the city's industrial identity. Initially playing at Olympia Stadium and later moving to Cobo Arena in 1961, the team struggled through the 1960s and 70s despite featuring talented stars like George Yardley, Dave Bing, and Bob Lanier. This period was defined by poor management decisions, frequent coaching changes, and questionable trades that saw key players like Bailey Howell and Dave DeBusschere dealt away to championship contenders. Although the team found brief stability in the mid-1970s under new owner Bill Davidson, who purchased the franchise in 1974, they soon hit rock bottom. The 1979–80 season ended with a record-breaking 21-game losing streak that spanned into the following year. Dissatisfied with Cobo Arena but unwilling to share space with the Red Wings at the new Joe Louis Arena, Davidson controversially moved the team to the massive Silverdome in Pontiac for football-style games.

The Isiah Thomas Era and Championship Glory

Following years of instability, the franchise's fortunes transformed dramatically beginning in 1981 with the arrival of Isiah Thomas. This era marked a resurgence that would eventually lead to three NBA championships. The team first captured titles back-to-back in 1989 and 1990, establishing themselves as a formidable force known for their physical defense and tenacity. After a period of transition following Thomas's departure, the Pistons returned to the pinnacle of the league in 2004 with another championship victory. This third title was particularly notable as it came against heavily favored teams, cementing the franchise's reputation for overcoming odds through grit and teamwork. Throughout these successful decades, the team played their home games at various venues, including the Silverdome and later returning to downtown Detroit arenas, solidifying their place in NBA history as one of the league's 'Original Eight' charter members with a legacy of resilience.

Venue Evolution and Ownership Changes

The physical homes of the Pistons reflect the franchise's journey from small-town roots to major market prominence. However, as owner Bill Davidson grew dissatisfied with the facility and sought a larger capacity without competing directly with the Red Wings, he made the unconventional move to the Pontiac Silverdome in 1978. This football stadium offered an immense 82,000-seat capacity but presented unique challenges for basketball. The franchise's ownership also shifted significantly during this time; Fred Zollner, who founded the team and orchestrated its early league mergers, sold the club to glass magnate Bill Davidson in 1974. Davidson remained the principal owner until his death in 2009, overseeing the team through its darkest losing streaks, its relocation to the suburbs, and its eventual rise to three championship victories.