<P> The arena hosted its first event on December 12 , 1979 : a college basketball game between the University of Michigan and the University of Detroit . The Red Wings played their first game at Joe Louis Arena on December 27 , 1979 , hosting the St. Louis Blues . Later that first season it hosted the 32nd NHL All - Star Game on February 5 , 1980 , which was played before a then - NHL record crowd of 21,002 . Joe Louis Arena was the site of the 1987 NHL Entry Draft , which marked the first NHL Entry Draft to be held in the United States . In 1980 , the arena hosted the Republican National Convention that nominated Ronald Reagan as the Republican candidate for President of the United States . </P>
<P> The arena hosted its first event on December 12 , 1979 : a college basketball game between the University of Michigan and the University of Detroit . The Red Wings played their first game at Joe Louis Arena on December 27 , 1979 , hosting the St. Louis Blues . Later that first season it hosted the 32nd NHL All - Star Game on February 5 , 1980 , which was played before a then - NHL record crowd of 21,002 . Joe Louis Arena was the site of the 1987 NHL Entry Draft , which marked the first NHL Entry Draft to be held in the United States . In 1980 , the arena hosted the Republican National Convention that nominated Ronald Reagan as the Republican candidate for President of the United States . </P>
when did the red wings move to joe louis arena
when did the red wings move to joe louis arena
December 27 , 1979
December 27 , 1979