History
Built by the City of Detroit beside Cobo Hall, Joe Louis Arena opened in December 1979 and took over from the aging Olympia as the Red Wings' home. Named for the heavyweight champion, it was known simply as 'the Joe'.
The arena hosted the 1980 Republican National Convention and the 1987 NHL draft, but it is chiefly remembered for the Red Wings' run of the late 1990s and 2000s, with Stanley Cups clinched on home ice in 1997 and 2002 and six Final series staged there.
After the Red Wings moved to Little Caesars Arena in 2017, the building closed that July. Because it stood so close to the convention center, it was taken apart piece by piece instead of imploded, starting in 2019 and finishing in 2020. A residential tower and hotel now rise on the land.
Why it matters: The Red Wings' home for 38 seasons, where they clinched Stanley Cups in 1997 and 2002, and the site of the 1980 RNC.
Timeline
- May 16, 1977Groundbreaking[1]
Construction began on the riverfront arena.
- December 12, 1979First event[1]
A Michigan vs. University of Detroit college basketball game opened the building.
- December 27, 1979
The Red Wings lost 3-2 to St. Louis in their first game at the arena.
- 1980Republican National Convention[1]
The 1980 RNC that nominated Ronald Reagan was held at the arena.
- 1997First of two Cup clinchers at home[1]
The Red Wings clinched the Stanley Cup at the arena in 1997 and again in 2002.
- April 9, 2017
Detroit beat New Jersey 4-1 in the last NHL game at the Joe.
- July 29, 2017Last ticketed event[1]
A WWE live event was the final ticketed event.
- May 28, 2019
The City of Detroit began demolition, managed by the Detroit Building Authority; the final steel came down in March 2020.
The site today
| Physical status | Site redeveloped[1,3,4] |
|---|---|
| Current use | Water Square redevelopment; The Residences at Water Square tower opened February 2024 with a JW Marriott hotel under construction[1] |
| Mapped location | Approximate historic location |
Teams & events
| Detroit Red Wings | NHL · 1979–2017 |
|---|---|
| Detroit Pistons | NBA · 1985 · secondary |
| Detroit Drive | Arena Football League · 1988–1993 · tenant |
| Detroit Junior Red Wings | OHL · 1992–1995 · tenant |
Listed here are organizations that used this physical venue. A franchise's history and a venue's history are tracked separately.
Venue facts
| Other names | The Joe |
|---|---|
| Location | 19 Steve Yzerman Drive, Downtown Detroit riverfront, Detroit, Michigan[1] |
| Venue type | Arena |
| Sports | Hockey, Football, Basketball, Boxing & wrestling |
| Level | NHL, NBA, AFL, NCAA, Minor League |
| Opened | December 12, 1979[1,2] |
| Last used for sports | July 29, 2017[1,2,4] |
| Demolished | 2019–2020[1,3,4] |
| Physical status | Site redeveloped |
| Original capacity | 19,275[1] |
| Final capacity | 20,027[1] |
| Capacity notes | Hockey capacity 19,275 (1979-1989) rising to 20,066 (2003-2014), final 20,027 (2014-2017); basketball 20,153. |
| Architect | Smith, Hinchman & Grylls[1] |
| Construction cost | $57 million (Wikipedia); CBS Detroit cites $34 million[1] |
| Owner / operator | City of Detroit (owner); Olympia Entertainment (operator)[1,3] |
| Closure | The Red Wings moved to the new Little Caesars Arena in 2017. |
Documented details
Connected venues
Sources
- Joe Louis Arena (Wikipedia), Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: address, architect, capacity, closed, construction cost, coordinates, current land use, demolished, events, opened, owner operator, teams
- This day in history: Red Wings play first game at Joe Louis Arena in 1979, CBS News Detroit. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: closed, opened, teams
- Joe Louis Arena - Planning & Economic Development presentation (Oct. 24, 2019), City of Detroit. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: demolished, owner operator
- Final stage of Joe Louis Arena demolition takes place on Wednesday, FOX 2 Detroit. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: closed, demolished
Research confidence
Key facts on this page (opening, closing, status and location) are each supported by sources, with key dates corroborated by at least two independent sources. Last reviewed 2026-10-19.
Where sources disagree (3)
- Opening: Wikipedia gives the December 12, 1979 college basketball game as the first event; CBS Detroit frames the December 27, 1979 Red Wings game as the opening.
- Demolition start: City of Detroit says May 28, 2019; FOX 2 says exterior work began June 2019 (Wikipedia: interior early 2019, exterior June 2019).
- Cost: Wikipedia $57 million vs CBS Detroit $34 million.
See something wrong or missing? Suggest a correction or submit a source.