Gores Says Deal To Move Pistons Downtown Just About Complete
AUBURN HILLS (CBS Detroit) -- The owner of the Detroit Pistons says a deal to move the team to downtown Detroit could happen any day and that a deal with the Ilitches is close.
Tom Gores spoke with with reporters before the Pistons home opener on Friday night, what could be the last home opener for the team at The Palace of Auburn Hills.
"I think if we're going to do it, it's going to be soon," Gores said. "We're getting close, we're getting close. And at the same time, I always want to appreciate The Palace."
While talking about moving to the new Little Caesars Arena, Gores said it was a matter of dotting the "I"s and crossing the "T"s.
"I have to be honest with you guys, we're getting close," Gores reiterated.
Gores has poured $40 million worth of renovations into The Palace since he bought Palace Sports and Entertainment from Karen Davison for $325 million in 2011.
"[You] always gotta do the right thing -- do the right thing for the fans, do the right things for the franchise," Gores said. "We've had very good conversations with the Ilitches."
Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson confirmed Monday that county officials in June turned down the deal to purchase the Palace from Gores for an all-in figure of about $384 million.
Little Caesars Arena is scheduled to open in Fall 2017 and was originally going to house only the Detroit Red Wings. If a deal goes through, it's likely that the Pistons would open the arena with the Ilitch-owned Wings.
"Where we play -- look, it's great if we can get back downtown, I think that's something that everybody I think would like -- but I wouldn't say it was my vision," Gores said. "The vision was to come in, compete and make you guys proud."
The Pistons have played at The Palace since 1988. The team played at the Pontiac Silverdome before that starting in 1978. The last time the team called the city of Detroit home, it played at Cobo Arena and Olympia Stadium.
