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It’s been just over four weeks since plans were unveiled for the new Detroit Red Wings Arena and Entertainment District. It was the worst kept secret in Detroit over the past few years, but many people didn’t know what it would look like or how it would be designed.

The Ilitch’s went with a different kind of arena design, where the arena will be enclosed by glass walkways that connect outer buildings that will have offices, residential apartments and stores on the ground floor. With the new arena and the surrounding districts to be ready by 2017 (which can be seen at DistrictDetroit.com), there was one glaring omission from the plans.

The Red Wings will house their offices in one of the buildings connected to the arena, in addition to a team store and plaza for special events. So what could possibly be missing?

Believe it or not, only one team out of the Original Six (Montreal, Toronto, Boston, Chicago, New York, Detroit) has a team Hall of Fame. The Montreal Canadiens are the only team to have this. All six teams have a rich history, but only one of the six teams has a Hall of Fame or Museum to commemorate the success of their past.

It’s time the Red Wings had their own team Hall of Fame or museum. If you’ve ever been to Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, they have a team Hall of Fame and museum inside the ballpark. From World Series trophies, to bats used by Babe Ruth and balls signed by Lou Gehrig, the Yankees are a storied franchise and they’ve learned how to honor those great teams and players.

With thousands of square-feet committed to the arena and the surrounding buildings, it’s only right to have a museum and team Hall of Fame.

Imagine the possibilities that could be held within the confines of this museum and arena. The 11 Stanley Cups, hundreds of awards, trophies, sticks and pucks used from some of the most memorable games in Red Wings history. Helmets, skates, pads, shirts, jerseys, suits, and heck, even some seats and memorabilia from Joe Louis Arena, the possibilities are endless.

Flank the entrances with statues of some of the Red Wing greats, like Howe, Yzerman, Lindsay, and Delvecchio. Enshrine those who made an impact in Detroit and create a hall of fame in the new arena development.

If you were to visit this so-called Hall of Fame/Museum, what would you want to see inside? What would you pay for an entry fee? How should it be designed?

The Detroit Red Wings deserve this type of recognition in their hometown. With the history of this storied franchise plus the amount of fans this team pulls in year in and year out, it would be a no-brainer to add a Hall of Fame and team Museum inside the new Arena and Entertainment District.

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