New Detroit Arena Preview

The new home for NHL’s Red Wings was reportedly modeled after Montreal’s Bell Centre and Tampa Bay’s Amalie Arena, according to the Detroit Free Press. The new venue features an open-air plaza area on the west side with a big screen that will air whatever event is going on at the time and can accommodate around 3,000 viewers – weather permitting. The lower bowl of the arena has 9,000 seats for hockey and 11,000 for basketball.

Two levels of suites have been designed at the 24th row with a total of 60 suites, all of which have been sold. The high-end suites can hold 40 people and seat 30. They also come equipped with five screens that have PowerPoint capabilities, lockable compartments, closets and two refrigerators, the Detroit Free Press reported. Seats at the facility are 21 inches wide compared with 18 at the Joe Louis Arena, which has been home to the Red Wings for decades.

The arena was built 37 feet into the ground so that it would blend into the surrounding area of retail shops and apartment buildings rather than tower over the district and look out of place.