In mid 1968, University of Detroit Professor C. Don Davidson, along with other area sports enthusiasts were excited at the prospects that professional sports teams, the Detroit Lions and the Tigers, were actively investigating the possibilities of a new major sports facility for Southeast Michigan. The excitement was generated by the fact that Davidson and Pontiac city leaders made a presentation to the Metropolitan Stadium Committee of a 155 acre site on the city's east side at the intersection of M-59 and I-75. The Metropolitan Stadium Committee voted unanimously for the Pontiac site. The city commission later appointed a Stadium Authority which spent the greater part of 1969 completing the necessary economic feasibility studies in constructing such a stadium. The city made the professional sports franchises aware that a stadium could be built and financed in Pontiac.
An Environmental analysis of a central business area : Pontiac, Michigan / Bruno Leon, Karl H. Greimel, C. Don Davidson' - Oakland County Research Library

The Man Behind the Stadium Project - Pontiac Silverdome ©


From the early 1960's until 1972, Pontiac's own, Don Davidson (1929-1987) worked as an urban planner/designer and architect while designing and coordinating many developments across the nation. He then worked as a professor of architecture and urban planning at the University of Detroit. He was best known for two local projects, the Pontiac Silverdome Stadium and the Pontiac Plan,  - Pontiac Times, Dec. 7, 1973

During the initial phase of the stadium planning prior to 1968, Davidson and his University of Detroit architecture class along with Bruno Leon, Dean of Architecture conceived and designed the stadium as part of an overall urban renewal project for the city of Pontiac and surrounding area. Davidson ultimately was hired as Chief Project Designer by the architectural firm, O'dell, Hewlett & Luckenbach.

After the completion of the stadium project, Davidson was pleased to know that a major part of his life long dream for the city of Pontiac had become a reality with the construction of an 80,000 seat 'state of the art' sports complex that, in his own words, "has a symmetrical layout fashioned after the ancient Roman Colosseum."



Artist Rendering of the Pontiac Stadium / Silverdome -  Pontiac Times Newspaper Photo, 1974






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The Early Years - Planning and Construction ©

In the beginning stages of planning, Detroit, Pontiac and 
Walled Lake were the primary sites for a new stadium.
City to Push for Stadium
First mention of a proposed stadium, Pontiac Press - May 24, 1968
Envisioned and Designed by  Professor C. Don Davidson of the University of Detroit
and Dean of Architecture Bruno Leon, chairman of the design team.



Original plans called for a dual stadium complex for both the Detroit Tigers baseball team and the Detroit Lions. Plans were scrapped due to the lack of a commitment by the Tigers organization.  
Pontiac Press Article - September 12, 1968
The site being proposed for consideration is a 130 acre  parcel north of M-59 and west of Opdyke.



Model of proposed dual stadium complex with a sliding roof












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Current Status of the Silverdome ©

After the Lions departure, the city of Pontiac began to experience dire financial problems. Due to the continued high maintenance costs of the structure, it made several unsuccessful attempts to sell the stadium. In early 2008, United Assurance Company Ltd. made the highest purchase offer to date, with a bid of $18 million to convert the Silverdome into a Hollywood-style entertainment complex, following an earlier bid of $12 million by an attorney. However, the city announced in October 2009 that the property would go to auction with no minimum bid, and that zoning regulations would be relaxed for any buyer in order to spark development. The city engaged the firm of Williams & Williams to conduct the auction in November 2009.

Silverdome sells for $583,000

After reading about the auction in a newspaper, Greek-born Canadian real estate developer Andreas Apostolopoulos, CEO of Toronto-based Triple Properties Inc., submitted a winning bid of US$550,000. Real estate fees of 6% raised the price to US$583,000. The sale of the Silverdome, completed in 1975 at a cost of $55.7 million (approx. $225 million in 2012 dollars), and sold in 2009 for $583,000 was viewed by many as a symbol of the collapse of real estate prices in the Detroit metropolitan area though many local leaders and residents claimed the sale was brought about due to the incompetence of city management and their not having a vision or future plans for the stadium and surrounding area.


In the Detroit Free Press on March 11, 2010, Apostolopoulos vowed "to revive the stadium as a big-event venue by investing millions of dollars".
The roof was permanently deflated on Wednesday, January 2, 2013 as an energy saving measure during upcoming renovations. Plans call for a new, permanent, self-supporting roof to be installed topped with solar panels for energy production.




Pontiac Silverdome owners plan facelift in bid to lure Major League Soccer


Click here to view a rendering of a renovated Pontiac Silverdome that will house a soccer specific stadium at the top level (without a roof), and a concert hall and a multi-purpose indoor sports facility at the ground level.





