NOTHING LITTLE ABOUT IT: Tom Wilson (Right) and Chris Ilitch Cut the Ribbon at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit
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A FINE RIDE NOTHING LITTLE ABOUT IT: Tom Wilson (right) and Chris Ilitch cut the ribbon at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. IN ENTERTAINMENT OLYMPIA COURTESY DETROIT28 MARCH 2021 Tom Wilson, builder of arenas and brands, has helped reshape sports in the Motor City BY DON MURET ean Henry walked Services General Manager Joe It started in the mid-1970s with one year later. Over the course of into the Palace of Auburn Ambrose, who heard about the Wilson working in ticket sales for his career, Wilson was instrumen- Hills in October 1990 exchange. “He was ready to kill the Los Angeles Lakers. He had tal in building two arenas in his wearing his favorite whoever’s walking through that moved to LA after college to be- hometown, starting with the Pal- Boston Celtics hat when door in a Celtic hat,” Henry said. come an actor and had a bit part ace, which opened in 1988 in the he ran into Tom Wilson, “I thought I was going to die,” in “Barnaby Jones,” the TV detec- affluent Detroit suburb of Auburn Spresident of the arena and the he said. “From that moment on, I tive drama starring Buddy Ebsen, Hills, followed by Little Caesars Detroit Pistons. Henry, now pres- realized how important a team’s as a player fixing basketball Arena in 2017. He also spearhead- ident and CEO of the Nashville brand was. I tell that story now games for the mob. They filmed ed the purchase of Pine Knob Predators, was trying to find his to our young employees and they the scene at the Forum, where the Music Theatre, now DTE Energy way to Volume Services’ office, can’t believe it, because I’m the Lakers played from 1967 to 1999. Music Theatre, which turned into where he started as a trainee for most brand-centric guy in the During shooting breaks, Wilson North America’s busiest outdoor the food vendor. world and learned that more from played hoops with Lakers staff, music venue (see story, Page 34). Wilson asked Henry why he Tom than anyone else.” including head of marketing Dan Along the way, Wilson oversaw was wearing the colors of the Wilson had that influence over Trutanich. After attending a few three championships apiece with Pistons’ heated rival. many folks during his five de- games with Trutanich, Wilson got the Pistons and WNBA’s Detroit “I had no idea who he really cades in the business, whether it a job offer and accepted it. Shock; one Stanley Cup title with was and I didn’t really care at 22 was the Pistons or the NHL’s De- “Most sports administration the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning years old,” Henry said. “I looked troit Red Wings, where he spent programs don’t suggest getting in 2004 when Pistons owner Bill at him like, ‘What’s wrong with the past 10 years with Olympia into sports this way, but it worked Davidson owned them; and a pair this guy?’ Here I am, fresh out of Entertainment after 32 years with for me,” he joked. of minor league crowns in hockey college, smarter than anybody. Palace Sports & Entertainment. and arena football. I told him I was a Celtic fan and For Wilson, 71, a Detroit native DOWNTOWN DREAMS The final chapter came in 2010. walked away.” who stepped down from Olympia In 1978, Wilson returned to The Ilitch family was starting Henry discovered his gaffe in December, it’s been a spectac- Detroit to work for the Pistons to plan Little Caesars Arena after locating the office of Volume ular ride. and took over as team president and District Detroit, a multibil- lion-dollar redevelopment cover- ing 50 blocks in and adjacent to downtown. Wilson got immersed in the project after Chris Ilitch, president and CEO of Ilitch Hold- ings, owner of the Red Wings and MLB’s Detroit Tigers, hired him to lead the effort. For those who know the history behind the sports and enter- tainment landscape in Detroit, Wilson’s move came as a shock, considering that he was en- trenched at Palace Sports, a fierce competitor with Olympia and the old Joe Louis Arena. It made more sense after Da- vidson died in 2009 and the team was sold to Tom Gores two years later. As is typically the case with new owners, they bring their own people in to run the organization. Wilson knew it could happen and one year before the Pistons were sold, he jumped at the chance to help reinvent downtown Detroit. Little Caesars Arena ultimately became home to both the Pistons LIGHTING THE FIRE: At the Palace of Auburn Hills, Wilson created an arena that became a prototype and Red Wings. COURTESY