DTE Energy Music Theatre

DTE Energy Music Theatre (originally Pine Knob Music Theatre) is a 15,274-seat (7,202 seats in the pavilion; 8,072 on the lawn) amphitheater located in Independence Township, Michigan, approximately 40 miles northwest of Detroit (it has a Clarkston, Michigan mailing address). Built by Nederlander Organization in the early 1970s, it was originally known as Pine Knob Music Theatre due to its proximity to the nearby Pine Knob ski area and golf course. The name was changed before the 2001 concert season when DTE Energy (the parent company of Detroit Edison) purchased the naming rights to the amphitheater in a ten-year, $10 million deal. Despite this change, many people still continue to call the venue "Pine Knob", "The Knob", or "The Hill". Palace Sports and Entertainment, which owns the Detroit Pistons, The Palace of Auburn Hills, and operates Meadow Brook Music Festival, purchased the amphitheater in 1990. Annually it ranks among the top-selling outdoor concert venues in the world and has won dozens of awards in the industry, including Pollstar's Best Major Outdoor Concert Venue (2000), Billboard's Top Amphitheater for attendance (2011) and Pollstar's Top Amphitheater Venue Worldwide for total tickets sold (2011).