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Silverdome Facts ©

I

 Inception of Planning:  ca.1968, at the University of Detroit by Dean of Architecture Bruno Leon and Professor C. Don Davidson 

Construction
Architect: O'dell, Hewlett & Luckenbach
Building Contractor: Barton Malow
Cost: $55.7 Million
Construction completed on time (23 months) and on budget.
1.5 million cubic yards of earth moved for construction.

Materials Used: 52,000 cubic yards of concrete
1,700 tons of structural steel
10 acre Teflon-coated Fiberglas roof
18 large steel cables: vary 550 to 750 feet, weighing up to 15,000 lbs. each
10 - 75 hp fans and 15 - 100 hp fans
50 revolving doors
93 pressure balance doors

Building Size: Overall- 770ft. x 600ft.
Playing Field- 94,000 sq. ft.
Lower Concourse- 25,000 sq. ft.
Financing
$15.9 million in General Obligation Notes issued by the City of Pontiac.
$25 million in Revenue Bonds sold by the Pontiac Stadium Building Authority.
$8 million interest on bond money prior to construction.
$7.76 million installment loan for addition of an air supported roof, to be paid for out of stadium revenues.

Current Owner: Andreas Apostolopoulos Family Triple Investment Group 
Previous Owner: Pontiac Stadium Building Authority

Groundbreaking: September 19, 1973

Site: 132 total acres:100 acres - Parking Lot
20 acres - Silverdome
Seating
Lower Level: 42,082
    Bench Seats-(3,634)
Club Level-7,342
Upper Level-29,399
Private Suites-1,246
Wheelchair-256
Capacity
Football, Soccer, Supercross, Tractor Pull, Rodeos: 80,325
Political Rallies, Religious Crusades: 90,000
Concerts: 22,000 to 55,000

Parking
On-Site (100 acres, lighted, paved)
Automobile - 12,464
    Handicap - (389)

Home to- Detroit Lions 1975-2001, Detroit Pistons 1978-1988, Michigan Panthers (USFL) 1983-1984, Detroit Express (NASL) 1978-1980, NCAA Cherry Bowl (1984-1985, Super Bowl XVI, FIFA World Cup (1994), NCAA Motor City Bowl 1997-2001, Wrestlemania III (1987), NBA All Star Game (1979), and the NBA Finals (1988)

Notable audience attendance numbers

The largest crowd to ever gather at the Silverdome was on March 29, 1987 for WrestleMania III, with a reported attendance of 93,173. Another notable audience attendance record had earlier been broken on April 30, 1977, when the English rock band Led Zeppelin played in front of 76,229 fans at the Silverdome. This was, at the time, a new world record attendance for a solo indoor attraction, beating the 75,962 that The Who attracted there on December 6, 1975. The Detroit Pistons also set numerous NBA attendance records during their time at the Silverdome; Regular Season, 61,983 vs. Boston, January 29, 1988; Playoffs, 41,732, vs. L.A. Lakers, June 16, 1988. - (courtesy of Wikipedia)

Significant events


(courtesy of Wikipedia)

Stories, Photos & Videos related to the Silverdome ©

The Who - "Won't Get Fooled Again" - Live at the Pontiac Silverdome, 1975





 Elvis Presley's New Years Eve Show - 1975
click here for history and photos




O.J. Simpson Makes a Pitch for the New Stadium 
Under Construction - 1974

In 1976, the Buffalo Bills Running Back rushed for a then NFL-record 273 yards at the Silverdome. The Lions defeated Buffalo, 27-14.  Click here to watch O.J. set the NFL record.

Football star O.J. Simpson  with his first wife, making an appearance in Pontiac MI. on behalf of Buffalo Bills owner and local business owner, Ralph Wilson. -  April 15, 1974 



Billy Graham's 'Invitation' answered by thousands
Billy Graham - 1976
They begin streaming on the field even before Dr. Billy Graham finishes his invitation. Hundreds, then thousands descend the steps from their seats at the 80,000 seat Pontiac Stadium to answer the call.

It is the same scene repeated at each of the preceding nine evangelistic crusade services. The crowds had grown from an initial 35,000 or so until Sunday's 70,000 jammed their way into the parking lots and through the revolving doors.

Click on [Full Screen] at top of document to view the full article.

Billy Graham's Invitation' answered by thousands
Super Bowl XVI, Pontiac MI  January 24, 1982
Game Highlights of the San Francisco  49ers and the Cincinnati  Bengals
Michael Jackson Victory Tour - 1984

WWF Wrestlemania III - 1987

WRESTLEMANIA-3

Pope’s visit still etched in area’s memory

DETROIT — One of the biggest events in the life of the Catholic Church in southeast Michigan took place 25 years ago this month, when Bl. John Paul II made a pastoral visit to Detroit.
And despite the passage of a quarter-century, that papal visit of Sept. 18-19, 1987, still lives in the memories of those who participated in the preparations or just attended the various events.
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