86 replies to this topic

[Toggers]

JLA is only 30 years old. What exactly is inadequate about it? The problem with this throwaway society is that people always want a new toy. Look at the Silverdome. People were crazy about it; it recently sold for $500,000 or something like that. The Italians could somehow get 2000 years out of a stadium/structure, but we want a new one every few years.  Maybe we should replace Comerica Park, I mean it's more than 10 years old.

[The Axe]

The Joe is ok, but the location is poor. The area where comerica and ford are is really on the upswing.

[shoe]

Corporate box seats

[evilmrt]

Have you seen the construction photos for the Joe? It certainly wasn't designed like the Romans built things lol.

It was inferior to the Olympia the moment it opened. It has little to do with age. Thanks, try again.

[GoWings1905]

I'm not entirely opposed to the Red Wings staying at JLA as I enjoy going there, but in all honesty it's quite inadequate as a sporting venue. Besides the sight lines and memories in the building, there aren't many other redeeming qualities.

I go to sporting events for the product itself, though the total package is nice considering the cost to attend. The Joe is a dump inside. The lack of restrooms, crowded and unappealing concourse, uncomfortable seats for us tall humans and there's nothing around the arena either. Everyone walks out through the same exit, so it takes 15 minutes to even get out of there after the game.

As has been mentioned, the area around Comerica Park, Ford Field and the Fox Theatre is better developed. Building a new arena there makes a lot of sense.

I agree with the throwaway premise of society and generally these new venues come at some cost to the taxpayers as well. I don't think moving for the sake of it is desirable. However, in this case, the Red Wings genuinely need a new arena to play their home games.

[Echolalia]

Oh my god yes the Joe needs to be replaced. The Wings have accumulated many awesome memories there, but that arena is terribly designed. Uncomfortable seats, no leg-room, terrible bathrooms which are also lacking. Need more box seats and better location as already stated. The whole thing is a concrete sarcophogas with no visual appeal, outside or inside. I am so ready for a new arena.

[irishock]

Weren't there rumors about relocating to Nashville a couple years back? Or was it just a quality troll job?

[Richdg]

The Joe is boring at best. But the real reason to replace it is money. A new arena will increase revenues. It is that simple.

[GMRwings1983]

I'm a sucker for history, so I wish they'd keep it.  There's plenty of sporting venues around the world that have been around since the beginning of the last century.  

 

The JLA isn't even close to the age those buildings are.  

[FireCaptain]

Cup holders!

[haroldsnepsts]

JLA is only 30 years old. What exactly is inadequate about it? The problem with this throwaway society is that people always want a new toy. Look at the Silverdome. People were crazy about it; it recently sold for $500,000 or something like that. The Italians could somehow get 2000 years out of a stadium/structure, but we want a new one every few years.  Maybe we should replace Comerica Park, I mean it's more than 10 years old.

I have a lot of fond memories and nostalgia for the Joe, but the place is a dump.  It already wasn't great when I started going there in the mid 80s and certainly hasn't improved with age. 

 

What inadequate about it?  Virtually everything but the sight lines.  Location, appearance, getting in and out of the building, concessions, bathrooms...

[GMRwings1983]

Do people spend the entire game in the bathroom or something?

 

[newfy]

Ive sat 6th row at the Joe where the seats were torn up and ripped a bit. Theres no room to walk in the concourse and it is getting run down. I hope they keep a similar rink design. Nice steep seats so you see well even in the upper bowl and have great sight lines but get a nicer concourse and walk ways. Update the bathrooms, I dont mind but peeing in a trough isnt for everyone anymore

[haroldsnepsts]

Do people spend the entire game in the bathroom or something?

 

I haven't been to the Joe in a while, but the problem used to be spending the entire time in line for the bathroom, not the actual going to the bathroom part. 

[GoWings1905]

Do people spend the entire game in the bathroom or something?
 

The wait is about that long.

[Hiei]

Also, for those of you who have some seniority in Detroit, under whose city administration was the Joe built?  Yeap.  That one.

 

Just because something works ok enough for a long time doesn't mean you shouldn't upgrade.  Just because your car could run for 30 years doesn't mean you have to have it for 30 years.

[dirtydangles]

I think the Joe could have a major overhaul of the seating and the washrooms a bit and it would be just fine. Replace all the seats with more comfortable ones with cup holders and everyone would be sound as a pound. They already did some work on the washrooms. Then upgrade the technology and id be happy for 10-20 more years.

[haroldsnepsts]

Also, for those of you who have some seniority in Detroit, under whose city administration was the Joe built?  Yeap.  That one.

 

Just because something works ok enough for a long time doesn't mean you shouldn't upgrade.  Just because your car could run for 30 years doesn't mean you have to have it for 30 years.

WTF does it matter whose administration it was built under?? Are you seriously trying to pin the deficiencies of the stadium on that? 

 

Nevermind. Just stay on topic about the arena. 

[redwingsindiana]

Last year during preseason, we did the Detroit-Toronto-Detroit trip for three games in three days.  After attending the Toronto house, I realized what a poor but adequate arena the Joe really is.  Concourse is small, rest rooms aargh, and the travel to and from is brutal.  Joe is ok but there are much better rinks around the league.  That being said, most new arena builds, regardless of the sport, are purely accounting based decisions.  Not done for the fans, but for the bottom line.

[hathorlive]

Hello!  Long time reader, first time poster.   I am cautious about the new arena because the firm hired to design a new arena is the same one used for the American Airlines arena in Dallas.  And if you've been there, you can understand my concern.  The top tier seats need TVs to see what's going on at the ice.  The mid tier seats are decent but not for the money.  The only way you can see anything on the ice in Dallas is to be sitting in the best seats of the lower section. 

 

I fear a new arena will dramatically raise ticket prices and result in bad sight lines.