DETROIT PISTONS DETROIT COURTESY for other NBA franchises. “Tom’s experience in multiple MARCH 2021 29 number and proximity to the floor — the first level was 16 rows from the court. The lease terms reflect- ed their position. Suites ran from $30,000 to $120,000 annually. At that time, nobody else in the NBA charged more than $50,000 a year for suites, Wilson said. It helped pay for the $90 mil- lion in construction, a key move considering the Palace borrowed money at 17% interest in the late 1980s, he said. Making it all work was a heavy lift but it all came together. The Palace set off one of the biggest building booms HOLDING COURT: Wilson in sports with many other NBA speaks at a halftime ceremo- teams developing new arenas ny honoring Pistons owner over the next decade. Bill Davidson at the Palace on Wilson remembers NBA Com- Dec. 16, 2005. missioner David Stern telling everyone at an owners meeting: “Gentlemen, you have one job sports, his deep understanding Detroit Downtown Development ories remain of a building that this year; you’ve got to get to of the concert business and his Authority, doubled in cost from set a benchmark for design and Auburn Hills and see that arena. ability to enhance the customer the original price tag, and some a business model tied to running We’re no longer just in the basket- experience brought tremendous critics point to what they feel is most aspects of arena operations ball business. We’re in the arena insight and perspective to our the District’s slow development. in-house for a privately funded and entertainment business.”’ team,” Ilitch said. “Being from Others, such as veteran Detroit venue. “There was a steady stream of Detroit, Tom understood how the concert promoter Rick Franks, Under owner Davidson, the people coming in and the early heart and soul of the area could point to the Ilitch family’s com- Pistons desired an arena to call adopters were in Chicago and be reflected in the arena experi- mitment to bringing life back to their own after playing 10 years Phoenix,” Wilson said. “The ence.” the city’s inner core. at the old Pontiac Silverdome, an building proved it could make Similar to the Palace, Little “It’s so unfounded,” Franks 80,000-seat NFL stadium. For money as opposed to others Caesars Arena, built for $863 mil- said of the criticism. “You need basketball, the sightlines were funded by municipalities that lion, set the bar high for design. to look at it 10 years later, not poor. Overall, it wasn’t a positive were such a money pit. It really The main concourse, themed as 10 months. The only thing I can experience for Pistons fans. They changed an industry.” The Via with an ethylene tetra- point to is all of the housing, con- drew well for the Celtics and Los fluoroethylene ceiling to bring dos and apartment development Angeles Lakers. Otherwise, Sil- FILLING DATES natural light into the space, gives in and around downtown, and verdome crowds were in the range It wasn’t easy. Competing patrons the feel of walking down the final piece was putting Little of 4,000 during those lean years against Joe Louis Arena, which a European street in an open-air Caesars Arena together. The Il- in the late 1970s through the early opened in 1979 and was con- market environment, tied to con- itches put a billion dollars of their ’80s, resulting in promotions trolled by Olympia Entertain- cessions designed as storefront own money into it. That doesn’t such as four free Pistons tickets ment, Palace Sports & Entertain- restaurants. happen often.” with a fill-up at Marathon Oil gas ment had to get creative to fill the Wilson, among many others, sat Most recently, the pandemic stations, said former Palace sales venue with special events apart at the table as those plans were de- has slowed District development, executive Dan Hauser. from Pistons games. veloped, and his experience at the Wilson said. It’s going to take a At the time, the Pistons were Olympia had locked in booking Palace was invaluable in steering few years to get back on track, but going through a stretch of six exclusives at Joe Louis Arena with the development, said architect it was the right thing to do for the subpar seasons on the court, but Feld Entertainment and the old Ryan Gedney, HNTB’s national city, he said. things turned around starting Brass Ring Productions, a concert director, who at the time was Rebuilding a key piece of the with the 1983-84 season, two promoter. Those deals meant that working for HOK on the project. city brought everything full circle years before Palace construction Ringling Bros. and Barnum & “Little Caesars Arena did a for Wilson, Henry said.