I was invited to the Pistons game last night and was thoroughly impressed with the Palace and the way they handled the crowds. We rarely had to wait in line for a drink, except during Half-time, and the bathrooms were plentiful, usually a major downfall at any sporting event. The security wasn't too bad considering we were playing Indiana and the ushers were there to make sure no one got out of hand.

Another impressive feature of the Palace was the fact that they poured a good stiff drink. Our party hung out in the Captain's Corner, one of the bars located on the second floor. The only complaint was due to the NO SMOKING rules of the bar, but in this day in age, you have to expect that. I heard from a friend that one of the lower bars allowed smoking, so if you're a smoker, find out which one you want to be at. I'm used to going to Red Wings games and have never been too impressed with the drinks and their strength or lack there of. If I'm going to be paying strip bar prices for a drink, then I want a strong drink; not the case at most big venues. I think the drinks here were mixed the way I would make my own and not too overpriced considering the play-offs and all.

I haven't been to a Pistons game in years, and now I'm pissed that I've been missing out this long. I'm sure the fact that they killed Indiana by over 15 points added to the excitement of the game and the ambience of the venue. I also liked the fact that they allowed us to hang out afterwards for over an hour at the bar and just mingle while a DJ played some tunes. It allowed some of us to add to an already nice buzz and gave us drivers the needed time to sober-up and escort our drunken friends home.

If you have a chance to make it to any of the Play-offs, do not turn the opportunity down. The Palace really stood out as a top notch venue in my mind and I'm looking forward to going back for another game or show.

Scott Garner