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Joe Dumars Fieldhouse becomes a casualty of the pandemic and closes after 25 years

Posted at 6:57 PM, Aug 25, 2020
and last updated 2020-08-25 19:10:14-04

SHELBY TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — After 25 years helping millions of young athletes in Macomb County, the Joe Dumars Fieldhouse is closing its doors.

It's another casualty of the pandemic. The fieldhouse is not only permanently closed, it's also liquidating.

From basketball to volley ball, to adventure camp and so much more, the Joe Dumars Fieldhouse in Shelby Township was started 25 years ago by NBA All-Star Joe Dumars along with two other partners.

The idea was to build a place where people could feel like pros and really lean into community recreation.

The facility has hosted more than a million people each year for 25 years, while providing athletic programs for millions of Macomb County youth. These programs you just couldn't find anywhere else.

Then came COVID-19.

"We respect the governor's desire to keep everybody safe, but I think the indeterminate nature of the length of that closure put a burden on our lease that we couldn't sustain forever," said Brian D. Siegal, managing partner with the Joe Dumars Fieldhouse.

Now, after 25 years, the Joe Dumars Fieldhouse on Mound Road, just north of M-59, is saying goodbye and announcing the liquidation of its facilities this week.

"We're having an open house Saturday and Sunday," Siegal said.