2012–13 DETROIT PISTONS MEDIA GUIDE 319 LEADERSHIP PLAYERS 11–12 REVIEW RECORDS HISTORY NBA OVERTIME Long
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
2012–13 DETROIT PISTONS MEDIA GUIDE 319 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). LEADERSHIP ACREAGE: The Palace sits on 61.1 acres (2,662,717 square feet) and was cited by conservationists for its work in 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. The Palace of Auburn Hills, home of the Detroit Pistons (NBA) and numerous concerts, family shows, sporting events, trade shows and special productions, still ATRIUM HEIGHT: 117 feet. remains one of the world’s most innovative arenas after more than 24 years. CLUB WEST ADDITION: 12,000 square feet. PLAYERS The Palace has undergone roughly $141.5 million in venue upgrades since its open- COMCAST PAVILION ADDITION: 65,000 square feet. ing in 1988. In its first season under ownership of Tom Gores and Platinum Equity in PRESIDENT’S CLUB AND ADJOINING SUITES ADDITION: 5,600 square feet. 2011, The Palace was enhanced with fully updated and expanded backstage basketball and entertainment complexes, a new and enlarged media center, a permanent area for the Detroit Pistons Dance Team and a build-out of the broadcast SUITES: 175 total. 164 suites overlook the arena, some as close as 16 rows from the floor. This trend started with studio. Additional components of the project included a remodeling of the West Atrium Lobby, a new lighting package on The Palace’s construction and is now widely copied in nearly every arena built today. The first level and the third the main concourse and several upgrades in the arena including twin texting boards at each end, a new lighting system, level suites each have private concourses. There are also eight suites without arena views in the President’s Club 11–12 REVIEW a new player intro tunnel, and upgrades to the player banner sections and the rafter banners. and three suites without arena views in the Courtside Club. For 2012, a large-scale renovation project estimated at $13-15 million includes modifying and remodeling the main con- • The Palace’s air conditioning system is powerful enough to cool 500 single-family homes or turn one million gallons of water into ice. course level that serves all guests. Club West – located above the West Atrium Entrance – will be completely overhauled • There are more than 300 miles of electrical wiring throughout the Palace. along with other public gathering places on the concourse. A building-wide suite remodeling effort will begin its initial • The Palace has approximately 8,400 parking spaces on site. phase with 40 suites slated for renovation along the 100-level suite concourse. Finally, 16 suites in the 300-level will be • The amount of concrete used in constructing The Palace is enough to pave a two-lane highway 23 miles long. removed and replaced with the construction of a full-service open-air lounge available to give individual ticket buyers the opportunity to enjoy food and beverage in an open-air atmosphere with direct views of the action on the arena floor. 2012–13 PALACE SEATING CONFIGURATION Among its most significant upgrades include the West Entrance Atrium, which was completed in 1996 and contains RECORDS 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. The Palace’s largest enhancement project since its opening began in 2005. The $30 million expansion included the addition of two sets of exclusive courtside lounge and clubs. The Courtside Club, located under the arena’s east seating area, opened in November 2005. It services three attached 450 square-foot luxury suites as well as all front row season HISTORY ticket holders. The project also included a 65,000 square-foot expansion of the North Entrance, named the North Pavilion, which opened April 2006. The pavilion’s lower level is home to the other set of exclusive club/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 acces- sible via a private entrance in the North Pavilion and through a tunnel entrance leading to 100 level suite corridor and an NBA exclusive entrance into 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 in The Palace with café areas featuring Buffalo Wild Wings, Hungry Howies, Tubby’s and the Red Bull Bar. The upper level of the pavilion is the luxurious Pistons VIP Club. Conceptualized and built in 1987–88 by Arena Associates, consisting of Pistons managing partner William Davidson, OVERTIME along with David Hermelin and Robert Sosnick, The Palace was immediately recognized as an all-encompassing enter- tainment venue and it quickly became one of the nation’s top concert facilities when it opened in 1988. After just one season, The Palace was honored by two entertainment trade publications, being named “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 addi- tions and improvements being privately financed, The Palace continues to uphold its reputation as one of the world’s premier sports and entertainment venues. Overall, The Palace has been nominated “Arena of the Year” 10 times by Performance magazine and won the award seven times. It has also earned 10 “Arena of the Year” nominations from Pollstar magazine and won the honor in 1992. Since its inception, The Palace has hosted almost every major touring concert act. 320 PISTONS.COM 2012–13 DETROIT PISTONS MEDIA GUIDE 321 COMMUNITY RELATIONS COMMUNITY RELATIONS COME TOGETHER FOUNDATION The renamed Come Together Foundation has been redirected to an effective tool to support the overall Come Together vision and mission by strategically collaborating with community organizations to raise awareness and provide financial support in the areas of volunteerism, youth leadership and NBA League sponsored programs. LEADERSHIP LEADERSHIP INTRODUCING COME TOGETHER With a collective vision to become the most motivating and impactful community relations platform in professional sports and entertainment in order to make a difference, inspire people and impact lives. Palace Sports and Entertainment, the Detroit Pistons and the renamed Come Together Foundation have combined all community relations efforts under the new brand of “Come Together”. PLAYERS PLAYERS The mission of elevating Michigan and its citizens by promoting leadership through volunteerism and recognizing positive difference makers crosses all channels of programs, fundraising and giving. The introduction of the “Game Changers” program and the “Come Together Celebration” highlight 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. 11–12 11–12 REVIEW GAME CHANGERS PROGRAM 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 their community service and leadership through volunteerism. Come Together Game-Changing Grant Challenge Through statewide partnerships with The LEAGUE Michigan and the Council Michigan RECORDS Foundation, students across the state have the opportunity to showcase their “game- changing” community projects for the chance to win grant money to elevate their community Come Together Celebration – Impact Awards initiatives. Basketball and entertainment combined for one special night when Palace Sports & Entertainment and the Detroit Pistons hosted the first-ever Come Together Celebration featuring Grammy award-winning artist Sheryl Crow at DTE Energy Music Theatre in August. HISTORY Prior to the concert, the former Pistons-Palace Foundation was re-launched as the Come Together Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) charity supporting the overall Come Together vision. Matching this vision, the Come Together Foundation Online Nomination Program presented Darnell Hall from the Think Detroit PAL program in Detroit, Catrina Harvey from the Kids’ Food Basket The Detroit Pistons also accept online (KFB) program in Grand Rapids and Natasha Thomas-Jackson from the Raise It Up! Youth Arts & Awareness nominations to recognize positive difference program in Flint with the first-ever “Impact” awards for outstanding leadership and community contributions in the NBA makers in the community who promote areas of youth leadership and athletics, volunteerism and youth leadership and entertainment. In addition to being leadership through volunteerism. recognized as a Come Together award winner, the foundation presented a $25,000 grant to each of the awardees respective programs in their honor. Foundation Fundraising and Gifting OVERTIME In the 2012–13 season, the Come Together Foundation launched Pistons 50/50 Payday. Using wireless