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)
Off-Site
Auxiliary - 2,200
Off Site - 6,500
Facilities
Executive Suites - 93
Concessions - 42
Restaurant - 1
Banquet Rooms - 2
Rest Rooms - 44
Press Area (Capacity) - 300
Private Offices - 7
Storage Buildings - 2
Warehouses - 2
Practice Facilities - 2
Roof
Area - 430,000 sq. ft. (10 acres)
Height - 202 ft.
Weight - 200 tons
Material - Teflon-coated Fiberglas
Panels - 100
Pressure - Air supported at 5 lbs. Per square foot
Field Lighting
There are 311 lamps to our field lighting system. Average
Lumens 140,000
Warm Up Time 2-4 minutes
Re-Start Time 10-15 minutes
Turf
The 87,340-sq. ft. "Magic Carpet" system uses a series
of air jets to float the one
piece synthetic turf field over the stadium floor.
The turf stores on a huge mechanical spool
in a pit below the floor. It takes a crew of ten
30 minutes to install the playing field.
Photography
The lighting inside the Silverdome
is designed to capture the natural sunlight that filters through the translucent
roof and to provide a balance between that sunlight and the artificial
lights that surround the perimeter inside the Silverdome. (On a dark, overcast
day or during events held during late afternoon or evening hours, the outside
lighting will have no effect on exposure.)
Recommended film speed under all
conditions: ASA 400
When photographing events on the
playing field (lighting tends to be less in the stands), the recommended
exposure is:
For early evening or night events:
1/125 of a second with a lens aperture of F 5.6
For events held during sunny days:
1/250 of a second with a lens aperture of F 5.6
Various other exposure combinations
may be used, but they must be equivalent to the above to be correctly exposed
for best color.
The lights inside the Silverdome
match very closely that of natural sunlight. It is recommended that, when
other types of color films are used, great care be taken to ensure that
the film is the daylight type.
Stadium Policies
Alcohol Management
The open consumption of alcoholic beverages is prohibited
at all Silverdome operated parking lots. Alcoholic beverages are not allowed
to be removed from inside the stadium to the parking lot areas.
Guests may not bring alcoholic beverages into the stadium.
Guests may either leave the items at the gate - items will not be returned
- or return items to their vehicle.
Guests who appear to be visibly intoxicated will not be
allowed entrance to the Silverdome. Tickets will not be sold to guests
to appear to be intoxicated.
Possession of alcoholic beverages not purchased from the
stadium concessionaire inside the stadium will result in confiscation of
said alcohol and possible ejection. Disorderly guests causing disturbances
affecting other guests will be ejected from the stadium. No sale of alcoholic
beverages will be made to anyone under the age of 21. Identification will
be checked. Only two (2) alcoholic beverages will be served at one time.
During Detroit Lions games, alcohol sales will terminate
at a time predetermined by Silverdome Management. Termination time is posted
in all concession stands.
Silverdome Management, at its sole discretion, may dictate
that all alcoholic beverage sales be stopped at any time.
Animals
Only service animals trained to assist the disabled are
allowed in the Silverdome.
Banners
Banners are allowed in the Silverdome as long as they
are not on a stick, pole or contain offensive language. Banners may not
be hung where they will obstruct the view of other guests, hinder any activity
on the field, contain advertising or cover existing advertising. Any banner
determined by Silverdome Management to be a hazard or inappropriate will
be removed.
Cameras/Videos
For most events, still cameras (no flash) are allowed
while video cameras are prohibited. Please check with the Ticket Office
prior to bringing your camera/video recorder to the event.
Coolers
Coolers are permitted in the Silverdome as long as they
take up no more space than found under one seat, are constructed of soft
material, and contain no cans, bottles or alcoholic beverages.
Guest Conduct
To ensure the enjoyment of all who visit our facility,
proper behavior is expected of all guests at the Pontiac Silverdome. Unruly
or inconsiderate behavior will not be tolerated, and may be grounds for
ejection from the Silverdome and/or revocation of ticket privileges. Such
behavior includes, but is not limited to: abuse of intoxicants; profane
or abusive language or gestures; offensive or disorderly conduct; the throwing
of any object; standing or sitting in the aisles or behind the last row
of seats; smoking inside the Silverdome; possession of any prohibited items;
possession of alcohol in the No Alcohol sections; entering or attempting
to enter the field level or playing field; wearing any apparel with profane
or abusive language; failure to follow the instructions of Silverdome personnel;
actions that may harm or endanger others; and other such conduct that is
beyond the bounds of reasonableness for spectators attending an event in
the Silverdome.
