CONTACT:
Stephanie Carroll 
Manager of Business Development & Community Relations 
City of Auburn Hills
248.364.6802 
scarroll@auburnhills.org 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

AUBURN HILLS REACTS TO DISCUSSION OF PISTONS MOVE TO DETROIT 

Auburn Hills, MI.--October 31, 2016--- Upon hearing Tom Gores speak on Friday evening, Mayor Kevin McDaniel concluded that it does appear inevitable that the Piston’s will be leaving Auburn Hills. The Palace, which opened in 1988 after being privately constructed by billionaire businessman William Davidson, has been a landmark along I-75 and in the Auburn Hills community for nearly three decades. 

“While I am disappointed to hear Mr. Gores talk in terms of a likely departure, I am proud of the fact that we have been their hometown since 1988, and have provided attentive service to the Palace through our methods of delivering police and emergency medical services along with traffic management and maintaining the infrastructure in and around the Palace,” said Mayor McDaniel. “It has always been our position that the arena’s private ownership is a model that should be duplicated throughout the country. The private sector built it, and the private sector profited from its operation” he added. 

It remains to be seen what the future holds for the arena. If the arena remains as some sort of sports and/or entertainment venue, then in some form or fashion, the Palace lives on. However, if the ownership decides to no longer operate the arena, there is no doubt they know the value in their property for redevelopment. Auburn Hills is a sought-after address for many high-tech companies who choose to build US and World Headquarters in Michigan, and the location of the Palace along I-75 is excellent highway frontage for those companies seeking that kind of exposure. 

“It is important to recognize that the City’s $56M total annual budget includes total annual tax revenue from the Arena of approximately $174,000; in other words, the sky is not falling,” said Mayor McDaniel. 

Auburn Hills is an innovative community that has been a statewide leader in economic development initiatives. “To us, this is disappointing but it also provides us with new opportunities. My colleagues on City Council and I have the utmost confidence in our leadership team to work with Palace ownership should they discontinue use of the Arena or elect to redevelop the site,” concluded Mayor McDaniel. 

About Auburn Hills 
The City of Auburn Hills is a distinguished leader in southeast Michigan. Home to approximately 23,000 residents, as well as a workday population of approximately 100,000, Auburn Hills continues to be a thriving global business address. It is home to over 70 international corporations and hosts the World and North American headquarters for numerous outstanding businesses such as Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Continental Automotive Systems, Faurecia, and BorgWarner. Auburn Hills’ residents enjoy the amenities of city and suburban living with parks, a revitalized downtown district and a welcoming city complex with a library and community center. Additionally, the city has five colleges and universities, the award-winning Palace of Auburn Hills entertainment complex and Great Lakes Crossing Outlets, one of the state’s largest destination shopping centers, providing a variety of cultural, social and educational opportunities to residents, workers and visitors. Learn more at www.auburnhills.org. 

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