$100 Million Deal to Name the Palace in the Works

**warsaw7** · January-12-15, 12:33 PM

Well so much for that talk of the Pistons moving downtown

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...could-hit-100m

**1953** · January-12-15, 12:38 PM

What if downtown boosters were to buy the naming rights?

The "Need to Move Downtown" Palace of Auburn Hills

**iheartthed** · January-12-15, 04:01 PM

It almost certainly won't be a long term deal [[i.e. $100M deal), like the sensational headline is claiming. The Palace would be nearly 50 years old building and most likely past the end of its useful life in 20 years.

**mtburb** · January-12-15, 04:17 PM

I have the perfect name.

The Palace of Rural Auburn Hills-Until We Improve and Move to Detroit

**401don** · January-12-15, 06:43 PM

The Cow Palace. Oh yeah, already taken.

**Hypestyles** · January-12-15, 07:51 PM

i'm not a fan of this, since it means that it means at least 10+ more years in north Oakland county. Oh well.

**rb336** · January-12-15, 07:58 PM

They are sooooo over-reaching on this. They would get the low end of it, and no one in their right mind would take more than a 5-year deal. The point of naming rights is publicity - namely TV, national TV, and I don't see the Pistons being much of a draw to a national audience

**Dbest** · January-12-15, 08:56 PM

Tom Gores is a snake-skin oil salesman. The Palace sucks and its buried out in the "sticks" for visitors from out of state. I'd go to games more when I visited if it weren't an hour away from where we are staying DOWNTOWN. I feel the same way about the Palace as I did the Silverdome..I have fond memories of games in both but they have served their purpose.

**sirrealone** · January-14-15, 12:53 PM

Except for the seat cushions, which I've never cared for since the day it opened, the Palace is very well kept up and a very modern facility. After 25 years, it still looks current, kept up, and cared for. It does not 'show it's age' as many facilities of the same age likely would. Due to the forward thinking of Mr. Davidson in the number of suites and the placement throughout the arena, the facility has never been seen as outdated, and it is very well suited to support the basketball team from an operational and financial standpoint.

I agree that the location is not ideal. A downtown stadium would be ideal for the Pistons to play, but we have to play the cards we're dealt.

**nain rouge** · January-14-15, 01:03 PM

In the sticks? The Palace is near the heart of Metro Clarkston, a metro area that includes all of Detroit and its suburbs, as well as parts of Flint [[the desirable parts).

**Mackinaw** · January-14-15, 03:42 PM

Palace is just desperately driving the hype train with these statements. They'll be moved out within 20 years, easy. Who would associate their name with forthcoming decrepitude?

They'll be lucky to get a 10 year deal.

**stinkytofu** · January-14-15, 05:06 PM

Originally Posted by sirrealone

Except for the seat cushions, which I've never cared for since the day it opened, the Palace is very well kept up and a very modern facility. After 25 years, it still looks current, kept up, and cared for. It does not 'show it's age' as many facilities of the same age likely would. Due to the forward thinking of Mr. Davidson in the number of suites and the placement throughout the arena, the facility has never been seen as outdated, and it is very well suited to support the basketball team from an operational and financial standpoint.

I agree that the location is not ideal. A downtown stadium would be ideal for the Pistons to play, but we have to play the cards we're dealt.

Yeah, it almost sucks that it is so nice. If it were a dump it'd be super logical to move them downtown. There of course still are good arguments for that, but the Palace has been kept up really well over time.

**401don** · January-14-15, 05:38 PM

I agree that Pistons fans are tired of driving to the Palace. If the current team continues to play well attendance will improve, how could it not, but it will be mostly on weekends. The walk-up crowds, especially weekdays, are a thing of the past. The announced attendance will continue to be greatly exaggerated.

**Wesley Mouch** · January-14-15, 05:43 PM

Detroit is probably the only major market where two major league sports stadiums are NOT named after some rat corporation. We should be happy we survived the last 20 years with the Palace and the Joe.

It'll be 'Kayrouz Jumaya' arena and 'Who's Your Daddy Stadium' soon enough.

MAcc · January-14-15, 06:09 PM

Good for them. I love the Palace.

You guys are such Detroit proper homers. There's a reason it's the most successful venue in the US: perfect centralized location, easy in easy out, your don't get harassed by homeless, you don't have to gas up before you hit 8 Mile, you don't have to worry about coming back to a broken window. And further, form the owner's perspective, not having to deal with Wayne County and Detroit shakedown artists is a Godsend.