Inspection Policy
All guests entering the Silverdome are subject to a visual
inspection of person, parcels, bags and containers capable of carrying
prohibited items.
Prohibited items include, but are not limited to: bottles
(glass or plastic), cans, hard-case containers, alcoholic beverages, missile-like
objects and weapons. Noise-makers, flags/banners/signs that are mounted
on a stick or pole are not allowed. Recording devices, such as video recorders,
tripods and audio tape recorders are also not allowed.
Guests may refuse inspection; if so, Silverdome Management
may refuse entry into the stadium.
No Smoking Policy
The Pontiac Silverdome is a smoke-free facility. There
is no smoking in any public area including seating areas, concourses, rest
rooms, Press box, tunnel areas, or concession stand areas. Any guest wishing
to smoke must go outside of the revolving doors located on all levels.
Passouts/Re-admissions
Guests may not leave the Silverdome and re-enter on a
ticket stub during any event.
Soliciting/Trespassing
No loitering; trespassing; soliciting or peddling; resale
or unauthorized distribution of tickets, merchandise or apparel; or placing
of handbills is allowed on Silverdome property.
The Silverdome reserves the right to alter and interpret
these regulations. In addition, this page contains only a summary of the
regulations that most often are of interest to our guests. If you have
any questions regarding Silverdome regulations, please call the Executive
Offices in advance of your visit. Our staff will be happy to assist you.
Guest Services is located at the West Gate, Section 129
on the Lower Level. This office handles lost and found, emergency phone
registration, lost children, guest assistance, and general information.
During major events, there are also Guest Services at Section 213 on the
Club Level and Section 335 on the Third Level. These locations handle guest
assistance and general information.
Automobile Problems
Should you have a problem such as keys locked in a car,
dead battery, etc., please contact Security or Silverdome personnel for
assistance.
Emergency Phone Calls
Paging is not permitted during the event. If you are
expecting an emergency phone call, please register your seat location at
Security, Lower Level, Section 125. If a call is received, Silverdome personnel
will be sent to your seat location with a message.
Guest Surveys
Your input, both positive and negative, is important
to Silverdome Management. Guest surveys are available at all concession
stands and may be dropped in the mailboxes located at the concession stands,
returned by mail (postage is prepaid), or given to any Silverdome personnel.
Jogging/Walking
The Silverdome is available to the general public for
jogging and walking during the winter season. This program is offered on
the same dates and times as rollerblading (usually November through April).
Joggers/walkers utilize the Club Level, while rollerblading takes place
on the Upper Level concourse. You must obtain an ID pass issued in advance
at the Silverdome Ticket Office. Identification is required to obtain the
pass and a yearly fee will be charged. Passes will not be issued at the
gate during jogging/walking hours. For further information, contact the
Silverdome Ticket Office.
Location of Facilities
Advance Ticket Sales
During most major events, tickets for upcoming events
are available at the East Gate Ticket Office located at Section 112 on
the Lower Level.
Cash Machine
A cash dispensing machine is located on the concourse
by Security at Section 125 on the Lower Level.
Diaper Changing Stations
Located in all women's and selected men's rest rooms
on all three levels.
Drinking Fountains
Drinking fountains, including those for our disabled
guests, are located at the entrances to the rest rooms on all levels.
Lost and Found
Located at Security, Section 125 on the Lower Level.
Main Event Restaurant
Access to the Main Event from inside the stadium is at
the North Stair Tower on the Club Level, or for our guests with disabilities,
via the elevator at Section 125 on the Lower Level. The entrance to the
Main Event, on non-event days, is located between the North Gate and the
Detroit Lions Ticket Office. During most major events, a ticket is required
for access. For operating times or to book a banquet, please contact the
Main Event Restaurant.
Medical Assistance/First Aid
Medical assistance is available during all events in
the Silverdome. The First Aid room is located at Section 109 on the Lower
Level.
