Inside Abandoned Joe Louis Arena, Before Demolition, Detroit
Joe Louis Arena was the home of the Detroit Red Wings right from the beginning. They opened in December 1979 and closed permanently in 2017: a good 38 years of Red Wing hockey. Two years later, demolition began.
The Red Wings earlier home was Olympia Stadium and in 1977 they announced they would be moving to a different location. Ground broke that same year for Joe Louis and two years later it was completed and ready.
Named after boxing heavyweight champ Joe Louis who was from Detroit, it was the second oldest NHL venue after Madison Square Garden.
The Red Wings played their final game (and won) at Joe Louis in April 2017. The name was given “Little Caesars Arena” but closed just three months later.
Die-hard Red Wings fans recall the days in early 2019 when demolition began; the torture continued until July 2020 when it was completed. The site sat bare for a few years and then some new construction began. In February 2024 a 25-story apartment building opened on the spot: the Residences at Water Square.
Scroll a ways down and take a look inside Joe Louis Arena after it was deserted and before it was demolished.....
Abandoned Joe Louis Arena
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