It won’t be a complete makeover, but DTE Energy Music Theatre is seeing the biggest facelift it’s had since Palace Sports and Entertainment purchased the venue in 1991.
The $6 million investment by PS&E will be used to complete nearly 40 projects, said Director of Public Relations Jeff Corey. He said the theater undergoes much smaller work each year. PS&E has invested more than $33 million in improvements in its 16 years of ownership.
The largest on the list is a rebuilt, L-shaped concession stand near the east entrance to the theater. Corey said it’s difficult to pin down an exact opening date for the building.
‘It’s going to depend on a lot of factors. Weather is the biggest, but it should be open in early June.?
A ‘plaza-like? area will surround the stand, and will include a 400-square-foot barbeque pit and a bar called On the Rocks.
‘We’re trying to make that the focal point of the venue on the back side of the hill because we have a lot of concessions adjacent to the pavilion. This will be the biggest on the back side. We’re trying to bring it up to the standards set by the rest of the venue,? Corey said.
‘It will make the whole area one of a park-like setting.?
The renovation list also includes replacing the roof of the pavilion, which houses the stage, refurbished backstage areas, lighting upgrades, walkway repaving, and landscaping areas near the concourse and water areas.
Rewold and Sons Inc. of Rochester, which has made improvements to DTE and The Palace of Auburn Hills in the past, was chosen for this project.
Project Manager Richard Scheck said the company began the repairs in mid-March and will be finished by the third week in May.
The following week, traditional venue opener Eddie Money is scheduled to hit the stage.
‘We know they can work within our time frame. We feel it’s very important to keep working with them,? Corey said.
‘Palace Sports and Entertainment is always looking to continue to keep their facilities state of the art. They want it as nice as it can be for the fans,? Scheck said.
Parking will still be included in the price of concert tickets at DTE, which reduces traffic on roads by the theater’s entrances prior to the shows, Corey said. PS&E is still planning partnerships with concert sponsors to give away concert vouchers as well.
‘It’s another way we can try to keep ticket prices reasonable for fans,? Corey said.
PS&E President and CEO Tom Wilson said the improvements came from collecting comments from visitors, both fans and artists.
‘We’ve listened to what our event-goers and artists have told us. We’ve seen how they use the facility and we’ve used this input to determine how we can make the experience better for them.?
The theater was purchased in 1991 from the Nederlander Organization and DTE Energy bought the naming rights to the venue in 2001. Pine Knob Music Theater, as it was known prior, opened in 1972.