Memories of The Palace of Auburn Hills

Construction is under way at The Palace of Auburn Hills on August 4, 1988. The $90 million arena funded by Bill Davidson was the first in the NBA financed entirely with private funds.

Kurt Marter wires lights into telescoping steps.

Isiah Thomas streaks down the court in 1989, the year the Pistons won their first NBA championship season.

Pistons owner Bill Davidson holds the NBA Championship trophy as the team celebrates a four-game sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers in 1989.

Mark Aguirre and the rest of the Pistons successfully defended their NBA title in 1990, winning three consecutive games on the road against the Portland Trail Blazers in the finals.

Sting became the first musical act to perform at The Palace on August 12, 1988. On August 30, Aretha Franklin joined George Michael on stage during his Faith World Tour. The duo sang their Grammy-winning hit "I New You Were Waiting."

Kid Rock and Pam Anderson have some fun at a Detroit Pistons and Miami Heat game at The Palace in 2001.

Detroit Pistons Richard Hamilton (from left) and Corliss Williamson help Ben Wallace as he prepares to get his hair done for "Wig Night" on March 12, 2004, at the Pistons' practice facility.

Richard Hamilton and Rasheed Wallace celebrate near end of the Eastern Conference Finals game between the Pistons and Indiana Pacers on May 26, 2004.

Ben Wallace tries to keep Shaquille O'Neal in check as the Detroit Pistons take on the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 3 of the NBA Finals on June 10, 2004.

Saginaw fans (from left) Nikko Lee, 19, Mat Saffarian,19, Kapil Kella, 20, Tony Meyer, 20, Maciej Pietrus,19, and Rowan Lee,17, show off their body paint and crowns as they root for Tayshaun Prince before Game Five of the NBA Finals between the Detroit Pistons and the Los Angeles Lakers at The Palace on June 15, 2004.

Detroit's Kid Rock sings the national anthem, dedicating it to the late President Ronald Reagan and soul great Ray Charles, during Game 4 of the NBA Finals between the Detroit Pistons and the Los Angeles Lakers on June 13, 2004.

Aretha Franklin sings the national anthem as the Detroit Pistons take on the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 5 of NBA Finals on June 15, 2004.

Ben Wallace holds the world championship trophy aloft as the Pistons beat the Lakers in Game 5 at The Palace of Auburn Hills in 2004.

Pistons owner Bill Davidson hoists the NBA championship trophy after the Pistons won Game 5 of the NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers on June 15, 2004.

Pistons guard Chauncey Billups shows the new street sign reading Four Championship Drive on October 21, 2004. The arena's address changed whenever the Pistons or the Detroit Shock won a championship, and is currently 6 Championship Drive.

Redford Township resident Moe Essix, 41, finished his custom 2003 Chevy SSR pickup truck in a 2004 Detroit Pistons NBA World Championship motif. The bed of the pickup is a 1/25th scale of The Palace, with a hardwood floor. All 4,523 pieces were individually hand-cut, sanded and glued.

Palace security people rush into the stands to separate Indiana Pacers players and Pistons fans during the infamous "Malice at The Palace" brawl on November 19, 2004.

Ron Artest is led off the court by Chuck Person, Pacers special consultant, after the brawl.

Gabrielle Nettle, 18, of Clarkston is told that she is the 1,000,000th fan at The Palace of Auburn Hills on May 11, 2005.

Stevie Wonder performs his song "What the Fuss?" during pregame festivities at the Detroit Pistons/San Antonio Spurs Game 3 of the NBA Finals at The Palace on June 14, 2005.

Rapper Eminem poses for the photographer as he cheers for the Pistons on June 16, 2005.

Fans Andrenetta Gibson and Jaymie Woods cheer the Pistons during Game 4 of the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs on June 16, 2005.

Detroit Pistons President Joe Dumars, right, announces that Flip Saunders will be the new head coach of the Detroit Pistons on July 21, 2005.

U2's The Edge (left) and Bono share the mic during a sold-out show at The Palace on October 24, 2005.

Ben Wallace shoots free throws during Pistons practice facility at The Palace of Auburn Hills on May 18, 2006.

Bob Seger rocks it out with "Roll Me Away" to kick off the first of four sold out shows at The Palace on December 20, 2006.

Ben Wallace fan Joseph Jafri, 8, of Owosso, cheers the Pistons in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals on May 31, 2006.

Mike Palazzola, 16, Eastpointe, smiles as he checks out a face full of paint in the mirror on May 23, 2006.

Larry Harden of Auburn Hills puts ketchup on his burger while tailgating with friends outside The Palace on May 26, 2008.

Paul McCartney performs Oct. 14, 2005, at The Palace.

Katy Perry brings her Prismatic World Tour to The Palace of Auburn Hills on August 11, 2014.

Pink performs with warm-up band The Hives at The Palace on March 5, 2013.

Miley Cyrus' "Bangerez" Tour arrives at The Palace of Auburn Hills on April 12, 2014.

Rachael Sledzinski, center, and fellow dancers attend an audition for the Detroit Pistons Entertainment Team on July 16, 2016.

Free agent guard Chauncey Billups, left, and Detroit Pistons President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars pose with Billups' jersey after Billups' introduction to the media as the newest member of the team on July 16, 2013. Billups, who was a member of the Pistons for six years, returned to the team as a player and a mentor to the younger players.

Tom Gores bought The Palace of Auburn HIlls as part of his purchase of the Pistons in 2011. He's seen here during the Pistons' home opener on October 28, 2016.

Members of the Pistons 2004 Championship team return for a tribute on January 6, 2016: From left, coach Larry Brown, Tayshaun Prince, Richard Hamilton, Mehmet Okur, Chauncey Billups, Rasheed Wallace, Ben Wallace and Lindsay Hunter.

Detroit Pistons Aron Baynes and Reggie Jackson celebrate a victory over the Washington Wizards, 112-99, at The Palace of Auburn Hills on April 8, 2016. The Pistons made their first appearance in the playoffs in eight seasons, but were swept 4-0 in the first round by the eventual NBA champions, the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Bruce Springsteen performs at The Palace of Auburn Hills on The River Tour on April 14, 2016.

Richard Hamilton, his wife T.J. Lottie and their sons and Pistons owner Tom Gores unveil Hamilton's jersey, which was retired in a ceremony on February 26, 2017.

George Blaha, television analyst on Fox Sports, takes his usual spot on the side of the court before a Pistons game on February 6, 2017.

Andre Drummond of the Pistons battles for a rebound against Kyle O'Quinn of the New York Knicks on March 11, 2017.

Former Detroit Pistons guard Isiah Thomas waves to the crowd during halftime on Feb. 8, 2017. Thomas was honored as part of the team's ongoing celebration of its years at The Palace.

The Dancing Usher (Shannon Sailes) does a birthday dance for 4-year-old Gwynneth McClintic of Linden, Michigan, she watches the dance on the big monitor on April 5, 2017.

Pistons fans turn out for one of the final games at The Palace on April 5, 2017.