Opened for the 2018 NHL season, the new Little Caesars Arena serves as home to the Detroit Red Wings, Detroit Pistons, and numerous other sports, entertainment, and community events. The Arena is the cornerstone of a new 45-block redevelopment in downtown Detroit called The District Detroit.

Little Caesars Arena added hype to the city known as “hockeytown” with unique gondola-style seating suspended from the arena’s ceiling over 100 feet in the floor. These two-story seats provide fans and press with a birds-eye view of the action. Outside the main bowl, the facility includes a practice ice rink for the Red Wings. Additionally, Little Caesars Arena features a unique “deconstructed” layout. Buildings housing mixed-use retail, the arena’s box office, and the offices of the Red Wings were built outside the arena, but enclosed by a glass roof that connects the buildings and the arena. The this covered area creates an indoor “street” that serves as the arena’s concourse and remains open year-round. An outdoor plaza allows for the set-up of a large video display for fans without tickets to enjoy.

During the design of the 700,000 SF arena, there were many challenges by ownership, including changing architects and the project delivery method. The decision was made to go to a design assist delivery method after issuing final construction documents, creating immediate coordination challenges between the design team and the construction team. By working closely together with the contractor trades, the team was able to develop trust to keep the project on schedule toward the completion date.

SSR provided mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection design, along with energy consulting for the arena.