Pontiac Silverdome

Pontiac Silverdome
Pontiac Silverdome in 2011
Interactive map of Pontiac Silverdome
Former namesPontiac Metropolitan Stadium (1975–1976)
Pontiac Silverdome (1976–2013)
Address1200 Featherstone Road
LocationPontiac, Michigan, US
Coordinates42°38′45″N 83°15′18″W / 42.64583°N 83.25500°W / 42.64583; -83.25500
Owner
OperatorTriple Sports & Entertainment
Capacity82,000+
80,311 (American football, soccer)
Surface
Record attendance93,682
September 18, 1987
(Catholic Mass with Pope John Paul II)
Construction
Broke groundSeptember 19, 1973
Opened
  • August 23, 1975
  • April 17, 2010
Closed
  • February 2006
  • January 2013
DemolishedDecember 4, 2017 – March 2018
Construction costUS$55.7 million
($404 million in 2025 dollars)
Architect
Structural engineerGeiger Berger Associates
General contractorBarton Malow
Tenants
Detroit Lions (NFL) (1975–2001)
Detroit Pistons (NBA) (1978–1988)
Detroit Express (NASL) (1978–1980)
Michigan Panthers (USFL) (1983–1984)
Cherry Bowl (NCAA) (1984–1985)
Motor City Bowl (NCAA) (1997–2001)
Detroit Mechanix (AUDL) (2012)
Website
silverdometickets.com (No Longer Works)

The Pontiac Silverdome was a multi-purpose stadium in Pontiac, Michigan, United States. It opened in 1975 and sat on 199 acres (51 ha) of land. When the stadium opened, it featured a fiberglass fabric roof held up by air pressure, the first use of the architectural technique in a major athletic facility. With a seating capacity of over 82,600, it was the largest National Football League (NFL) stadium until 2000.

It was primarily the home of the Detroit Lions of the NFL from 1975 to 2001 and was also home to the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1978 to 1988. In addition, the Silverdome also served as the home venue for the Detroit Express of the North American Soccer League and the Michigan Panthers of the United States Football League, as well as two college bowl games: the Cherry Bowl and the Motor City Bowl. In 2012, the Silverdome served as the home venue of the Detroit Mechanix of the American Ultimate Disc League and hosted the league championship game that season.

The stadium was a regular concert venue and hosted a number of athletic and non-athletic events, including the 1979 NBA All-Star Game, Super Bowl XVI, WrestleMania III, early round games of the 1994 FIFA World Cup, and regional games in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament.