Little Caesars Arena

Lore & Background

The arena was designed by HOK with a unique 'deconstructed' layout. Buildings housing retail, the box office, and Red Wings offices are built outside the arena, connected by a glass-roofed concourse that remains open year-round. The eight-story bowl sits 40 feet below street level, with a gondola seating level suspended above the stands. The exterior can display video projections. A practice ice rink inside serves the Red Wings, Little Caesars AAA Hockey Club, and Little Caesars Amateur Hockey League. The Bell Centre in Montreal was cited as a major influence on the design.

Construction began with a groundbreaking on September 25, 2014. Mass excavation started on April 24, 2015, after a zoning change. The Park Avenue Hotel was demolished on July 11, 2015, to make room for the loading dock. The ice surface construction began on January 5, 2017, and changes to accommodate the Pistons started on February 16, 2017. The goal horn from Joe Louis Arena was not moved; an amplified recording was used initially, but a new horn matching the old model, using compressed air, was installed before the 2023–24 season.

The arena was intended to anchor the District Detroit, a $2.1 billion, 650,000-square-foot sports and entertainment district with mixed-use neighborhoods. However, this development has not materialized, drawing local and national attention.

Reader's Guide

Little Caesars Arena is notable as the shared home of the Detroit Red Wings and Detroit Pistons, replacing two separate venues. Its design, influenced by the Bell Centre, features a deconstructed layout with a year-round glass-roofed concourse intended to function as a public street. The arena was part of a larger, unfulfilled plan for the District Detroit, a $2.1 billion mixed-use development. The arena's construction involved public funding, with about 58% of the cost from public tax dollars. The goal horn controversy—where the old horn was replaced by an amplified recording, then later by a new compressed-air model—reflects fan engagement with arena traditions. The arena's practice rink serves amateur hockey, and its bowl design includes a gondola seating level and exterior video projection capability.

Did You Know?

• The arena's concourse is covered by a clear plastic roof and remains open year-round even without events.
• The goal horn from Joe Louis Arena was not moved because its compressed nitrogen gas could not be safely stored.
• The arena was designed by HOK and features a 'deconstructed' layout with retail buildings outside the main structure.
• The arena's bowl floor is 40 feet below street level.