Executive Suites
The 93 Executive Suites in the Silverdome are located
on the Club Level. Suites are available on a per event basis. For information,
please contact the Silverdome Executive Offices.
Public Telephones
Public telephones are located on all levels of the Silverdome.
Telephones also are located outside the perimeter fencing at all entrance
gates for those guests outside of the stadium.
Security
The Security office located at Section 125 on the Lower
Level is staffed 24 hours a day.
June 3, 1999
Copyright 1999 MediaVentures
A reconfiguration of the Silverdome will allow the Detroit Lions to offer a family area for its home games. The area features seats priced at $25 each. No alcohol or profanity will be allowed in the area .
November 29, 2001 (AP) - The Detroit Lions and the city of Pontiac reached an agreement that will allow the team to get out of its 30-year Silverdome lease, according to a settlement negotiator.
Elbert Hatchett, a Pontiac attorney, told the Detroit News in today's edition that a settlement had been reached.
The Lions plan to open the 2002 season at Ford Field, a $315 million stadium under construction in downtown Detroit.
SILVERDOME TO BE AUCTIONED
September 17, 2009
Copyright 2009 MediaVentures
Pontiac, Mich. - The former home of the Detroit Lions, the Pontiac Silverdome, will be
auctioned to the highest bidder by the end of the year without a minimum bid requirement.
City officials say they need the money and too much time has been spent trying to craft a future
for the unused facility. The decision was made by the city's emergency financial manager who was
appointed by the governor to deal with the city's unresolved budget problems.
The city, with a $6.5 million deficit from last year and $106 million in debt, can't afford the $1.5
million it's paying annually in upkeep, security and insurance for the shuttered facility and its
127-acre site, officials said.
In 2002, the city started accepting bids and proposals in a negotiation process that would last
until 2006. Three finalists presented plans that included businesses, residential structures and
entertainment venues with purchase offers between $11 million and $18.5 million. By February
2006, the two remaining proposals were withdrawn.
In 2007, another attempt to sell the Silverdome began. Last year the City Council approved a
$20 million offer from Bloomfield Hills attorney H. Wallace Parker and his Silver Stallion
Development Corp. that would have brought a hotel, casino, conference center and horse racetrack
to the site. The mayor vetoed the sale but the City Council overrode it. Negotiations were not
completed by the November deadline.
The city council two weeks ago rejected the manager's plan, but the manager has the power to
override the council and made the decision to move ahead.
SILVERDOME SOLD; MAY BE REVIVED AS SOCCER
November 19, 2009
Copyright 2009 MediaVentures
Pontiac, Mich. - A Toronto real estate firm submitted the winning bid to take over the Pontiac
Silverdome and the 127 acres surrounding the former home of the Detroit Lions. The firm agreed to
pay $583,000 for the property that cost $55.7 million to build in 1975.
But just a day after the bid was awarded, a local attorney sought and obtained an injunction
blocking the sale. H. Wallace Parker, president and CEO, of Silver Stallion Development Corp.
argued to the court that sale of the 80,000-seat dome violates a purchase agreement between
himself and the city. Parker wants to create a horse-themed park. A hearing is set for next week.
In July, 2008 the Pontiac City Council approved a purchase agreement for Parker to purchase
the property for $20 million, later reduced to $17 million. It was signed by Parker in August, 2008.
However, at the time, Mayor Clarence Phillips issued a veto of the purchase agreement on the
basis that Parker would be unable to fund the $250 million project.
The court action will delay the deal's closing. The winning firm is said by the city to be a straw
buyer and that the actual buyer's name will not be released until the closing takes place.
The unidentified winning bidder plans to use the complex for a men's Major League Soccer
team and women's professional soccer, auction officials said.
MLS is a 15-team league that will be expanding to 18 teams by 2011. Commissioner Don
Garber said in his state of the league address this week that he believes the league will eventually
have 20 teams but did not give a timetable. He was asked specifically about Detroit and said he has
had no talks with Detroit officials.
"Today, we believe we are going to be a 20-team league," Garber said in his address. "What we
think in 2020 or 2025, I can't answer and won't be around to have to address. This is a big country,
it's the size of a continent, and along with Canada, it gets even bigger."
