Palace of Auburn Hills Will Be Imploded Saturday: One Last Look
Well it's finally here. The day that the Palace of Auburn Hills, or what's left of it, will come crashing down.
According to the Detroit News, eight hundred pounds of dynamite will put an end to three decades of memories and history on Saturday morning. The implosion will take place at 8:00am.
A demolition company has been slowly taking apart what was once the hottest place for concerts and sporting events since February. According the reports, dynamite will target 22 reinforced concrete columns, each four feet in diameter, and the roof structure they support.
According to Stephanie Carroll, the manager of business development and community relations for Auburn Hills, "Following the detonation the roof structure will fall to the ground in a period of four to five seconds."
Roads near the area will be closed during the implosion. Closures will last about 30 minutes and include northbound Lapeer Road at the M-24 interchange; southbound Lapeer at Harmon Road; and the M-24 interchange to I-75 in both directions, from I-75 and from M-24. After, cleanup and the filling of the hole that held service areas and underground suites will begin. The process could take several months to complete.
Back in June 2019, current Pistons owner Tom Gores announced the Palace had been sold to a joint venture comprised of Gores and the Livonia-based development company Schostak Brothers & Co. The Pistons had left playing at the Palace after the 2017 season for their new home at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.
The Palace was once the largest NBA arena and hosted a wide variety of concerts featuring everything from legendary artists like Pink Floyd, U2, Aerosmith (who played the venue 14 times) to more contemporary acts like Rhianna and Katy Perry. Even homegrown acts such as Bob Seger and Grand Funk Railroad have graced the stage at the Palace. Bob Seger played the final concert at the venue on September 23, 2017.
For the future, the site will hold offices and research development space.