Joe Louis Arena Tunnel

This place has meant a lot to me over the years. My first memories of it are going to my first Red Wings games back in the day with my dad. If you ever went you probably remember the tunnels being filled with people going to the parking garage, some drunk, some not, but they would be yelling “mooo” like cows. Once Joe Louis Arena closed and the Red Wings moved in to LCA the tunnels got shut down. Since then the place remained on my mind, it’s so unique and cool looking inside and out. I wanted to get some photos there really bad. Randomly I saw Sprutte was skating in there when it was closed so I asked him if we could go back, and we did a week or so later. I figured it would be sort of dark so I shot my first roll of Fuji Superia 1600. My initial thought going there was to get a “first of the roll” shot, (pictured above) once I took that he did this wallride a bunch of times. Months later I was super hyped to get the skate photo in North Skate Mag. That day I shot photos in there like I would never have the chance again, and it was a super fun.

Years later after the session that got into the mag they rehabbed the tunnels and opened them to the public. There is a new apartment building being built so they made the parking garage useful again. When I saw that I had to get back to take some more photos. It is really fun to wallride since they are naturally curved. This time I went with Khaled and he got a switch frontside wallride. This photo ended up in Skate Jawn. I shot the same photo with another camera using the new Lomo Turquoise that they re-released this year. Cool to see them side by side and the differences. It was also nice this day because the light was shining through right down the middle.

As the tunnels were opened to the public I became obsessed, and kept going back. I knew Psych Blues film would look cool so I shot a bunch. This was the test film #5/6. I shot almost half a roll in hopes that some would be cool. I’m super happy with how these came out!

The most recent time I was there Pat and I wanted to get a photo, something easy. I told him a nice clean switch wallride would be cool. We handled with the digital cam.

Super happy they decided to open this place up to the public. I don’t think i’ll ever get tired of this place. It’s fun to skate, looks cool, and brings back great memories. Til’ next time!