Palace Sports CEO: Open to talks with Ilitches on arena, Red Wings

**casscorridor** · May-18-10, 03:13 PM

My predictions--
1) Either Karmanos, Gilbert or Illitch buy the Pistons
2) Cobo Arena and Joe Louis Arena are torn down to make way for a Cobo Center expansion
3) a) Pistons and Wings move to the new area located somewhere on the Cobo/JLA site or b) to a Midtown arena near Woodward and Temple
4) Wings manage to remain Downtown during the construction of the new arena.
5) The Palace is eventually torn down
6) Chrysler moves Downtown within 30 years.
7) Auburn Hills enters into receivership by the state.

okay okay okay.... maybe not the last two, it is too hard to tell the future, but eventually every stadium is torn down. Also, regarding prediction 3, both have there pluses and minuses. Midtown arena = very large impact on Cass Park area, mostly a positive, although there will likely be displacement of residents by demolition, and gentrification. Cobo Arena = Downtown continues to benefit from Wings fans + Pistons fans, and they all get to use the People Mover, but there is less dramatic change in terms of transforming a neighborhood.

**BShea** · May-18-10, 03:39 PM

Dan Gilbert isn't going to buy the Pistons. He's in limbo until LeBron James makes a decision on his next contract. If King James leaves, the value of that franchise is about cut in half, and I can't see Gilbert taking a loss on the team while simultaneously trying to finance the purchase of the Pistons.

And Gilbert is building a casino in downtown Cleveland [[and another in Cincinnati) within sight of the Cavaliers' arena. I can't see him investing so much in Ohio [[he also moved some of his mortgage business there, and built a$20 million practice facility for the Cavs) and then giving up the crown jewel just to own the Pistons.

**R8RBOB** · May-18-10, 03:45 PM

My opinion is whoever buys the Pistons will move them back to Detroit. Auburn Hills was Bill Davidson's playground. It was open for anyone to take and he took it. He built the Palace and then he built his headquarters next door.

I caught this from Terry Foster's blog.
http://apps.detnews.com/apps/blogs/t...hp?blogid=1897

Back in March, Dan Gilbert suggested that it is time to knock down Cobo and Joe Louis and start anew. I agree but I would move the convention center away from the riverfront. I would love for Detroit to do something similar to what Los Angeles did with LA Live and there is plenty of land behind the Fox.

**econ expat** · May-18-10, 06:01 PM

Originally Posted by R8RBOB

My opinion is whoever buys the Pistons will move them back to Detroit. Auburn Hills was Bill Davidson's playground. It was open for anyone to take and he took it. He built the Palace and then he built his headquarters next door. .

Bill Davidson may as well have been given 'the bum's rush' from CAY's administration. Cobo Arena was not large or modern enough for a pro basketball team. There was no valid offer on the table to get a new arena built in Detroit. Add to that- To keep the Wings in the city, JAL was built. Then to sweeten the offer Olympia Entertainment [[not yet owned by Ilich, but run by Lincoln Cavilieri) was given the concessions for JLA as well as [[ouch) Cobo arena.
It sure was strange watching Pistons games at the Silverdome, but who else could provide enough seating for a pro team? There was no doubt they couldn't fill all those seats, though!
I gotta give him credit for assembling all that land in Pontiac Twp/Auburn Hills and building the Palace without bond issues and other gov't help.

**R8RBOB** · May-18-10, 07:36 PM

Originally Posted by econ expat

Bill Davidson may as well have been given 'the bum's rush' from CAY's administration. Cobo Arena was not large or modern enough for a pro basketball team. There was no valid offer on the table to get a new arena built in Detroit. Add to that- To keep the Wings in the city, JAL was built. Then to sweeten the offer Olympia Entertainment [[not yet owned by Ilich, but run by Lincoln Cavilieri) was given the concessions for JLA as well as [[ouch) Cobo arena.
It sure was strange watching Pistons games at the Silverdome, but who else could provide enough seating for a pro team? There was no doubt they couldn't fill all those seats, though!
I gotta give him credit for assembling all that land in Pontiac Twp/Auburn Hills and building the Palace without bond issues and other gov't help.

Mr. Davidson's accomplishments is well known and admired. Davidson did what was best for the Pistons at the time. It is all good. But, Mr. Davidson is gone and the Mrs. does not want to preserve what he built.

**DetroitPlanner** · May-19-10, 08:19 AM

I hear Matty Maroun is going to buy the Pistons and make Kid Rock a guard and put Dave Bing in as center! He will move the Pistons to the Silverdome and Ted Nugent and George Clinton are going to turn the Palace into a hunter's store to rival Cabellas.

Oh and the House of Blues and Cheesecake factory are looking for a spot downtown.

**R8RBOB** · May-20-10, 06:52 AM

http://www.freep.com/article/2010051...-Entertainment

The widow Davidson WANTS to sell the Pistons but she wants to sell the Pistons and Palace Sports and Entertainment together and it may be a long wait. The worst thing that a professional franchise could have is a disinterested owner and the longer Karen Davidson owns the Pistons, the team is going to suck in all forms.

**1KielsonDrive** · May-20-10, 11:13 AM

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

I hear Matty Maroun is going to buy the Pistons and make Kid Rock a guard and put Dave Bing in as center! He will move the Pistons to the Silverdome and Ted Nugent and George Clinton are going to turn the Palace into a hunter's store to rival Cabellas.

Oh and the House of Blues and Cheesecake factory are looking for a spot downtown.

This is the most accurate prognostication yet. Well though out, researched and professionally presented. Ha, ha. Thanks DP.

**Patrick** · May-20-10, 03:56 PM

Is it possible some outsider could snatch the Pistons and move them out of state?

