LITTLE CAESARS ARENA NAMED NOMINEE FOR SPORTS FACILITY OF THE YEAR BY SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL
19 Mar / 2018
State-of-the-art facility is the only arena in the country to claim SAFETY Act certification, the highest level of protection awarded by U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Over 2 million guests welcomed in the first six months of operation, including more than 60,000 fans for last weekend’s NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship. Arena serves as a cornerstone of The District Detroit, a dynamic sports and entertainment district bringing a dynamic work, live and play experience to a previously underdeveloped area
DETROIT – Sports Business Journal today announced that the state-of-the-art Little Caesars Arena has been named as one-of six nominees for the prestigious Sports Facility of the Year award. Winners of the 2018 Sports Business Awards will be announced during a live ceremony in New York on May 23.
The completion of Little Caesars Arena was an important step in the Ilitch organization’s vision for connecting Detroit’s busy downtown with other vibrant neighborhoods along Woodward Avenue, creating a contiguous, pedestrian-friendly community, The District Detroit. Little Caesars Arena, Comerica Park and the historic Fox Theatre are among the key anchors of this new sports and entertainment destination, which also includes new shopping, restaurants, offices and residential development.
“We’re honored for Little Caesars Arena to be recognized as a nominee for the distinguished Sports Facility of the Year award,” said Chris Granger, Group President for Sports and Entertainment, Ilitch Holdings, Inc. “In our first six months of operation, we’re on track to being one of the busiest arenas in the world. We want to thank the Sports Business Awards voting committee for their consideration, and our incredible fans and partners for making Little Caesars Arena such a special place.”
In November 2017, Little Caesars Arena received SAFETY Act Certification, the highest level of protection awarded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The facility became the first combined NHL, NBA and entertainment venue, and the only arena in the country, to earn the certification.
Little Caesars Arena has been the home for 33 Red Wings regular season home games, 34 Pistons regular season contests, nearly 50 concerts and shows, and five combined college basketball and college hockey events. The multi-purpose facility has also hosted more than 80 private events since opening.
Little Caesars Arena, which welcomed its 2 millionth guest on March 8, hosted crowds of more than 20,000 during all three sessions of last weekend’s NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship first and second rounds, with 20,163 fans attending Friday’s first session, followed by a crowd of 20,314 for Session 2. Sunday’s final session featured a crowd of 20,360.
Little Caesars Arena makes use of the latest technology throughout, including the 600-foot long jewel skin, one of the largest center-hung scoreboards in the world and more than 1,300 televisions. The arena is designed so that its concourses and associated fan amenities are an active participant in the day-today experience, with storefronts facing not only the interior concourse but the exterior district fabric. This first-of-its-kind deconstructed design brings traditional concourse amenities outdoors into the Via concourse that acts as a retail galleria with offices, four full-service restaurants, retail and amenities open to the public, during both event and non-event times.
The arena guest experience features inviting indoor and outdoor spaces and unparalleled recognition of Detroit and state-of-Michigan sports and entertainment history and tradition. Guests have the opportunity to enjoy the building’s exterior façade decorated with original art that features sports and entertainment legends, indoor murals, manhole covers featuring Red Wings and Pistons greats, artifacts and digital technology.
The Chevrolet Plaza is an inviting outdoor space complete with a 900-square foot video board and technology that enables the space to host pre-game fan interactive activities for up to 3,000 people. The arena’s upper level concourse includes its own interactive experience - The Ring of Honor, which features three touch screen monitors that pay homage to the Detroit Red Wings’ 11 Stanley Cup teams, and the Detroit Pistons’ three NBA championship teams.
ABOUT LITTLE CAESARS ARENA
Little Caesars Arena in The District Detroit serves as the home of the Detroit Red Wings, Detroit Pistons and countless other sports, entertainment and community events. Rich with the tradition of the Original Six™ Detroit Red Wings, three-time world champion Detroit Pistons and Detroit's incredible musical heritage, the arena also features state-of-the-art technology, fan amenities, and active community spaces like the Via, the BELFOR Training Center and the Chevrolet Plaza. The District Detroit unites eight world-class theaters, five neighborhoods and three professional sports venues including Little Caesars Arena in one vibrant, walkable destination for people who want to live, work and play in an exciting urban environment.
