Detroit Olympia - History

History

Several Detroit businessmen organized the Detroit Hockey Club, Inc. in 1926 and purchased the Victoria Cougars hockey team, along with a site at the corner of Grand River Avenue and McGraw Street to construct a stadium. The cornerstone for the building was laid March 8, 1927 and Olympia opened with a Boy Scout Day that included a parade of flags and rodeo on October 26, 1927. Shortly thereafter, the primary tenants of the building, the NHL Cougars, began their long residence. The Cougars played their first game at the Olympia on November 22, 1927 and Detroit's Johnny Sheppard scored the first goal at the new building. However, the visiting Ottawa Senators defeated the Cougars, 2–1. The Cougars later became the Falcons and finally, in 1932, were named the Detroit Red Wings by new owner James E. Norris.

In addition to the Red Wings, the Olympia was also home to the Detroit Olympics International-American Hockey League minor league team in the 1930s and the NBA's Detroit Pistons from 1957 to 1961. It hosted the NBA All-Star Game in 1959 and the NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship (known as the "Frozen Four") in 1977 and 1979.

The Olympia was also a major venue for boxing through the International Boxing Club (featuring such prominent fights as Jake LaMotta's defeat of Sugar Ray Robinson) and professional wrestling, as well as other events such as the American Legion Convention of September 21–26, 1931 which was addressed by President Herbert Hoover, and regular visits by the Harlem Globetrotters, Ice Capades, and Shipstads and Johnson Ice Follies. It hosted concerts by The Beatles on September 6, 1964 and August 13, 1966 as well as concerts by other popular performers and bands.

After the NFL's Detroit Lions moved from Tiger Stadium in Detroit to the Pontiac Silverdome in suburban Pontiac in 1975, the Red Wings seriously considered moving to the suburbs. The neighborhood surrounding the Olympia had been in decline since the 1967 riots, and two murders occurred within the building's shadow. The city of Pontiac offered the team a new arena, and Red Wings owner Bruce Norris was seriously considering the offer when the city of Detroit proposed a riverfront arena at one-third the rent that Pontiac was seeking, and a package including operational control of Cobo Arena and the adjoining parking structures. The Red Wings accepted Detroit's offer and moved into the new Joe Louis Arena, which was completed 19 days ahead of schedule.

The Olympia was considered to be a well-constructed building. Lincoln Cavalieri, general manager of Olympia Stadium, once said, "... if an atom bomb landed, I'd want to be in Olympia." Cavalieri, along with many in the Red Wings organization, were sad to leave it behind.

On December 15, 1979, three days after the first event held at Joe Louis Arena, the Red Wings played their final home game at the Olympia, a 4–4 tie against the Quebec Nordiques. Attendance at that game was 15,609. The Olympia was included in part of the celebration of the 32nd NHL All-Star Game, which took place at Joe Louis Arena on February 5, 1980. Because a provision in the Wings' lease with the city of Detroit prevented the Wings from operating Olympia Stadium in competition with Joe Louis or Cobo Arenas for events, or selling the building for use as a competitive venue, the building was shuttered permanently, and demolished in September 1987.

Overhead exit signs erected in the early 1970s along the Jeffries Freeway mentioning Olympia Stadium were taken down around 1980; the signs would be stored in the lower levels of Joe Louis Arena. Currently, the Michigan National Guard's Olympia Armory occupies the site. A historical marker is posted inside the armory commemorating the Olympia.