What is going on at Red Wings arena site?

[Mackinaw]

An arena/stadium can surely inspire and be an icon for a city, but even the best generally remain a mere footnote, something that is great to see a big game or event at, someplace that you remember when you see images of its exterior on TV [[which will generally account for 1/1000th of the TV imagery given that, in sports, the cameras are focused on the ice/court/field, which is the same everywhere).

The Barclays Center is the most advanced and all around best modern arena. It's rightfully acclaimed. It always catches my eye when I walk down Atlantic/Flatbush Avenues. It's a validation on Brooklyn's return as a glorious city center. But, in reality, it's just a place to watch a ballgame or a concert once you've saved up enough money. Thankfully, it has outstanding sight lines and acoustics, and kind of reinvented what the interior space of an arena is supposed to look like. That said, you can only take that so far. And the arena, though a spectacle, can only do so much [[really, not that much) to change the on-the-ground realities of Brooklyn. There's still underutilized space, there's still violence, there's still outrageously conceived housing projects, just blocks away. So I'm glad that the world has a new image [[among many) to remember Brooklyn and NYC by, but I'm willing to admit that the primary benefit, in reality, is 1) it's cool to look it; 2) it's awesome to watch a game at when you can afford it...and 3) it employs people.

Guess what, #2/3 are true of even the Joe Louis Arena, and at least in the case of Brooklyn #3 was a big deal because there was no arena there previously. Detroit is not growing the employment pool by moving from the riverfront to lower Midtown, except in ancillary development we hope for [[and frankly, the retail and hotels and residential that are being promised may already have been there, today, at least on a level comparable to the rest of Midtown, had Illitch not cockblocked the district for the last decade-ish). And, circling back to #1, JLA is kind of iconic for other reasons: it's name, it's location, and the amazing sports and entertainment that has occurred there.

I'm excited about the best-case scenario potential for the new arena. If the design is as grand as Barclays, and if the ancillary development all occurs in short order, there will be nothing but applause and satisfaction from me. But if there are defects a la Comerica Park [[poor seating arrangement, bland design), and if Illitch fails to create an atmospheric urban district [[i.e. removes historic buildings and replaces them with plazas and garages), I will be completely disappointed, except for the part of me that will eventually settle with it and say [[well, at least my out of town guests don't need to see post-apocalyptic moonscape anytime we head from downtown to midtown). Oddly enough, Comerica Park has a nice nationwide reputation [[it's pleasing to view on the TV, overlooks downtown nicely, and is hospitable to the first-time visitor) but obviously isn't iconic....Ford Field too, and for some better reasons such as outstanding interior design and historic rehabilitation. It's a solid facility built to last, but not landmark.

All I can say is we better get a fucking icon that blows away all other hockey facilities and Detroit's other stadia: I frankly cannot think of any architecturally iconic NHL rinks [[except Barclays effective next year). All are basically boxes or faux replays of the actual traditional icons of the original 6 era. There are a couple of subtly iconic college rinks, i.e. Yost, but really not pro rinks that offer unique architecture. At this point, your best currency for being recognized is reputation/name and history: MSG, JLA, etc. So if we are giving up on JLA and its identity and history, we need something beyond best in class...the hockey version of the best modern sports facilities you've ever been to or seen on TV [[Seattle's football stadium? Arlington's oversize stadium? the under-construction football stadium in Minneapolis?). If Minneapolis is somehow going to have the coolest football stadium in the world, Detroit better get the best hockey arena.

...In closing let me fit this rant into the context of this toe-tapping thread: I don't mind if they take their time. Get it right. Convert those blurry-eyed, press-release conceptual renderings into an even better real blueprint. Get the best materials. Hire the best people. Put our public financing to work now that you've plundered it.

[teague]

The Barclays Center is the most advanced and all around best modern arena.

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The Barclays Center is so advanced and modern that it's only good for basketball. Almost anything inside the blue line is considered to have limited view seats for hockey. Most of the fans in that zone can't see any action from the faceoff circles on in, while many of the folks along the sides will have to turn their heads past 45 degrees. Did I mention the railings obstructing views as well? It's the absolute worst for watching a hockey game.

The new Detroit Arena has a deconstructed design with the first ever glass-covered interior streetscape, plus an LED-lit roof. I like the fact that they went with something unique and not the usual cookie-cutter setup. They have also hired Rossetti[[who worked on the Palace) to make sure it has the best sighlines for hockey. Bringing in Tom Wilson was huge because he has plenty of experience with building something that has never been done before. After all, he was Davidson's right-hand man when the Palace was built with the suite setup which all new arenas replicated thereafter.