JCC '97-'98

Encore
and
Chales
Concert
Series
presents:

N

A Tour
of A Palace

6

basketball teams bring their own
! f you're like most who buy tick-
media crew (a producer, a direc-
ets to an event at the Palace of
tor,
etc. ) so they can broadcast
Auburn Hills, you shuffle in
back home? When not in use for
with the crowd, find your seat and
a
Palace commercial or broad-
enjoy the show or game. I have
casting a Pistons game, the pro-
done the same myself.
duction facilities are leased to
Recently, though, I read that the
businesses or ad agencies for
Palace offers behind-the-
making industrial videos
scenes tours. Here's what
or to edit or produce com-
I discovered.
mercials.
The tour, which lasts
The Vipers locker room
about an hour, starts in
has
on its carpet a replica
the West lobby where
of the ice. It also houses
you see Locker Room
a training area, complete
One and Two, retail
with massage tables and
stores filled with Pistons
ultrasound equipment for
and Vipers memorabilia.
Diane B aldwin
injuries. Each player has
We walked through the
Appl eTree
a
few extra hockey sticks
Staff
Writer
entrance for suite ticket
kept
on a rack by the
holders and wound down
door, and there is a skate repair
through large grey hallways that
room, as well.
wrap around the arena. We saw
We saw the press lounge and
the press conference room and the
talent dressing room (a special
first aid station. Did you know that
wall
was built for Barbra
both a nurse and doctor are avail-
Streisand).
We walked on the
able for medical emergencies at
Pistons basketball court and
all Palace events?
learned
that the Vipers skating rink
We walked into the Pistons lock-
is underneath the court, even dur-
er room, where I saw sneakers left
ing basketball games. We saw
in Malik Sealy's locker. I had no
the dock, restaurants, a suite
idea that the place was so clean
(incredibly nice) and all three tiers
and swanky. Never having met a
of seats. Tours are geared to the
basketball player, I was in awe of
specific needs of each group, and
the 8-foot doorways and shower
children are allowed time and
stalls. (I couldn't even reach the
space for running and interacting
shower head.)
(especially in the Hall of Fame
The tour continued with a visit to
and
Palace Museum).
one of the two the control rooms
Tours are held every day, by
where the Pistons games are
appointment,
providing it's not a
broadcast live. Few teams have a
game or event day. The cost is $3
broadcast facility in their arena, I
for those 18 and under, and $5
was told.
for adults. Each participant
Did you know that visiting NBA
receives free tickets to a Vipers
game. Call (248) 377-8278 to
Diane Baldwin is a mother and
schedule a time for your family to
freelance writer who lives in
visit. ❑
Clarkston, Michigan.

Atehad
get ► tetn

Saturday, February 14, 1998
8:00 p.m.

Jewish Community Center
West Bloomfield

Tickets:
$20 for members
$25 for non-members

For tickets and information call:

(248) 661-7649 West Bloomfield
or (248) 967-4030 Oak Park

Funded in part bu the Manny and Natalie Charach Endowment
for the Cultural Arts, the Irwin and Sadie Cohn Fund, the DeRoy
Testamentary Foundation and the Boaz Siegel Culture Fund.

iu

!I I

!!!

1/30
1998

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