**SpartanTom** · May-20-10, 03:58 PM

Originally Posted by Patrick

Is it possible some outsider could snatch the Pistons and move them out of state?

Detroit is a top-10 market, and the Pistons are an established brand here, so I highly doubt it.

**BShea** · May-21-10, 02:10 PM

I chatted with Palace Sports CEO Alan Ostfield this morning about a number of subjects, and among the things he said was that PS&E is open to talks about a joint Pistons/Wings arena and the Wings playing at the Palace temporarily -- even before the organization is sold.

CEO of Palace Sports and Entertainment says joint arena possible

By Bill Shea
The management company the runs the Palace of Auburn Hills and the Detroit Pistons â€” which are for sale â€” said today it hasnâ€™t ruled out any deal with rival Ilitch Holdings Inc. to cooperate on a joint arena or to act as temporary landlord to the Ilitch-owned Detroit Red Wings.
The door isnâ€™t closed on any deal even before a sale, said Alan Ostfield, president and CEO of Palace Sports and Entertainment, in an interview with Crainâ€™s on Friday.
â€œFrom this organizationâ€™s perspective, weâ€™ll do anything that makes good sense for us and the citizens of Southeast Michigan,â€ he said. â€œIf that means another team playing here, weâ€™re always happy to talk about that.â€

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...FREE/100529961

**BShea** · June-10-10, 09:58 AM

Doesn't bode well for a joint Pistons-Red Wings arena ... lawsuit also says Tom Wilson approached Karen Davidson about Olympia/Ilitches buying the Pistons/Palace Sports.

Palace Sports sues Olympia Entertainment over trade secrets

By Bill Shea
Speculation that Detroitâ€™s Olympia Entertainment Inc. might buy the Detroit Pistons is on ice now that the basketball team and its parent company are suing their potential suitor over accusations of information theft and unfair competition by employees that jumped ship.

The lawsuit was filed Tuesday in Oakland County Circuit Court by attorney James Roach of Bingham Farms-based Vercruysse Murray & Calzone P.C. A message was left for him this morning.

Auburn Hills-based Palace Sports & Entertainment is accusing its sports and entertainment industry rival of violations of Michiganâ€™s Trade Secrets Act, breach of contract, unfair competition and conspiracy by Olympia and former PS&E employees, according to the complaint.

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...FREE/100619996

**rb336** · June-10-10, 11:28 AM

Wish i could say I saw that coming, but I didn't. I was surprised until I realized that something like that was probably inevitable

**R8RBOB** · June-10-10, 04:10 PM

Well I guess this permanently kills all that talk about the Red Wings moving to the Palace temporary as they await a new arena. And to think that there were arguments on should the Wings go north to Auburn Hills or not.

**1KielsonDrive** · June-11-10, 12:33 AM

It's more than likely true. And it means very little in the context of a purchase of the Pistons and Palace Entertainment by the Illitch's. Lawsuits are just a part of the whole negotiating process. After all is said and done, the Illitch's would love a virtual monopoly in the Detroit metro entertainment market. And the Davidson's would love to give it to them - for the right price, all lawsuits aside. This is, regardless of the truth, a simple little catfight. The press is besides itself.

**Whaler** · June-11-10, 01:03 AM

So would this kill the Arena Downtown..Or more bargining power???

**BShea** · June-11-10, 10:05 AM

Originally Posted by 1KielsonDrive

The press is besides itself.

LOL ...

I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss human feelings and personalities. There is a long-running blood rivalry between these organizations.

That said, it will come down to who makes the best offer. There are people interested in the Pistons/Palace that have deeper pockets than the Ilitches. But it's still very early in the process.

**1KielsonDrive** · June-11-10, 01:04 PM

Originally Posted by BShea

LOL ...

I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss human feelings and personalities. There is a long-running blood rivalry between these organizations.

That said, it will come down to who makes the best offer. There are people interested in the Pistons/Palace that have deeper pockets than the Ilitches. But it's still very early in the process.

I think everything you said is accurate, my comments notwithstanding. Especially your last sentence. Time will tell.

**sirrealone** · June-11-10, 02:28 PM

You know, while I don't agree with some of the behaviors that they exhibited on the way out, I don't blame these people one bit for wanting to leave and being persuaded to do so by Wilson. The fact is that as long as Karen Davidson owns the team and they're for sale, the Pistons [[and the associated endeavors) are going nowhere. You simply cannot have organizations that big be successful with blatant owner disinterest.

Face facts. The Pistons of the last decade died with Bill Davidson. These people know it. As far as them e-mailing contact lists to their home e-mails, that I can't condone. But is it really worth that much? Probably not. Chances are they could have re-compiled the list by sitting around and 'brainstorming' the companies that they had. A few Google searches and they'd probably have the list 98% complete after a couple of days.

**raptor56** · July-13-10, 04:32 PM

A headline made for the Onion, or a not so far off probability? Here's a little nugget to chew on while you're standing next to that water cooler:

Pistons are purchased and moved to some other city. Palace Entertainment is left out of the purchase agreement. Olympia [[Illitch) purchases Palace Entertainment, which happens to include the Palace arena. Red Wings move from the Joe into the Palace as their new home for the next 10-15 years while the economy and prospects of financing a new arena improve. This solves the Joe Louis Arena lease issue, and puts Olympia Entertainment into a near monopoly on Detroit area concerts and events [[Comerica Park, the Palace, the Fox, Pine Knob, and Meadowbrook).

**iheartthed** · July-13-10, 04:46 PM

Please change this misleading title.

The Pistons aren't leaving Detroit.

**Dan** · July-13-10, 07:29 PM

Everything is right except the Pistons part, they will buy the Pistons too, and either operate the team for a short time, or sell the Pistons outright, but keeping Pine Knob, and keeping the Palace [[or at least the rights to produce shows at the Palace).