According to Crain’s Detroit Business’s Jay Greene, Olympia Development of Michigan and Ilitch Holdings are set to build a sports medicine center in concert with the Detroit Medical Center to serve the Red Wings, Tigers, Pistons and public at large:
A $65 million, 127,00-square-foot sports medicine facility and office building will be built in the District Detroit development area, executives of Detroit Medical Center, Olympia Development of Michigan and Ilitch Holdings Inc. announced Wednesday morning.
Chris Ilitch, president and CEO of Ilitch Holdings, said the five-story building will be located between Little Caesars Arena and the under-construction Wayne State University Mike Ilitch School of Business off Woodward Avenue. It will serve athletes of all ages, the general sporting public, professional athletes and those employed by the Ilitch-owned Detroit Red Wings and Detroit Tigers.
Ilitch also said the company’s investment would not be possible without DMC’s commitment to a long-term lease for approximately 50,000 square feet of the building. He said construction will begin in early 2019. It is expected the facility will open in 2020.
“There is a growing demand for sports medicine in the city,” said Ilitch, who hesitated and then added he wasn’t sure he should comment on this in front of DMC officials, but “we hope our players never see” the DMC doctors at the sports medicine facility.
Several former Red Wings players and Ken Holland, general manager of the Red Wings, were present for the announcement at Little Caesars Arena.