After years of speculation, the Detroit Pistons are ready to announce their return to downtown Detroit.
Talks between Pistons owner Tom Gores and his representatives and the Detroit Red Wings, the Ilitch family and Olympia Entertainment have progressed to the point that an official announcement will come Tuesday, a person with firsthand knowledge of the situation told the Free Press on Monday morning.
The Detroit Downtown Development Authority has called a special meeting for 2:30 p.m. Tuesday at Detroit Cass Tech High School. The Pistons' news conference is set for 3 p.m., also at Cass. In attendance will be Gores, Ilitch Holdings president and CEO Christopher Ilitch and Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan.
The Free Press reported late last month that the sides were close to an agreement in which the Pistons would move into the still-being-built Little Caesars Arena next season, sharing the new building with the Red Wings.
Gores later confirmed that the sides "were close" to a deal.
The source told the Free Press that last-minute negotiations center around the arena modifications needed to accommodate an NBA team.
