Pistons to Finish in Joe Louis Arena

The Detroit Pistons will play the remainder of their games in Detroit’s Joe Louis Arena despite Pontiac Silverdome officials outlook that the storm-battered stadium will be back in business by April 1.

“We are planning on finishing our regular season at Joe Louis,” Pistons spokesman Matt Dobek said. “We’ve done our own homework.”

Dobek said the Pistons were told the Silverdome would not be ready until April 15, even “with great weather and no complicatons. They said April 1 would be a miracle.”

A co-owner of the Pistons said the team will consider breaking its lease with the Silverdome if it determines this week’s roof damage at the stadium was caused by careless maintenance.

That would allow the Pistons to play their home games at Joe Louis Arena. The 21,000-seat arena in downtown Detroit opened in 1979, the same year the Pistons moved from Cobo Arena in Detroit to the suburban Silverdome.