**warsaw7** · January-14-15, 09:06 PM

Originally Posted by MAcc

Good for them. I love the Palace.

You guys are such Detroit proper homers. There's a reason it's the most successful venue in the US: perfect centralized location, easy in easy out, your don't get harassed by homeless, you don't have to gas up before you hit 8 Mile, you don't have to worry about coming back to a broken window. And further, form the owner's perspective, not having to deal with Wayne County and Detroit shakedown artists is a Godsend.

Are you nuts? Show me the facts behind your claim that it is the most successful venue in the US. Perfect centralized location?! On whose account?! Getting out of the place is a quest in itself. And on top of that, there is nothing, and I repeat nothing, to do around there. So please do us all a favor and please leave the pool immediately.

**Gistok** · January-14-15, 10:46 PM

Originally Posted by MAcc

Good for them. I love the Palace.... a Godsend.

When you live 2 cornfields north of 53 Mile Rd. and have easy access to the WWF Smackdowns and Tractor Pulls.... I guess it would be Nirvana.....

**mtburb** · January-14-15, 10:59 PM

Originally Posted by MAcc

You guys are such Detroit proper homers. There's a reason it's the most successful venue in the US: perfect centralized location, easy in easy out, your don't get harassed by homeless, you don't have to gas up before you hit 8 Mile, you don't have to worry about coming back to a broken window. And further, form the owner's perspective, not having to deal with Wayne County and Detroit shakedown artists is a Godsend.

Then you must've never lived within the city proper, where you rent a two-flat near Grand River and Warren and in that two-flat you receive Social Security checks, have medical insurance and Medicaid, provide the best as you can for you and your children, earn wages at jobs easily accessible on DDOT, keep up with the latest fashions, shop at the dollar store and subscribe to cable to watch the Pistons loose anyway without crossing 8 Mile while also using it to watch QVC, HSN, Spongebob, the Disney Channel, Mixels and so forth.

**Bham1982** · January-15-15, 10:26 AM

Originally Posted by warsaw7

Are you nuts? Show me the facts behind your claim that it is the most successful venue in the US.

It's often ranked the highest revenue arena in the U.S. The owners keep 100% of revenues. Not a penny in taxpayer dollars spent on the arena. It's a cash goldmine.

Originally Posted by warsaw7

Perfect centralized location?! On whose account?!

It's 15 minutes from most of the state's wealth. It's in the middle of the state's economic engine. Given that arena revenues are pretty much based on luxury suite desirability, it could hardly be better located.

Originally Posted by warsaw7

Getting out of the place is a quest in itself. And on top of that, there is nothing, and I repeat nothing, to do around there. So please do us all a favor and please leave the pool immediately.

The Palace is a destination in itself. Saying a destination isn't a destination because there aren't adjacent destinations is kind of nonsensical. It's also wrong in this case, as there are many things in proximity, but it's irrelevant anyways, as if a Tuesday night basketball game or concert will be typically followed by a midnight visit to an art museum or water park or something.

**Bham1982** · January-15-15, 10:28 AM

Originally Posted by mtburb

Then you must've never lived within the city proper, where you rent a two-flat near Grand River and Warren and in that two-flat you receive Social Security checks, have medical insurance and Medicaid, provide the best as you can for you and your children, earn wages at jobs easily accessible on DDOT, keep up with the latest fashions, shop at the dollar store and subscribe to cable to watch the Pistons loose anyway without crossing 8 Mile while also using it to watch QVC, HSN, Spongebob, the Disney Channel, Mixels and so forth.

Honestly, arena owners don't give two s---- about this demographic. It means nothing to the bottom line. Even the upper middle class folks paying $50 a ticket aren't particularly important in terms of bottom line. Owners mostly care about suites.

**bailey** · January-15-15, 11:21 AM

Originally Posted by Bham1982

Honestly, arena owners don't give two s---- about this demographic. It means nothing to the bottom line. Even the upper middle class folks paying $50 a ticket aren't particularly important in terms of bottom line. Owners mostly care about suites.

100% agreed... also it's too nice and too PAID FOR to ever think about moving for any reason.

Personally, for me, you can't pay me to go to anything at the Palace. I will go there only under extreme duress and comped tickets WITH a parking pass up front. But then again, I'm not the demo for arena concerts, Spongebob ice-capades, and terrible basketball.

I do wonder how long those suites will get the premium prices though if the main "glamour" draw [[Pistons) continues to have a terrible product. Occasionally the camera accidentally pans up on all those empty seats...and a lot of those suites are dark too.

