Imagine a state-of-the-art indoor sports complex on Detroit’s riverfront — connecting to the Riverwalk and the Joe Louis Greenway, framing a stunning view of Belle Isle and transforming access to recreation for thousands of young people — that also houses a WNBA practice facility.
Detroit Pistons owner Tom Gores and the WNBA Detroit ownership group have pitched a bold, visionary investment in Detroit’s future that honors the promise of this city and the power of its people. It revives a 40-plus acre parcel once home to Uniroyal, situated on one of Detroit’s most iconic stretches of riverfront that has been idle for decades. The land sits largely neglected, a quiet reminder of ideas that came and went. Detroiters watched as proposal after proposal faded, wondering when this treasured location would rise again.
Today, the future looks different.
As the leaders of the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, the Joe Louis Greenway and the Belle Isle Conservancy — some of Detroit’s most cherished shared spaces — we are ready to collaborate and support this extraordinary project.
With the Pistons’ continued engagement with Detroiters, we believe this project is well suited for the site and positioned to deliver meaningful social, cultural and economic benefits for Detroit. We encourage community members to stay informed and involved as the public process advances.
(Editor’s note: The Detroit City Council is expected to vote Tuesday on a site plan review for the proposed project.)
An investment in Detroit’s future
Detroit has emerged as a world leader in creating and cultivating extraordinary public spaces. Our riverfront, Belle Isle and Joe Louis Greenway together welcome more than eight million people every year, connecting communities, building healthier lives and offering inspiration in every direction.
The proposed WNBA practice facility and Youth Development Academy at the former Uniroyal site is more than just a redevelopment plan. It’s a bold, visionary investment in Detroit’s future that honors the promise of this city and the power of its people.
It’s a project that revitalizes a long blighted and environmentally challenged stretch of riverfront, while uplifting youth sports and elevating women’s professional athletics in our region. Just as importantly, it offers something priceless: a safe, inclusive place where Detroit’s young athletes can learn, grow and lead.
As parents ourselves, we know firsthand how vital spaces like these are to our community. Too few indoor sports facilities exist in Detroit, especially ones designed with equity, access, and community at their core. This project will deliver year-round training, mentorship, and development opportunities for youth across multiple sports, not just athletes, but future leaders, entrepreneurs, and trailblazers.
This project will also beautify and activate a parcel that has been underused for far too long, adding new energy, attracting families and fans, and creating a ripple effect throughout the surrounding neighborhoods. Restaurants, retail shops, and small business owners will feel the impact too, with visitors frequenting local establishments before and after practices, camps, and events.
This initiative is a statement. It says Detroit is committed not only to the present, but to the long arc of our future.
It turns a long-neglected site into a source of pride and possibility for generations. It aligns with what Detroiters have asked for again and again: investments that enhance our public spaces, expand opportunities, and fuel the comeback we know is already underway.
We encourage the Detroit Pistons and the ownership group to continue engaging with city leaders, public space advocate, and residents as plans move forward. Together, we can not only bring this vision to life but set a national standard for how public space and youth development intersect for the greater good.
Ryan Sullivan
The writer is CEO of the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy
Leona Medley
The writer is executive director of the Joe Louis Greenway Partnership
Meagan Elliott
The writer is president and CEO of the Belle Isle Conservancy.
Disclosure: The Detroit Riverfront Conservancy has received funding from the Detroit Pistons to construct two full-sized basketball courts inside the William Davidson Sport House at the newly opened Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Centennial Park.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: WNBA facility at old Uniroyal is a layup for Detroit’s future | Letter
Reporting by Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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