Demolition Starts On Palace Of Auburn Hills

MICHIGAN — Michiganders have recently bid farewell to some of the institutions that shaped their lives in the region: the Pontiac Silverdome, Northland Mall and the Joe Louis Arena.

Now, it's time to say final goodbyes to the The Palace of Auburn Hills. Demolition started Sunday afternoon, according to reports.

WDIV said crews could be seen removing the name from the front of the arena.

The Palace closed in 2017 and the site is being redeveloped into a mixed-use area. It's expected to have corporate offices and spaces for research and development and technology companies.

It opened in 1988 and the design served as a benchmark for arenas being built after it, WDIV reported.

Among the most notable memories at the arena was in 2004, when a fight broke out between players from the Detroit Pistons and the Indiana Pacers. It grew into a larger brawl with spectators and nine players were suspended and multiple fans were banned from The Palace.

The final concert held at The Palace was Bob Seger on Sep. 23, 2017. A few weeks later, the final event at the venue was the Taste of Auburn Hills on Oct. 12, 2017.

Some 3,000 of the seats from the Palace were donated to Port Huron's civic center arena for upgrades.