Red Wings: Renew lease with Joe Louis Arena vs. Build new Arena (Detroit: mover, new home)

[Dexterguy]

This has really been an ongoing argument for many years now, but it's 2009, and this is the year that the lease on the Joe Louis expires for the Red Wings. It has been debated for years that the Red Wings will move into a new Arena, that has yet to be built in the new "Stadium District".

Here's an older article:
New home for Red Wings? | detnews.com | The Detroit News (http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070405/METRO/704050388 - broken link)

What do you think is the best option for the Red Wings? Joe Louis is falling apart, at least from what I hear, and is badly in need of major renovation. But instead of renovating, do you think it would be better to move the Red Wings to the Stadium District along Ford Field and Comerica Park?

My opinion,
Personally, just my thought, I believe that the Red Wings should move to the Stadium District. I actually never believed in the Red Wings moving on the riverfront in the first place. An area does not belong on the riverfront, just another big Coleman Young mistake.

BUT, if the Red Wings move from the Joe, what will happen to the Joe?

-Well, demolish it, open that area up, expand on the waterfront living ideas, that area would be the absolute BEST area for waterfront living. That would also be an awesome area to build a small harbor, which they kind of did just to the west of the Joe and Cobo.

I would like to hear your comments on the Red Wings options, and the decling riverfront area (Joe Louis, Cobo Arena, Cobo Hall, Ford Auditorium).

[Jwo85]

If the money was ever there, I would love to see it renovated and the part facing the river be made into a glass wall so you can see Canada from the concourse. The arena is very intimidating to the visiting team and I don't think a new arena would have that feel. That is one of the main reasons why I would hate to see a new arena built.


If a new one was too be built, I hope its old school exterior like Olympia and the same bowl seating design as the JLA, so that when you sit anywhere, their is not really any bad sight lines.

[jonjj]

Detroit and Michigan have more pressing problems than a new arena for the Red Wings.

[Wingnatic]

I've ran a Wings fan website for many years now and we have talked about this before . It's about 50/50 with my members . My opinion is that a new rink should be built . Mr. Illitch has been buying property in that area for years now . The bad thing about the Joe is that it is so crammed into a small area , and it can get very congested with other events going on at Cobo and other places in that general area . If they tore down the Joe it would be prime area for something else . Parking for the Joe is a fiasco most games . The downtown area is in good shape and building a new rink in the Stadium district makes more sense because of possibly more room , the area needs new business because its run down , plus the could extend the people mover that now only goes as far as the downtown YMCA near Ford Field/Comerica Park area . Mr . I is a self made businessman , he's smart and I believe by buying all this land , he was thinking ahead and we'll see a new rink . He's a Detroiter 100% , he could have built a rink anywhere but chose to stay in Detroit .

[Jwo85]

Originally Posted by Wingnatic

I've ran a Wings fan website for many years now and we have talked about this before . It's about 50/50 with my members . My opinion is that a new rink should be built . Mr. Illitch has been buying property in that area for years now . The bad thing about the Joe is that it is so crammed into a small area , and it can get very congested with other events going on at Cobo and other places in that general area . If they tore down the Joe it would be prime area for something else . Parking for the Joe is a fiasco most games . The downtown area is in good shape and building a new rink in the Stadium district makes more sense because of possibly more room , the area needs new business because its run down , plus the could extend the people mover that now only goes as far as the downtown YMCA near Ford Field/Comerica Park area . Mr . I is a self made businessman , he's smart and I believe by buying all this land , he was thinking ahead and we'll see a new rink . He's a Detroiter 100% , he could have built a rink anywhere but chose to stay in Detroit .

Same could happen in Fox Town area with the Tigers and Wings playing at the same time as well any events at Ford Field (I.E. if the NCAA basketball tourneys)

[Dexterguy]

Originally Posted by Jwo85

If a new one was too be built, I hope its old school exterior like Olympia and the same bowl seating design as the JLA, so that when you sit anywhere, their is not really any bad sight lines.

I agree, I hope if they do build a new arena, it will look like Olympia, and why not name it Olympia Arena?

[Bhaalspawn]

What if they purchased the Silverdome site and then razed it to clear the way for a new arena?

[tabbcat]

I hope they don't move from the Joe... the atmosphere is what makes it for me, honestly. I live in Durham now, and the RBC Center, with all it's glitz and wine/cheese vendors... it just doesn't feel like hockey to me. Give me a concrete dungeon any day

[Jwo85]

Originally Posted by tabbcat

I hope they don't move from the Joe... the atmosphere is what makes it for me, honestly. I live in Durham now, and the RBC Center, with all it's glitz and wine/cheese vendors... it just doesn't feel like hockey to me. Give me a concrete dungeon any day

I know what you mean, after watching the painful of a game Saturday night, Nashville's Arena looked like a shopping mall with their escalators when FSN Detroit showed the concourses during intermissions.

[Crustedfilth]

Originally Posted by Bhaalspawn

What if they purchased the Silverdome site and then razed it to clear the way for a new arena?

that would be awesome. Get them out of that filth hole that is Detroit.

Not like Pontiac is much better tho. LOL