Encyclopedia Of Detroit
Pontiac Silverdome
The Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan was home to the Detroit Lions from 1975-2001 and the Detroit Pistons, from 1978-1988. When it opened in 1975 it held the largest number of seats, 82,666, of any National Football League (NFL) stadium until it was surpassed in 2000.
Designed by the architectural firm of O'Dell, Hewlett & Luckenbach, the Silverdome opened on August 23, 1975, originally called the Pontiac Metropolitan Stadium. It was notable for its 430,000 square foot Teflon-coated, fiberglass fabric roof held aloft by air pressure, the first major athletic facility to use the unique architectural feature, which was not immune to weather problems over the years. The sun caused a silver-like reflection off the white roof, hence the name Silverdome, which became official in 1977. Located north of Pontiac near I-75, it sat on 132 acres and cost $55.7 million to construct.
The stadium’s existence was due to the persistence of Pontiac native C. Don Davidson, an architect who wanted to boost Pontiac’s efforts at urban renewal. His efforts included contacting William Clay Ford, owner of the Detroit Lions football team, and convincing Detroit officials that a new stadium was needed at the Pontiac site, instead of potential locations in Walled Lake, the Michigan State Fairgrounds or the Detroit riverside. The architectural firm made him chief project designer.
Although constructed as a home for the NFL’s Detroit Lions, the stadium hosted a number of teams over the years including two soccer teams, the Detroit Express of the North American Soccer League and the Michigan Panthers of the United States Football League.
Concerts and other events were also held there such as the 1979 NBA All-Star game, Super Bowl XVI and beginning rounds of the 1994 FIFA World Cup. It was the first time a World Cup match had been played indoors, and the astro-turf was covered with live grass for the games. A record attendance of 93,682 was reached in 1987 when Pope John Paul II performed Catholic mass there, the second highest attendance being 93,173 for WrestleMania II that same year.
In 2002 a new home for the Detroit Lions, Ford Field, opened in downtown Detroit, robbing the stadium of its main tenant. The Pistons relocated to The Palace of Auburn Hills in 1988 and would move again to Little Caesar’s Arena in 2017. The Silverdome remained empty from 2001-2009 when the city of Pontiac, unable to maintain the facility, auctioned it to Andreas Apostolopoulos. The new owner spent millions to restore the facility and in 2010 it was open again to such events as concerts, boxing matches, monster truck shows and soccer games.
However in 2013 the roof succumbed to heavy snow, causing it to tear. Unable to find a company to make the repairs and with Pontiac unable to maintain funding for the dome’s police, emergency services and road repair, a decision was made to close the Silverdome that same year. Contents were auctioned in 2014 and through December 2017 to March 2018 the building was torn down.
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