Red Wings' new arena comes with special amenities, and big price tag

It’s about to be the next MetLife Stadium. Well, for the hockey set anyhow.

The new arena for the Detroit Red Wings is shaping up to be the most expensive NHL arena in America, as reports Wednesday reveal that its many amenities have jacked up the price tag.

According to the Detroit News, the entertainment plaza—which will include more than just a barn for the NHL team—will cost $627 million, which is “$177 million more than the original estimate, as the Wings’ owner continues to add major upgrades to the state-of-the-art venue.”

What kind of “upgrades” are costing such a pretty penny? The Detroit Free Press broke down the adds-on as noted by Olympia Entertainment, the leg of Red Wings' owner Ilitch Holdings Inc., which is responsible for the new arena.

“In its announcement, Olympia said the enhancements would include:
-Enhanced video and sound capabilities for a more immersive experience, creative food-service options, a "skin" on the outside of the arena bowl that can display video and graphics, additional elevators and improved seating options like the gondola seating suspended over the action.
-An on-site practice ice for community hockey teams, and an outdoor plaza featuring a massive video wall – along with more green spaces across the arena site – that will be regularly programmed with music and entertainment.
-Operational improvements such as additional points of sale for concessions and merchandise.”

This clearly isn’t just a hockey arena with some fun shops around the perimeter, is it? The Detroit News article explained that the plan is for the new barn to “be surrounded by an an atrium and street-like walkway, with storefronts facing fans along the concourse. The design also means other key elements of arena operations, such as a ticket office or team store, are developed outside of the traditional venue structure.”

It’s no wonder the price to build the new arena keeps going up, with all the additives around the exterior to attract patrons who aren’t even watching the hockey game.

The list of special features might not stop there, either. As the price to build the venue goes up, it goes to wonder if even more specialty add-ons will be in place by the time the arena opens ahead of the 2017 NHL season.