he idea to create this plan originates from myself and anumber of fans who wish to see an architecture reflectingthe history of Red Wings and the NHL utilized in a new arena.Two generations of hockey fans remember Olympia as abuilding that was uniquely constructed and gave fans excellentand intimate vantage points from which to view and cheer theRed Wings. Still other fans are disappointed with the lack ofcharacter amongst the new multipurpose arenas compared tothe Original Six buildings. 24 NHL arenas have beencompleted in the past 15 years. Each of these new buildingsis more spacious, more comfortable, more technologically andmechanically updated, and more luxurious than those thatpreceded them. What has been lost? The intimacy of BostonGarden, Chicago Stadium, and the Olympia, and a hockeyatmosphere that may never be replicated
. Baseball’s cookie
cutter generation of ballparks is not well regarded today.Twenty years from now, the recent building boom of NHL andNBA arenas may be viewed in the same light.The Red Wings have a unique opportunity to break that mold, just as Camden Yards broke the mold for baseball stadiums.This is a plan to build just such an arena, large enough tosatisfy Red Wing fans, but on a smaller footprint, to put morefans closer to the ice. This arena would be patterned after OldOlympia Stadium, inside and out. The main entrance andmarquise at New Olympia would look the same as it did 50years ago, as would much of the exterior brick work andwindows. While the luxury seating areas and interiorconcourses would obviously be upgraded, the seating bowlplans and grandstand construction would resemble a largerversion of the Old Olympia Stadium.
Old Olympia Stadium during “The Last Hurrah” in
February 1980
“I just hope there is
an owner or an architect out there whohas the vision and the courage to build the NHL fan a"destination" once again, a hockey rink of worship that hasthe sightlines and camera angles of Boston Garden and thesoul of Chicago Stadium. An arena every hockey fan just has toexperience to bring back that loving feeling. I don't see whythis can't be done, why an intimate hockey arena can't be builtagain with the purist in mind. Baseball did it, and itreinvigorated the game.
”
John Buccigross, ESPN.comNovember 1, 2006
T
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