Quote Originally Posted by Gistok View Post
OK.... if someone else buys the Pistons/Palace, et al....

Why on earth would Mike Ilitch want to move out to the distant Palace for a few year [[while a new arena were being built downtown), if he doesn't own the Palace?

It makes absolutely no sense whatsoever!!

If he does build anew downtown... then he'll just stay at the Joe until it is done, where he's already getting the ticket fees and concessions. Why would he want to share that with a new Palace owner, when he can retain all the profits alone from the Joe??

As for a rebuild of the Joe... I highly doubt it... no room for any JLA expansion... and it will hinder the possibility for future Cobo Expansion.
Without the Pistons under the same roof as the Wings it will be extremely hard for him to secure private financing to build the stadium. The Ilitches will need the private financing even if they were to get partial public financing, but in this economic climate it's a pipe dream to think that they would be able to secure public financing. Then there are the regional economic indicators: how does he convince a private financier to contribute funds to building a new arena in a region that is posting the steepest income drops in America? How do you finance a major league arena in the only American state to have contracted in population over the past decade? Securing the financing under those conditions would probably be enough of a stretch with the promise of revenue streams from two different professional sports organizations, let alone just one.

So with all of this in mind... I find it hard to envision a new Red Wings arena that is not shared with the Pistons. If it does happen any time soon, it will be financed significantly by the Ilitches themselves.