All 52 corporate suites and the "vast majority of 22 mini-suites "have been sold at the new Red Wings arena" set to open in '17, according to Ted Kulfan of the DETROIT NEWS. The corporate suites "lease at about $300,000 per year -- at a length of seven to 10 years -- while the mini suites, which house up to eight people, lease for about $100,000." Olympia Entertainment President & CEO Tom Wilson said, “The suites sold out in 40 days. The buzz is amazing. People see what is happening there, they want to be part of it. ... It’s going to be the best building in America, by far." Wilson added that Olympia is also "developing a navigational app for fans attending events at the arena." Meanwhile, Wilson said that "investors from both coasts, and as far as China, have shown interest in developing the district around the arena" (DETROIT NEWS, 11/20). Wilson said that all but three of the arena’s 22 smaller loge-box suites have also been sold." In Detroit, Tom Walsh notes the full suites "can accommodate 18 to 30 people, while the mini-suites have four to eight seats each" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 11/20). Meanwhile, Wilson said that the aluminum skin of the arena bowl, around which fans will walk on a wide concourse, "will be available for advertisers to project video messaging." He said that Coca-Cola, for example, "could show video of its mascot polar bears walking around the arena." Wilson added that there "will be advertising inventory available on the new app and in all the traditional places found in arenas" (CRAINSDETROIT.com, 11/19).
