Mayor, Detroit Pistons & residents celebrate the completion of 60th refurbished neighborhood basketball court

• Pistons committed to 60 basketball court renovations at 44 City parks as part of Community Benefit Ordinance (CBO) plan
• Pistons partnered with the City of Detroit’s Parks and Recreation Division
• Pistons invested $2.5 million in the project 

City and Pistons officials and the community celebrated Sept. 20 as the last of 60 neighborhood park basketball courts refurbished or rebuilt by the Detroit Pistons was completed. The celebration took place at Howarth Park on Detroit's east side. The project was in partnership with the City of Detroit Parks and Recreation and was completed over six years.

The Pistons' $2.5-million investment came as a result of a community benefits process with the Pistons and residents as the organization was planning to build its new Pistons Performance Center. Those conversations revealed that Detroiters wanted to see improved basketball courts in their neighborhood parks.

The 60 completed basketball courts are spread out across 44 City parks and all City Council districts. Each court was repainted with proper basketball court markings and beautified to increase the aesthetic value of each park.

Participants included Mayor Mike Duggan, City Councilman Scott Benson; Arn Tellem, Vice Chairman, Pistons Sports and Entertainment & Board of Directors, Detroit Regional; Greg Kelser, former NBA player & television commentator; Earl Cureton, former Detroit Pistons player; and Jaden Ivey and Ausar Thompson, both current Pistons players.