Joe Louis Arena - Definition and Overview

Joe Louis Arena, a.k.a. The Joe and JLA, is the home of the Detroit Red Wings National Hockey League franchise. The arena was named after boxer Joe Louis. It is located at 600 Civic Center Drive on the Detroit River with a view of Windsor, Ontario, Canada.

JLA is owned by the city of Detroit and operated by Olympia Entertainment, Inc., an Ilitch-owned company (the Ilitch family also owns Little Caesar's Pizza, the Red Wings, the Detroit Tigers MLB franchise, the Fox Theatre, and other Detroit-area interests). JLA replaced Olympia Stadium. It is adjacent to Cobo Hall. Several plans for a JLA replacement, one of the oldest active professional sport venues in North America, have been raised for years. As of 2004, no firm plan for a replacement is in place.

Some Detroit residents believe that the remains of Jimmy Hoffa, the infamous Teamsters chief last seen in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan in 1975, might be encased in the concrete of JLA. This theory has no known supporting evidence.

Statistics

• Built: 1979
• Construction Cost: $57 million
• Seating Capacity: 20,058 (including suites)
• Dimensions: 328 x 550 x 85 (ft?), approximately 12 million ft³ (340,000 m³)
• Home Team: Detroit Red Wings (NHL)
• Former Teams: Detroit Rockers (NPSL) 1996-2001, Detroit Pistons (NBA) for one game in 1984, Detroit Junior Red Wings (OHL) 1991-1995, Detroit Drive (Arena Football) 1988-1993
• Opening event: December 12, 1979, basketball game between the University of Michigan and the University of Detroit
• Opening hockey event: December 15, 1979, the Detroit Red Wings versus the St. Louis Blues
• Other events: concerts, John Hancock (Insurance) Champions On Ice, college hockey, college basketball, others
• Championships: Detroit Red Wings (1997, 1998 & 2002), Detroit Rockers (1991)