Garber acknowledged there are ongoing talks with Montreal about becoming the 19th team,
but there is not a timetable and there are no active discussions regarding the 20th team.
One expansion franchise is starting in Philadelphia in 2010 and two more are approved in
Vancouver and Portland for 2011. Vancouver and Portland were approved in March. Markets must
submit bids, which are then reviewed and must be ratified by the MLS Board of Governors for
franchise approval.
The city has been trying to sell the Silverdome which costs $1.5 million a year for upkeep.
When no satisfactory buyer could be found, the city decided to put the 80,000-seat venue and its
property up for auction.
December 3, 2009
Copyright 2009 MediaVentures
An Oakland County Circuit Court judge has cleared the way for the city of Pontiac to sell the
Silverdome. The auction sale had been held up because of complaints from a losing bidder. After
the court reviewed the process, Judge Edward Sosnick allowed the sale to continue. The venue will
now go to Triple Properties of Toronto, Canada for $583,000. The firm plans a mixed-use
development, including the possibility of a Major League Soccer venue.
SILVERDOME OWNERS MAKE PLANS FOR EVENTS
March 18, 2010
Copyright 2010 MediaVentures
Pontiac, Mich. - The new owner of the Pontiac Silverdome says he has been getting inquires
from people wanting to use the building and he hopes to have events scheduled soon.
Andreas Apostolopoulos bought the venue during an auction last November for $583,000. He
plans to invest additional money in upgrading the facility.
In May, the Silverdome will host its first event in years. The two-day Green Soccer Bowl will
include national teams from Kenya, Puerto Rico, Malaysia and World Cup-bound Ghana.
SILVERDOME OWNER WANTS TO BRING MORE SOCCER TO THE VENUE
August 12, 2010
Copyright 2010 MediaVentures
Pontiac, Mich. - Silverdome owners led by Steve and Andreas Apostolopoulos say they want to
increase the number of soccer events at the venue and may renovate the venue in hopes of being awarded a team by Major League Soccer, according to Mlive.com.
"We would like to create something big here in Pontiac," Steve Apostolopoulos, the director of sports at the Silverdome and son of Andreas, told the web site. "We have the land and we have a great opportunity, and we want to do something that's beneficial to the area."
The venue last week hosted an exhibition match between Italian mega-club AC Milan and Greek powerhouse Panathinaikos.
Under the plan, the nearly 35-year old former home of the Detroit Lions could be renovated into a never-before-seen facility, the site reported.
The standard for soccer-specific stadiums ranges from the 18,000-seat Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colo. (home of the Colorado Rapids), to the 27,000-seat Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. where the Los Angeles Galaxy and Chivas USA both call home, it was reported.
To achieve a reasonable stadium size, the Apostolopoulos family plans to remove the dome and divide the stadium into three sections. At the stadium's ground level, will be a concert hall and a multi-purpose arena, capable of hosting hockey, basketball, and other indoor sports, Mlive.com said.
Resting on top of those two indoor facilities, will be a roughly 30,000-seat soccer stadium with natural grass. The current upper deck will essentially act as a lower bowl for the outdoor stadium.
SILVERDOME SEEKS FEES FOR CANCELED SHOW
October 21, 2010
Copyright 2010 MediaVentures
Pontiac, Mich. - The new operators of the Silverdome are seeking $750,000 in damages from a
group of promoters following a failed Indian musical concert last June, according to the Detroit News.
The Silverdome's owner-operators, Triple Sports and Entertainment of Toronto, claim they're owed a month's rent by Palace Entertainment Group Inc. of Shelby Township and others after a stage collapse forced the cancellation of the concert by the composer of "Slumdog Millionaire" and left them with a stadium full of debris and materials.
According to the Oakland Circuit Court complaint, Palace Entertainment Group contracted with Triple Sports and Entertainment to hold the "Indian Musical Live Concert" event inside the Silverdome June 20 for $20,000 a day plus fees.
After the stage collapse the day before the event - which left several stage workers injured and prompted the cancellation - materials were left for insurance companies to examine and the mess was not removed until July 30, according to the complaint.
Elizabeth Thomson, an attorney for Palace Entertainment Group, which is not connected to The Palace of Auburn Hills, told the News the suit is a "farce."
