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NFL Theatre here today, gone tomorrow

Date Posted: February 3 2006

The Cadillac Theatre inside the Somerset Collection's Grand Court in Troy must be the most well-built, stadium-within-a-mall ever erected.

Too bad its presence is only fleeting, much like Super Bowl XL in Detroit.

Various contractors and building trades union members helped build the theatre, which was placed inside a miniature stadium that resembles Ford Field. Mall-goers are asked to pay $2 per ticket - the proceeds go to the NFL and NFL Alumni Association's "Caring for Kids" charity - to watch a 15-minute film, "Defining Moments," which will include highlights from the first 39 Super Bowls.

The theatre seats 42 and holds 75 people. The goal is to raise $200,000.

"I cannot tell you how wonderful the trades have been," said Somerset Collection Marketing Director Linda McIntosh. IBEW Local 58, Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Local 1 and the Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters participated in the construction.

The feature attraction will be displayed on a 120-foot plasma screen with surround sound. "It's going to look and sound like a modern movie theatre," said Matt Almashy of IBEW Local 58 and Cinder Electric. "Everything that we're putting in is high-end."

The labor and materials were donated. Work on the 900-square-foot stadium-theatre started in the mall the day after Santa's castle was torn down, and it will be disassembled soon after the Super Bowl is played.

"Most of my work has been torn down anyway," joked BAC Local 1 apprenticeship coordinator Jack Love.


THE CADILLAC Theatre, which roughly replicates Ford Field, under construction inside the Somerset Collection in Troy.
Matthew Stefann and Demond Johnson of BAC Local 1 apply mortar to the brick-work on the Cadillac Theatre project at the Somerset Collection in Troy.