Joe Louis Arena

Joe Louis Arena opened on December 12, 1979, replacing the aging Olympia Stadium as the home of the Detroit Red Wings. Built at a cost of $57 million, the arena was owned by the City of Detroit and operated by Olympia Entertainment. Over its 38-year history, the venue hosted four Stanley Cup Finals, with the Red Wings winning the championship in 1997, 1998, 2002, and 2008. The arena also hosted the Detroit Pistons briefly in 1985, as well as arena football, lacrosse, and indoor soccer teams. The Red Wings played their final game at the arena in April 2017 before moving to the new Little Caesars Arena. The venue closed in July 2017 and demolition began in early 2019, with completion by mid-2020. The site is now a parking area along the Detroit riverfront.

The arena was affectionately nicknamed 'The Joe' by fans and media. It was named after heavyweight boxing champion Joe Louis, who grew up in Detroit and was one of the first African American sports heroes. The venue featured a distinctive octagonal scoreboard that became a signature element of the arena. The Red Wings retired the numbers of numerous legendary players including Steve Yzerman, Gordie Howe, and Ted Lindsay, with their banners hanging from the rafters. The arena was one of the few remaining NHL venues without corporate naming rights, keeping the Joe Louis name throughout its entire history.