"The truth is they're having trouble booking that place, and they stand to make more money with something like this than if they had booked that show," she said.
With accumulating interest, the Silverdome seeks a judgment of $25,000 a day - more than $750,000 - plus damages to be determined.
SILVERDOME OWNERS SEEKING SOCCER TEAM
June 9, 2011
Copyright 2011 MediaVentures
Pontiac, Mich. - Triple Sports & Entertainment, the owners of the Pontiac Silverdome has plans
to bring a Major League Soccer expansion team to the newly-resurrected facility, the Bay City Times reported.
The company has submitted an application to Major League Soccer with the goal of fielding a team in the next few years. However, they will have to get in line as bringing a second franchise to the New York market is currently front and center according to MLS officials.
"We're in discussions with the league, and we've met several times," said Steve Apostolopoulos, the director of sports at the Silverdome. "There is a process that potential ownership has to follow and we're very happy with how things are progressing."
In 2012, the league will welcome Montreal as its 19th franchise and all efforts are being made to make sure a team based in the Big Apple is next in line.
"MLS is aware of the interest from the Apostolopoulos family in securing an MLS team in Detroit," MLS spokesperson Will Kuhns told the newspaper in an e-mail. "The League maintains its current focus on New York as a possible home for the 20th team."
The Toronto-based Triple Sports made headlines in the Fall of 2009 with the purchase of the vacant Silverdome in a private auction for the bargain price of $583,000. When they acquired the stadium, which had not been used since the Detroit Lions left after the 2001 NFL season, they announced they had plans to revive the stadium and to acquire an MLS franchise to play in it.
Since then, the group has fixed up the stadium to host a variety of events like concerts, motorcross races and monster truck rallies.
Since 80,000 seats is too much for even MLS' top draw, the Times said the Apostolopoulos family plans to remove the dome and divide the stadium into three sections.
At the stadium's ground level, will be a convention center/concert hall as well as a multi-purpose arena, capable of hosting hockey, basketball, and other indoor sports.
Resting on top of those two indoor facilities, will be a roughly 30,000-seat outdoor soccer stadium with natural grass. The current upper deck will essentially act as a lower bowl for the outdoor stadium.
In theory, the facility could house as many as 70,000 people at one time.
The construction to pull off the renovation, which will employ as many as 2,500 workers, can be completed very quickly because of the unique arrangement, the newspaper said.
"The good thing about these renovations is that 99 percent of the construction can be done under the dome, so you could have two or three shifts and have construction running 24 hours a day without any weather issues. So if we get approved, things can move very fast."
The bones of the building are in "amazing shape" which bodes well for the transformation, which could be completed in less than a year, Apostolopoulos told the Times.
SILVERDOME RENOVATION DETAILS DISCLOSED
October 13, 2011
Copyright 2011 MediaVentures
Detroit, Mich. - A group of Detroit soccer enthusiasts have disclosed on their web site plans for renovation of the Pontiac Silverdome into a Major League Soccer venue.
The Daily Tribune in Oakland County says Motor City Supporters has revealed two drawings of
the Silverdome redesigned to support a soccer team.
Silverdome officials have confirmed Canadian owner Andreas Apostolopoulos wants to bring a soccer team to the venue.
Apostolopoulos, who was born in Greece and owns millions of dollars worth of property in
Canada, was able to bring a match between Italy's AC Milan and Greece's Panathinaikos to Pontiac last year.
The Silverdome also has a history tied with the sport. The Detroit Express of the North American Soccer League played in the Silverdome from 1978-1980. The World Cup was also held under the inflated roof in 1994.
The venue will undergo drastic changes if a team is brought to Pontiac, however.
Preliminary plans have called for deflating the dome and installing a natural grass stadium in its place, the newspaper reported.
The bottom half of the Silverdome will be cut in half, according to the renderings.
Silverdome officials said last year the renovations would be "years down the road." Apostolopoulos bought the dome in 2009 for just $583,000 in an auction conducted under the
tenure of then Emergency Financial Manager Fred Leep.
In a recent interview he did with Canadian Business, the renovations to overhaul the
Silverdome and bring a major league soccer team to Pontiac are estimated at more than $50 million.
