THE PALACE OF AUBURN HILLS THE PALACE OF AUBURN HILLS PALACE FACTS CAPACITY: Basketball – 22,076; Hockey – 20,804; Concert and Family Shows – 6,000 to 23,000 depending on configuration. NUMBER OF EVENTS: An annual average of 200. PROFESSIONAL TEAM: Detroit Pistons (NBA). ACREAGE: The Palace sits on 61.1 acres (2,662,717 square feet) and was cited by conservationists for its work in LEADERSHIP preserving natural wetlands areas throughout the property during the building’s construction in 1988. OVERALL BUILDING AREA: 570,000 square feet. ATRIUM ADDITION: 100,000 square-foot addition which opened on September 13, 1996. ATRIUM HEIGHT: 117 feet. CLUB WEST ADDITION: 12,000 square feet. NORTH PAVILION ADDITION: 65,000 square feet. PRESIDENT’S CLUB AND ADJOINING SUITES ADDITION: 5,600 square feet. PLAYERS SUITES: 175 total. 164 suites overlook the arena, some as close as 16 rows from the floor. This trend started with The Palace’s construction and is now widely copied in nearly every arena built today. The 100-level and 300-level The Palace of Auburn Hills, home of the Detroit Pistons (NBA) and numerous concerts, family shows, sporting suites have private concourses. There are also eight suites without arena views in the President’s Club and three events, trade shows and special productions, remains one of the world’s most innovative arenas after more than suites without arena views in the Courtside Club. 25 years. • The Palace’s air conditioning system is powerful enough to cool 500 single-family homes or turn one million gallons of water into ice. The Palace has undergone roughly $141.5 million in venue upgrades throughout the years since its opening in 12-13 REVIEW 1988. The most recent renovations conclude a three-year improvement plan which began under ownership of • There are more than 300 miles of electrical wiring throughout the Palace. Tom Gores and Platinum Equity. Improvements included 53 renovated suites (24 club-level and 29 concourse-lev- • The Palace has approximately 8,400 parking spaces on site. el), Suite Terrace upgrades, an updated West Atrium entrance, an expanded Pistons locker room, a newly de- • The amount of concrete used in constructing The Palace is enough to pave a two-lane highway veloped entertainment complex and locker room area, a refreshed media work room named The Matt Dobek 23 miles long. Press Room, installation of an in-arena theatrical lighting system and a sparkling Courtside Broadcast Studio. Additionally, the main concourse was updated, Club West was remodeled and Club 300 was constructed – a full-service open-air lounge on the third-level suite concourse with direct views of the arena floor. DAS WiFi wireless access, digital menu boards and fan-engaging Twitter boards on the upper arena fascia all enhance PALACE seatING CONFIGURatION the fan experience. RECORDS The West Atrium was completed in 1996 and contains three levels of offices, a storage facility and an expanded entrance with numerous amenities. In 2004, a Light Emitting Diodes (LED) board was installed, allowing for the display of electronic signage around the entire arena and around the state-of-the-art hanging scoreboard during events. In 2005, The Palace undertook its largest enhancement project since its opening in 1988. A $30 million expansion HISTORY introduced the 65,000 square foot North Entrance, named North Pavilion, which opened April 2006. The pavilion’s lower level is home to exclusive clubs and suites. The President’s Club, which opened in February 2006, boasts a central club/bar area and eight luxury private suites averaging 1,000 square feet. It is accessible by direct entrance from the arena. The pavilion’s concourse level created a dramatic new grand entrance/lobby, which provides guests with additional concourse space, additional box office windows and a new retail area. The new area also increased dining options and amenities inside The Palace with café areas featuring Buffalo Wild H-119 Wings, the Red Bull Bar and Captain Morgan’s Bar. The upper level of the pavilion is the luxurious Pistons VIP HC-120 NBA Club. H-107 H-120 Conceptualized and built in 1987-88 by Arena Associates, consisting of late Pistons managing partner William H-224 Davidson, along with David Hermelin and Robert Sosnick, The Palace was immediately recognized as an all-en- compassing entertainment venue and quickly became one of the nation’s top concert facilities when it opened OVERTIME in 1988. After just one season, The Palace was honored by two entertainment trade publications, being named H-225 “New Venue of the Year” by Performance and “Best New Concert Venue” by Pollstar. With the cost of the building and every dollar spent on additions and improvements being privately financed, The Palace continues to uphold its reputation as one of the world’s premier sports and entertainment venues. H-226 Overall, The Palace has been nominated “Arena of the Year” 10 times by Performance magazine and won the H-204 H-227 H-228 award seven times. It has also earned 10 “Arena of the Year” nominations from Pollstar magazine and won the H-203 H-229 honor in 1992. Since