Discuss Detroit » Archives - Beginning January 2006 » Where was the original Olympia located? And thoughts on Illich activities.. « Previous Next »
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Digitaldom
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Username: Digitaldom

Post Number: 384
Registered: 08-2004
Posted From: 67.149.110.53
Posted on Sunday, December 25, 2005 - 12:09 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Any have a clue where the original Olympia was located? Also it is rather curious that the Illiches chose Olympia Entertainment as there holding company name for the venues.. Did they own the original Olympia or are we just waiting for JLA to be demoed and be replaced by a new Olympia so they can slap there name on it?

I don't mean to be harsh to the Illiches what so ever.. Chris seems to have the business knowledge and creativity to take the company to the next level, just curious if anyone has heard any behind the scenes talks...

I still hold to my theory the UA will probably get demoed and replaced by the new Olympia.. But I just came up with a better idea.. Use the Ford field as a model, they incorporated the old hudson's warehouse into the Stadium, why not do the same to the UA? Though in honestly it is a rather tall building to attempt that sort of feat.. I believe the Hudsons warehouse was only 6 stories or less.. Someone please correct me if I missed a fact here or there.. I am not sure how tall UA is.. Maybe 20 floors at the most?

Create an entertainment complex with the stadium and casino in one complex.. Of course they would probably not do that since they just bought the Motor City Casino..

Actually when I just wrote that.. I realized that is probably what they are doing.. Makes complete sense, but the land issue becomes a problem.

Anyone have a clear picture or map of what land the Illich family and Olympia Entertainment own in and around downtown.. That would probably give us all a much clear picture of what they are up too.
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Jams
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Username: Jams

Post Number: 2433
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 70.229.47.54
Posted on Sunday, December 25, 2005 - 12:20 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Grand River and McGraw, currently the site of the National Guard Armory.

Got my first traffic ticket there. I was picking up tickets for The Black Arts Festival in 71 or 72 on Halloween. I couldn't figure out which sign was for which street and made an illegal left turn in front of a cop. Luckily they weren't as observant when we left the Festival.
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Digitaldom
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Username: Digitaldom

Post Number: 392
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Posted From: 67.149.110.53
Posted on Sunday, December 25, 2005 - 12:45 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Ok thx!
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Jams
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Username: Jams

Post Number: 2435
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 70.229.47.54
Posted on Sunday, December 25, 2005 - 1:00 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Give Atanis a chance, he's a tough negotiator.
I've had my personal issues with him in the past, but I've a great deal of respect for him.

If anyone in the family, it will be him that works out deals that benefits both the City and the family.
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Ndavies
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Username: Ndavies

Post Number: 1470
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 68.255.237.214
Posted on Sunday, December 25, 2005 - 1:07 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Ilitch didn't own the Wings when they moved. The wings moved in 1978. Ilitch bought them in 1982. Olympia holding was the company that owned the Wings. It was a left over from Olympia stadium.
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Digitaldom
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Username: Digitaldom

Post Number: 395
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Posted From: 67.149.110.53
Posted on Sunday, December 25, 2005 - 1:15 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Thx Ndavies good info I didn't know that. I couldn't find anything on the history of where the name came from and I didn't know he has owned the wings that long.. Wow.. Cool..
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Ndavies
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Username: Ndavies

Post Number: 1471
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 68.255.237.214
Posted on Sunday, December 25, 2005 - 1:26 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Here's pretty much the whole story.
http://hockey.ballparks.com/NH L/DetroitRedWings/oldindex.htm
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Digitaldom
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Username: Digitaldom

Post Number: 398
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Posted From: 67.149.110.53
Posted on Sunday, December 25, 2005 - 1:45 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Wow I never knew they were offered a stadium in Pontiac.. That was really a waste (the Silverdome). Where were the lions located before the Silverdome? I also forgot that the pistons played at the Silverdome for so long. Where did they play before that? Better yet why were they playing at the Silverdome in the first place.. There has to be a back story to this.
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Ndavies
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Username: Ndavies

Post Number: 1472
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 68.255.237.214
Posted on Sunday, December 25, 2005 - 1:55 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Lions Played at Tiger Stadium before the silverdome.

The Pistons played a few seasons at Joe Louis. They Played at Cobo Arena before that.
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Jams
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Username: Jams

Post Number: 2436
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Posted From: 70.229.47.54
Posted on Sunday, December 25, 2005 - 1:55 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Lions - Tiger Stadium, froze my a** off one Thanksgiving Day. I never saw another game, in person, until they moved to Ford Field.

Pistons - Cobo Arena, only Pistons game I've ever attended was floor-side there. I just can't get into basketball.
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Psip
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Username: Psip

Post Number: 708
Registered: 04-2005
Posted From: 69.246.13.131
Posted on Sunday, December 25, 2005 - 2:08 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

This was on April 1, 1977 and was NOT an April Fool joke.
Olympia II to be built across the street from the Silverdome, by the Opdyke Investment Company. It was to have 18,000 seats with 6,000 parking spots.
Olympia II

Here are some fuzzy shots of the red barn.



