Palace implosion planned for July
Demo likely to finish this year
Crews are preparing to rig up the explosives and hit the switch to bring the Palace of Auburn Hills down with a bang on Saturday, July 11.
The implosion of the arena’s 6,300-ton roof and the 21 concrete beams holding it up is planned for 8 a.m. that morning, according to Stephanie Carroll, manager of business development and community relations for the city of Auburn Hills.
Unlike the implosion of the Pontiac Silverdome in 2017, there will be no public party to bid the Palace farewell. Carleton-based demolition company Homrich and Livonia-based developer Schostak Bros. & Co., owners of the property, plan to recommend that the public watch the demolition at home due to the dust cloud the implosion will create.
There’s currently no plans to shut down the portion of I-75 near the Palace or the ramps to M-59.
Following the implosion, the clean-up on site is expected to take another four to six months as crews clear debris and fill in the hole the arena will leave on the property.
Palace Sports and Entertainment sold the 100acre property to Schostak in July 2019 for an undisclosed amount. It’s been rezoned for research and development, technology and office space.
Last spring, the city of Auburn Hills speculated the site might be used for a new technology park, including a hotel, conference center and retail spaces.
The 22,000-seat Palace of Auburn Hills officially closed in the fall of 2017 following the Detroit Piston’s move to downtown Detroit.