its inception, The Palace has hosted almost every major touring concert act. 322 PISTONS.COM 2013–14 DETROIT PISTONS MEDIA GUIDE 323 COMMUNITY RELATIONS COMMUNITY RELATIONS COME TOGetHER FOUNDatION The Come Together Foundation has been directed to act as an effective tool to support the overall Come Together vision and mission by strategically collaborating with community organizations to raise aware- ness and provide financial support in the areas of volunteerism, youth leadership and NBA League spon- sored programs. LEADERSHIP COME TOGETHER Impact Awards Amongst the many Game Changers identified throughout the season, “Impact” awards for outstanding With a collective vision to become the most motivating and impactful community relations platform in leadership and community contributions in the areas of youth leadership and athletics, volunteerism professional sports and entertainment in order to make a difference, inspire people and impact lives; and youth leadership and entertainment are presented annually. In addition to being recognized as a Palace Sports and Entertainment, the Detroit Pistons and the Come Together Foundation have combined Come Together Impact Award winner, the foundation presents a $25,000 grant to each of the awardees all community relations efforts under the brand of “Come Together”. respective programs in their honor. Come Together embodies the goal of utilizing the Pistons and Palace to bring Michigan together, cele- PLAYERS brating those that make a positive impact through volunteerism in their own communities. The “Game Changers” program highlights the purpose of the overall brand. Please visit Pistons.com/cometogether for more information on the Game Changers Program, the Come Together Foundation and all other Come Together programming. 12-13 REVIEW The Detroit Pistons’ Come Together Game Changers program was launched for the 2011-12 season as an opportunity for the community to help the Detroit Pistons recognize and reward Michigan citizens for RECORDS their community service and leadership through volunteerism. One hundred Game Changers will be invited to ev- ery Detroit Pistons home game during the 2013-14 season; with the opportunity to bring three guests, HISTORY and to receive a parking pass, special gift, and food and beverage to thank them for their commitment to bettering their communities. Exceptional Game Changers will be honored during select home PISTONS 50/50 Payday games with on-court recognition, personalized jer- In the 2012-13 season, the Come Together Foundation launched Pistons 50/50 Payday, using a state-of- sey and video vignette telling the story of the differ- the-art wireless 50/50 raffle activated at every Pistons home game. The Pistons were the first team in De- ence they’re making. troit to implement wireless technology for in-arena fundraising and the second team in the NBA. During NBA each home game, one lucky fan will win 50% of the raffle net proceeds while the remainder is shared by GAME CHANGERS GRANT CHALLENGE a local charitable organization and the Come Together Foundation. Through statewide partnerships with The LEAGUE Michigan (TLM) and the Council of Michigan Foun- dations (CMF), students across the state have the OVERTIME COME TOGETHER Transportation PROGRAM opportunity to showcase their “game-changing” During select games of the 2013-14 Detroit Pistons season, organizations from Detroit will receive round- community projects for the chance to win grant trip transportation to The Palace of Auburn Hills. Each guest will be given a ticket, t-shirt and food and money to elevate their community initiatives. beverage. With the mission of reaching under-served, under-privileged and groups that have demon- ONLINE nomination PROGRAM strated extraordinary impact in their community, the Pistons are committed to exposing deserving youth The Detroit Pistons also accept online nominations to sports and entertainment. to recognize Game Changers who also are positive difference makers in the community who promote leadership through volunteerism. 324 PISTONS.COM 2013–14 DETROIT PISTONS MEDIA GUIDE 325 COMMUNITY RELATIONS COMMUNITY RELATIONS COME TOGetHER PROGRAMMING In partnership with NBA Cares, the Detroit Pistons engage with the community through season-long plat- forms that are also activated League-wide. LEADERSHIP Throughout the season, the Pistons promote the For Martin Luther King Day and February – the Pis- importance of a healthy lifestyle, including exercise, tons honor the legacy of influential African American nutrition and mental health through Pistons Fit – leaders and local history through in-arena recogni- PLAYERS including a 5k, basketball and exercise clinics. tion, educational programs and providing educational scholarships. The Detroit Pistons renovated their 29th Live, Learn & Play In partnership with Farm Bureau Insurance, the De- Center with new basketball courts on Belle Isle in partner- troit Pistons also opened their 30th Live, Learn & Play ship with Sprite as part of Metro Detroit Youth Day on July Center with a renovated Library and Media Center 17th, 2013.