Ice

Seats

Exterior
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Bagman
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Username: Bagman

Post Number: 33
Registered: 06-2004
Posted From: 68.73.57.80
Posted on Sunday, December 25, 2005 - 4:14 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Man,
I think I can remember going to see the circus (maybe the shriners or Ringling ) as a kid. I know I was taken there for a Wings game for sure as a kid. I played hockey so Dad took me to a game when he scored tickets. Dad had a hook up and we always had great tickets. His hook up always got us great seats. I could not remember what it looked like until I saw the pics above. I think we parked in that lot you see in the lower left corner.
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Dave
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Username: Dave

Post Number: 88
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 71.244.163.208
Posted on Sunday, December 25, 2005 - 12:18 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

My dad took me to see the Wings at Olympia a number of times in the early fifties. They had a lot of obstructed view seats because of the pillars that supported the roof. He knew I wouldn't sit still so he always got me one of those. It's great to be able to say I saw the Production Line and Terry Sawchuck in person. I also saw Bobby Laine at Tiger (then Brigg's) Stadium.
The Boy Scouts used to take us to a Tigers game every year where I got to see Al Kaline, Charley Maxwell, and Lowell's hero, Frank Bolling. I don't remember if Lowell and I ever went together.
dave
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Taj920
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Username: Taj920

Post Number: 80
Registered: 01-2004
Posted From: 68.42.252.205
Posted on Sunday, December 25, 2005 - 1:11 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

The Pistons played a few games at JLA, never any full seasons.

And when Ilitch bought the Wings, the deal didn't initially include Olympia Entertainment (the concessions, concert promtions). He bought that a year or so later from Bruce Norris.
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Gistok
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Username: Gistok

Post Number: 1672
Registered: 08-2004
Posted From: 207.69.139.10
Posted on Monday, December 26, 2005 - 1:52 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

The United Artists Building is 18 stories tall IIRC, opening in 1928. The United Artists Theatre opened Feb. 3, 1928. Although I don't have proof of this, it is possible that UA principle owner Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, and Douglas Fairbanks Sr. may have been on hand when it opened. Both building and theatre were built by C. Howard Crane, same architect as Olympia Arena (1927).

I was having Christmas dinner today at my sister's house. My brother-in-law and his sister were reminiscing about their grandfather, who worked partime for the Olympia organization back in the 1960's. He used to get all their old hockey sticks, and use them around the house. I heard more than one horror story about how Gordie Howe's (and others) hockey sticks had their shooters cut off so that they could hold up tomatoe plants in the back yard. The old man even rejected taking home Gordie's old skates, saying his grand children had bigger feet.

Oh the inhumanity!!!!! This was before EBAY....

After telling that story I would be depressed too (my brother-in-law was).... I had to cheer him up with the story that the mothers of America threw away hundreds of millions of dollars by throwing away their children's old baseball cards.... even those 1952 Mickey Mantle Rookie cards..... (a cool $9000 each in mint today).
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Burnsie
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Username: Burnsie

Post Number: 380
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 67.177.80.65
Posted on Monday, December 26, 2005 - 2:49 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Remember, the Pistons played at the Silverdome too! From http://basketball.ballparks.co m/NBA/DetroitPistons

"The Pistons were established in Fort Wayne, Indiana in 1941 - 42 and played in the National Basketball League through the 1947-48 season (no games played in 1944-45 because of WW II). In 1948-49, the Pistons joined the Basketball Association of America for one season and in 1949-50 became a member of the National Basketball Association. The Pistons moved from Fort Wayne to Detroit for the 1957-58 season. The NBA Board of Governors approved the move on April 17, 1957.
Facility
Starting with the 1988-89 season, the Pistons began play in The Palace of Auburn Hills. Previously, the Pistons played for 10 seasons in the Pontiac Silverdome. From the 1957-58 to the 1960-61 seasons they played their games at Olympia Stadium and the University of Detroit Fieldhouse. On March 12, 1960 the Pistons scheduled a playoff game at the Grosse Pointe High School gym when no other facility was available. From 1961-62 through 1977-78, the Pistons called Cobo Arena home. On April 27, 1984 the Pistons played Game 5 of the playoffs in Joe Louis Arena. After a collapse of the Silverdome roof, the Pistons finished the 1985-86 season at Joe Louis Arena (one game at Cobo), totaling 15 games. The Pistons have now played home games in seven different buildings since moving to Detroit."
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Alexei289
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Username: Alexei289

Post Number: 929
Registered: 11-2004
Posted From: 68.61.183.223
Posted on Monday, December 26, 2005 - 3:24 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

too bad i never got to see it...

my old man had a box at olympia in the 70s...

it was a good selling tool for his customers.

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