**iheartthed** · January-15-15, 11:53 AM

Originally Posted by bailey

100% agreed... also it's too nice and too PAID FOR to ever think about moving for any reason.

I don't think that's the entire picture. The Nets are rumored to be for sale and will probably sell for 5 to 10 times what they were bought for less than 5 years ago. Part of it is increasing value of NBA teams in general, but an even bigger part of it is them moving 10 miles east and crossing the river from New Jersey to Brooklyn. That's just for the team alone and not the stadium they play in, which is not for sale right now.

The Pistons aren't the Nets and Detroit ain't New York -- those differences are obvious -- but it's hard to imagine that the Pistons aren't worth more playing in downtown Detroit than they are in Auburn Hills.

**bailey** · January-15-15, 12:20 PM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

I don't think that's the entire picture. The Nets are rumored to be for sale and will probably sell for 5 to 10 times what they were bought for less than 5 years ago. Part of it is increasing value of NBA teams in general, but an even bigger part of it is them moving 10 miles east and crossing the river from New Jersey to Brooklyn. That's just for the team alone and not the stadium they play in, which is not for sale right now.

The Pistons aren't the Nets and Detroit ain't New York -- those differences are obvious -- but it's hard to imagine that the Pistons aren't worth more playing in downtown Detroit than they are in Auburn Hills.

Well, the pistons are only part of the picture here. Moving them downtown would require either a new stadium at half a billion dollars or sharing a venue with Palace Entertainment's direct competitor. the Palace is already going to take a hit when the new Olympia gets up and running and can compete for concerts that the JLA couldn't.... I'm doubting Gores is going to be keen on splitting the box office with Illlitch for Piston's games too.

Now if some third party comes in and JUST buys the pistons? who knows. But I'm not sure the Pistions as a franchise or the market has that kind of juice ... It was only a couple of years ago that the Pistons had the best attendance in Basketball.

**warsaw7** · January-15-15, 12:23 PM

Originally Posted by Bham1982

The Palace is a destination in itself. Saying a destination isn't a destination because there aren't adjacent destinations is kind of nonsensical. It's also wrong in this case, as there are many things in proximity, but it's irrelevant anyways, as if a Tuesday night basketball game or concert will be typically followed by a midnight visit to an art museum or water park or something.

Your attempt to try persuade me failed once you hit this paragraph. There are no restaurants or bars outside of the Palace like many other venues. So if I wanted to grab a drink or a bite to eat before the game, where do I go? Somewhere in Auburn Hills? Oh and then I have to drive to the Palace and get caught in traffic?! No thanks.

And for the record quit trolling, you troll on Detroit way too much.

**Gistok** · January-15-15, 12:28 PM

Originally Posted by Bham1982

It's often ranked the highest revenue arena in the U.S. The owners keep 100% of revenues. Not a penny in taxpayer dollars spent on the arena. It's a cash goldmine.

It's 15 minutes from most of the state's wealth. It's in the middle of the state's economic engine. Given that arena revenues are pretty much based on luxury suite desirability, it could hardly be better located.

The Palace is a destination in itself. Saying a destination isn't a destination because there aren't adjacent destinations is kind of nonsensical. It's also wrong in this case, as there are many things in proximity, but it's irrelevant anyways, as if a Tuesday night basketball game or concert will be typically followed by a midnight visit to an art museum or water park or something.

No, what is nonsensical is the fact that you wax poetically about how being in the middle of north-central Oakland County really matters.... In case you didn't check there ARE other high income areas that are NOT located near the Palace.... Grosse Isle, Ann Arbor, Northville, Plymouth, the Grosse Pointes, the Clinton River valley subdivisions of Macomb County are all closer to downtown. Hell even a Novi and Farmington are. And if you lived in Franklin or Bingham Farms... does a 15 minute drive to the Palace REALLY make a difference compared to a 20 minute drive downtown?

The most successful arena in the country right now is Barclay Center in Brooklyn NY....
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/...icle-1.1407182

I'm sure that the Ilitch's are going to look at the success of Barclay when they have their new arena designed.

And as for your comment about going to an art museum or water park after a game.... really? Is that the best you can come up with as an argument for why north central Oakland County is such a magical spot for an event? It's odd that with all your "expertise" in the area of entertainments that you neglected to mention gaming entertainments or extensive restaurant choices as found in the downtown vicinity.... but then that wouldn't work in favor of why you find north-central Oakland County so alluring....